New instalation pfS 2.8.0

gusto

Hello,
I am currently using pfSense (pfS) 2.7.2 in KVM. Everything works fine, but I would like to install a clean installation of 2.8.0.
I installed the first pfS 2.4.5 in 2020 and have only updated since then. My first pfS backup was 546MB.
In the meantime, I tried NTOP, where the DB was quite large and the backup was about 1-1.5GB.
Later, I uninstalled NTOP and also the DB, but the backups are still very large.
The last pfS backup is 2.4GB
Therefore, I want a clean new installation of 2.8.0.

I want to save the configuration via

Diagnostic-> Backup & Restore

Backup area is set to All (and I save the xml config).
As for packages, I only have cron and openvpn-client-export installed there.
I only have cron because of the script I run to check the IP address.

Question
If I install pfS 2.8.0 and restore the xml config file, should everything work like on 2.7.2?

Of course, I made documentation for the pfS configuration from the beginning, so I know how to proceed, but this would be very time-consuming.

Best regards

Gertjan

@gusto said in New inatalation pfS 2.8.0:

If I install pfS 2.8.0 and restore the xml config file, should everything work like on 2.7.2?

Yep, it's a easy as that.

Two things :
It's time to clean up your config file. The normal (if such a thing exists) size of a config file is about 500 Kilo bytes, and why I include my RRD graph (monitoring) info, its a bout 10 Mega bytes.
Not 2,4 Giga bytes.

So : get a copy - and save a copy of a copy.
Now, get a good editor (Notepad++ will do) and starting clean up.
You'll see, the structure is easy to understand.
When done, import the config. Everything is fine , Ok - your done. pfSense goes belly up ? retry ...

If you already use the ZFS file system, there is no need to create another VM.
Just put your config file on a forced diet, and you'll be good.
Making a new VM and then reusing the config from the previous install won't change the config file size, it will stay 'huge'.

@gusto said in New inatalation pfS 2.8.0:

I only have cron because of the script I run to check the IP address.

You've added and/or created yourself this script ? You have a backup ?

gusto

@Gertjan
My config file is 108 KB (2979 lines) and that seems to be fine.
The problem is the large backup

du -sh /* | sort -rh | head -10

1.7G /usr
336M /var
204M /boot
27M /rescue
21M /lib
8.3M /etc
4.7M /sbin
4.0M /tmp
3.3M /cf
1.4M /bin

But I would still like to install pfS 2.8.0 from scratch.
I use, for example OpenVPN, or PPPoE on pfS. I noticed that in the config xml these keys are apparently encrypted.
Do I need to save these keys unencrypted, or will they be automatically decrypted when restoring the backup?

Gertjan

@gusto said in New inatalation pfS 2.8.0:

The problem is the large backup

Wait ...
Backup of what ? You mean the entire 'pfSense' file system ?

gusto

@Gertjan

I have pfS in KVM (virtualized machine) and I regularly backup the full KVM.
The full KVM backup is 2.4GB (in 2020 it was 0.5GB)
I need to reduce the backup because I am sending it to gdrive and there is only 20GB storage there (I also have many other KVM and LXC there).

I simply have no idea why the backup takes up so much space and that is why I prefer a new installation of pfS.

I just need to know that if I save the config file xml in pfS 2.7.2 will it be compatible in pfS 2.8.0

I also mentioned PPPoE password, OpenVPN cert, keys etc ...

stephenw10

Everything should be in the config. Password, certs etc. Everything. You should be able to restore the file into 2.8 and get back to where you are now.

If you have a custom script running in cron that will not be in the config though unless you use the Filer package to store it.

gusto

@stephenw10
Thanks,
since pfS runs in KVM, I can restore an old backup in a few seconds if there are problems.