Linux – what is the best approach to copy /var content

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we have linux redhar 7

we want to keep the /var on other volume

so the plan is to:

mkdir /var_copy
cp -rp /var/* /var_copy
umount /dev/mapper/vg-a-var /var
rm -rf /var
mkdir /var
mount /dev/mapper/vg-b-var /var
cp -rp /var_copy/* /var

so my question is

is it good approach to use cp -rp in order to copy /var content ?

or maybe because /var include simbolic link or hard link need to use other approach ? as cp -a or other ?

Best Answer

Instead of cp I suggest

rsync -aqxP /var/* /var_copy

...but your plan will break many things (rm -rf /var "under" a running system).

Better to

  • copy things
  • modify /etc/fstab
  • reboot

... as described here (and in many places): https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-move-var-directory-to-another-partition

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