* * * * *
                                        
             It was my rerouting to switch B that saved the files.”
                                        
[So now we get to learn why Sean is using a crappy keyboard in the Data
Center to write these entries [1] and not a real keyboard. I would also
advise you to read that entry for the necessary background of events leading
to this situation. —Editor] 

The idea is to copy the files from the dying server to the new server.
XXXXXXXX had a spare computer lying around, already pre-installed with Linux.
So the easiest thing would be to copy the critical files over (the server in
question is just a mail server—that's it). Should be a simple operation. 

Should. 

There's that word again. 

We get the new server on a temporary IP (Internet Protocol) address and start
copying files. One of the directories we need to copy over is the mail spool
directory, but copying the files is taking way too long. 

As in “at this rate, this 10M (Megabyte) file will take two hours to copy
across the local 100Mbps (Megabits per second) network” too long. Something
was wrong with XXXXXXXXX's switch, and no amount of mucking with either
server's network card settings would get the connection to go any faster. 

I then grabbed a spare switch sitting above my desk and plugged both machines
into that. 

Nothing. 

I then realized that both machines were technically in different networks.
Once I put then into the same network the copy proceeded at a much faster
pace. 

It still took over an hour to copy the files though. 

[And that's why I was sitting in the Server Room making entries. Thankfully,
everything worked after that.] 

[1] gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2006/06/22.1

Email author at sean@conman.org