I’m new to the forums, know a minimal amount, trying to tread water, trying to make my client happy. My client had another PBX solution from a VoIP startup that was raping them and I stepped in (as their tech consultant) to get them away from the leeches.
I installed and configured a full FreePBX distro and backed up the config. Everything was working quite nicely. Even executed a backup from the GUI and downloaded that backup to my own computer.
So I had the box fail on me a few days ago at the client’s office. I went in at 10pm and the box was unreachable via ping as well as unreachable via the web GUI. I think the integrated NIC card took a dump. I could be wrong, but I’m a hardware guy and that’s my best guess.
I’ve searched for the process to login directly to the box via the command line at localhost: BUT everywhere I search I cannot find the correct username and password to do so.
Here’s my question:
If you make a backup, have access to the backup tarball and have to replace the hardware, how the HECK do you get it in the right place on the new box so that the file shows up in the GUI on the new box?
Being so new to this, I literally had to completely reconfigure a new box with all the extensions, trunk, ring groups, etc… all because I tried to help my client (with something that is not my skillset)
So can someone walk me through the process of:
Logging in to the box from the terminal…
Copying the backup I made from my first box (I have a flash drive) to the right location on the new unit…
Confirming that the backup will indeed show itself in the GUI, under available backups to restore.
I would truly be thankful for this short run through.
Thanks Guys!
Jason
I’m really embarrassed to say that I’ve searched the forum for instructions on how to log in to the box from directly in front of the box, but I cannot find anything. All the information I’ve been reading through is like reading Greek through a car window at 50MPH.
What is the default localhost login for the command line and how do I copy the backup I have from my flash drive to the /var/lib/asterisk/backups folder?
To log into the box at the command line you can use a SSH client called putty. Download it to your PC. It is a single file. Run it and input the IP address of your server. The login is root and the password is what you set it to when you installed the system.
Ok, I got into the box using root. I swear I tried this before, when I had the original box go down, but it was 1am by the time I gave up and just rebuilt everything manually.
So now that I’m logged in, I’ve got the original configuration backup on a flash drive. How do I copy the backup file to the /var/lib/asterisk/backups folder?
I’ve never done it via ssh before. How do I know what the drive designation is for the flash drive when I insert it into the machine?
Once I copy to the /var/lib/asterisk/backups folder, will it show up in the backup & restore tab in the GUI?
I was able to figure out how to copy using SSH from my computer over the network to the PBX box… now I have a path for restoring a configuration if this second box fails.
And for anyone who reads this thread who needs a confirmation:
Yes - if you copy a tarball to the backup directory /var/lib/asterisk/backups on a NEW DISTRO, you will see it in the list of available backups in the WEB GUI.
I know I get accused of being a hard ass so this comment will probably not be well received either. I do know that many people share my feelings on this.
If you are being paid and collecting money from a client to perform this work I am very loathe to assist you (or anyone else) in profiting when you are not in a position to charge for your skills in the Linux/Telephony arena.
In my opinion the proper thing to do is to engage a tier 2 organization such as Schmooze (shameless plug for our Tony’s tireless team) and manage the relationship for the customer. In that way you are creating good will and value for all.