Problem :
We have Linux server on production hosting Mysql/Crons/other process like java/PHP/Python etc.Its physical server on some data center(not AWS/Azure)
We need to upgrade the server disc. Our devops has suggested to reinstall everything on new disk.My push was to create the image of existing disk and install it on new disk(as it will save lot of effort for manual installation) but that devops person take with image process there can be some unforeseen issues which are hard to debug and not comfortable with this
My question is does people go for image installation on prod servers or there are know caveats with this process so people prefer manual installtion ?
Solution :
Is the server running an old OS in need of major upgrades? Is the server cluttered with junk and in need of maintenance and cleanup?
Really, there is absolutely no reason to rebuild a server from scratch just to upgrade disks. There is only an issue if it is done wrong. And they aren’t “unforeseen” issues. They are issues that are immediate and apparent like not being able to boot.
If the server, in general, is in need of major maintenance and updates then it is certainly worth considering a complete rebuild from scratch. However, if you are simply upgrading a disk / raid volume then that is a straightforward process easily done using the proper steps with cloning software.
With Linux, more so than Windows, you are more likely to experience “unforeseen” issues when you rebuild from scratch because of all the version changes and incompatibilities.