Tuesday, 11 June 2024

Migrating Deprecated Unifi Docker on unRaid

I've been using LinuxServer's Unifi-Controller docker for a long time to manage my unifi devices. However, this has been deprecated and to keep up with new releases, there is a requirement to install a Mongo database docker and a newer Unifi docker. This sounded like a bit of a faff but I thought I'd give it a try before succumbing to a physical controller device. The process did not go well, and I couldn't seem to get the systems to work together.

However, in searching around for solutions, I saw there was a new 'all in one' option, the Unifi-Controller-Reborn docker from PeteAsking. (find it in the Apps tab). I gave it a whirl and was able to get my old setup running in a shiny new Docker. Along the way were a few learnings that I thought I'd log here for posterity.

I was running version 8.0.24 in my old docker, and first task was to export the site. Do this in Settings > System > General


This generates a file such as network_site_YourSite_v8.0.24.unf

After this, I shut down the Unifi-Controller docker and installed Unifi-Controller-Reborn. This went smoothly, apart from one port that was in conflict with another in use in another Docker, and once I adjusted that, I was up and running.

Accessing the Unifi GUI, there is a prompt to create a site but at the bottom of the screen is an option to restore a backup. Long story short, this doesn't work (for me).

The first issue was Unifi reporting that the backup file was newer than the current version. Here's where I discovered the wonderful world of Tags. This container does not behave like most others. Rather than come configured out of the box to install latest or stable, the repository is set to an older version of Unifi;

It's not explained very clearly (that I could see) in the support thread,, but essentially, you need to visit dockerHub, find the version you want and set the Repository line in the docker config to that. I selected the same version as I am upgrading from;

It's important to select the version appended with 'Unraid' for this.

Now, my site upload would apply, but on accessing the Unifi GUI after a docker restart, none of my credentials would work. Grrr. This is more a Unifi issue than a container issue as I discovered in this support thread.

It was necessary to log in to a fresh Unifi-Controller-Reborn container install using my Unifi UI credentials as if setting up a new site. From there, I had to go to Settings > System -> General again and enable Multi Site Management (even if only managing one site);



This enables the Site Switcher which allows access to the 'Add New' link through which you can then upload your site backup. Whew! I still can't login with my old site username and password, but at least my UI details work. I'm sure I'll figure this out in time.



 

No real problems once set up. All my configurations and devices were recognised. I was able to run a few device updates and except for one switch that took a few attempts to adopt, everything showed up as expected.

I stopped the container, updated the repository to the current version (8.1.127 at time of writing) and restarted. That went smoothly as well. Everything had to adopt, but this was automatic.

I don't think I'm going to get notifications of up[dates in the usual way through Unraid UI, so it will be a case of checking that dockerHub page on occasion. Maybe there is a way, or that will be resolved. We shall see.


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