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<p>Hi Tahir,<br>
<br>
The first think I would be doing is setting expectations with the
Project Manager. If everything was documented to migrate 40
servers in just 10 weeks is a tall order. You will absolutely run
into problems that will take time to resolve and to make matters
worse you have no one to fall back on. Setting realistic
expectations will take the pressure off you. Just having that
pressure lifted will mean you'll inevitably make less mistakes. <br>
<br>
As to what questions to ask the sysadmin.. Who are his contacts in
each of the departments that use these systems. If you have a
contact there, even a non technical contact can help point you in
the correct direction. In academic institutions you usually find
the users of these bespoke applications have a really good handle
on how they are setup and function.<br>
<br>
Just me tuppence worth.<br>
<br>
Martin<br>
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 19/07/2021 18:01, Tahir Hafiz wrote:<br>
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<div>Hi All, <br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I've started a new remote role in an academic institution.
<br>
</div>
<div>But the first task seems to be to migrate around 40 Linux
servers (a couple of them seem to be Solaris, the rest Ubuntu)
each running different bespoke applications for various
academic purposes from one organisation to another
organisation within the next 10 weeks or so. <br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The problem is that there is scant documentation as to what
these Linux servers do and the purpose of the applications
running on each one, how they were set-up (individually it
seems by various academics over the years who have since
left), and the majority of servers are on AWS, some on Google
Cloud and a few on OpenStack. The Project Manager is looking
at the purposes of the servers to be migrated from a business
point of view. <br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The current Linux sysadmin has been doing the job of three
people maintaining all these systems, he has not documented
anything all these years and is leaving in 4 days. <br>
</div>
<div>What kind of good questions should I ask him before he
leaves? He is the only one that knows how everything works. <br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Is there any good inventory software for Linux that will
tell you what services, ports being listened on, active
applications running? What are the best ways to figure out
what a server does? <br>
</div>
<div>I think as time is so short I need to find a way to lift
and shift a server from one organisation to another - any
advice on how to do this, e.g. AWS and GCP or OpenStack that
can "lift and shift" a server from one organisation's cloud to
another? <br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Cheers,</div>
<div>Tahir<br>
</div>
</div>
<br>
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