Seafile CE LXC to Docker VM migration strategy on Proxmox

Seafile Server
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Hello,

I’m running the Seafile CE binary edition in Proxmox LXC containers and have limited experience with Docker so far. I plan to run Docker in a KVM VM, set up a new Seafile installation and then import the existing data.

It would be a great help to me if you could share a few details about your setup, e.g. what you use to manage Docker, how you got the data from LXC into the VM, etc.

I’ve read the V13 docs and I think I’ll manage, but I like to hear about other people’s experiences and pick up a few tips. Thank you very much :slight_smile:

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You can treat this migration as a backup-and-restore move from a non-Docker deployment to Docker.

The safest path is:

  1. Stop the Seafile, web, and cache services on the old LXC.
  2. Back up the MySQL/MariaDB databases and the Seafile library data.
  3. Deploy Seafile Docker on the new VM.
  4. Restore the database and library data on the new Docker host.
  5. Start the Docker stack and verify the service before decommissioning the old instance.

For the Docker VM, keep the documented persistent paths and matching settings in .env as the starting point:

  • /opt/seafile-data for Seafile data
  • /opt/seafile-mysql/db for the database volume

The admin manual has the full migration flow here: Migrate from non-docker deployment - Seafile Admin Manual

If you are moving from Proxmox LXC to a VM, the main difference is the container platform itself; the Seafile data migration is still the same backup/restore process.

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