Pulse/docs/MIGRATION.md

Migrating Pulse

Quick Migration Guide

❌ DON'T: Copy files directly

Never copy /etc/pulse or /var/lib/pulse directories between systems:

• The encryption key is tied to the files
• Credentials may be exposed
• Configuration may not work on different systems

✅ DO: Use Export/Import

Exporting (Old Server)

1. Open Pulse web interface
2. Go to Settings → Configuration Management
3. Click Export Configuration
4. Enter a strong passphrase (you'll need this for import!)
5. Save the downloaded file securely

Importing (New Server)

1. Install fresh Pulse instance
2. Open Pulse web interface
3. Go to Settings → Configuration Management
4. Click Import Configuration
5. Select your exported file
6. Enter the same passphrase
7. Click Import

What Gets Migrated

✅ Included:

• All PVE/PBS nodes and credentials
• Alert settings and thresholds
• Email configuration
• Webhook configurations
• System settings
• Guest metadata (custom URLs, notes)

❌ Not Included:

• Historical metrics data
• Alert history
• Authentication settings (passwords, API tokens)
• Each instance should configure its own authentication

Common Scenarios

Moving to New Hardware

1. Export from old server
2. Shut down old Pulse instance
3. Install Pulse on new hardware
4. Import configuration
5. Verify all nodes are connected

Docker to Systemd (or vice versa)

The export/import process works across all installation methods:

• Docker → Systemd ✅
• Systemd → Docker ✅
• Docker → LXC ✅

Backup Strategy

Weekly Backups:

1. Export configuration weekly
2. Store exports with date: pulse-backup-2024-01-15.enc
3. Keep last 4 backups
4. Store passphrase securely (password manager)

Disaster Recovery

1. Install Pulse: curl -sL https://github.com/rcourtman/Pulse/releases/latest/download/install.sh | bash
2. Import latest backup
3. System restored in under 5 minutes!

Security Notes

• Passphrase Protection: Exports are encrypted with PBKDF2 (100,000 iterations)
• Safe to Store: Encrypted exports can be stored in cloud backups
• Minimum 12 characters: Use a strong passphrase
• Password Manager: Store your passphrase securely

Troubleshooting

"Invalid passphrase" error

• Ensure you're using the exact same passphrase
• Check for extra spaces or capitalization

Missing nodes after import

• Verify the export was taken after adding the nodes
• Check Settings to ensure nodes are listed

Connection errors after import

• Node IPs may have changed
• Update node addresses in Settings

Pro Tips

1. Test imports: Try importing on a test instance first
2. Document changes: Note any manual configs not in Pulse
3. Version matching: Best to import into same or newer Pulse version
4. Network access: Ensure new server can reach all nodes

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Remember: Export/Import is the ONLY supported migration method. Direct file copying is not supported and may result in data loss.