Using "Snapshot" to create a new Lightsail instance

[erling]

Has anyone tried using the Snapshot feature on Amazon Lightsail to setup a new 3CX instance (from an existing one)?

It looks like it would be pretty straightforward (and quick), but you would have two identical instances running (on the same license and FQDN) until you assigned a new license to the new instance.

Would the FQDN be updated on the new instance when you change the license key?

Just curious if anyone has tried it, or has thoughts on if it would work.

The manual install process obviously works, but the snapshot feature would be super convenient and faster (if it worked).

 

[erling]

Can any 3CX people weigh in on this?

I'm just about to try it, but don't want to waste time on something that won't work.

Here's what I'm trying to do.

Copy a working test instance (with it's own license key and FQDN) to a new Lightsail instance using snapshot.

Log into the new instance with the direct IP address supplied by Lightsail (which should be an exact copy of the original 3CX install).

Do a restore in the new instance from a customer backup that I want to put there (with it's own license key and FQDN).

Would the restore work?

Would the key and FQDN be active in the new instance?

Let me know.

Again, the goal is to move an existing on-premise install to Lightsail (with the least amount of work...)

 

[Evolute IT]

I personally had bad experiences with snapshots in Lightsail, mainly that they take FOREVER.

The best way is to spin up the new VM with Debian10, install 3CX according to this and then once you're at the setup wizard, make a backup of the active one, download it, shutdown that VM and upload the backup on the other side.

As for the FQDN, if your backup includes it, it will follow the VM and new IP. If you do a backup without license, you can restore during setup and it will ask for your key and new FQDN. If the goal is to assign a new key to an existing FQDN, you can simply replace the license key in Settings > License and it will move the system and FQDN to that new license.

 

[erling]

Thanks for the reply!

When you say forever, how long do you mean? (an hour, a day?)

As far as I know, the only way to upgrade a VM instance is to use Snapshot.

We haven't had to do that yet, but it would be nice to know it would work if we needed to.

The 3CX guide for the manual install works, I was just looking for something easier and faster.

 

[SweetAction]

Like 99% sure that changing the license key in the 3CX MC doesn't change the FQDN of the installed system. Only way to do that is take a backup without license/fqdn and restore.

So maybe a snapshot of an unconfigured system and a backup of your desired settings that you can restore would work.