dovecot - Apr 2013 - Moving mail servers, moving mailboxes

So, I've done some searching - but search terms are hard to come by,
that work, for this query.

In short, migrating a RHEL 5.9 server running the back-ported Dovecot 1.0.7
To: Ububtu 12.04 with 2.0.19, I believe.

[I'm not against compiling a more recent version if there's some real
advantage to doing so. But I'd certainly prefer to stay with the
packaged version.]

Most users are POP3, with some leaving messages on the server for a
while.

Other users are IMAP - whole mail repository on server.

---
In an ideal world, I'd like to simply copy all the mailboxes/dirs from one
server to the other. [Local/LAN file copies are possible]

It would be great if the message ID's wouldn't change, so the
read/unread/new etc status all all the messages wouldn't change
between the two servers for POP/IMAP.

---
So, does anyone have a reasonable walk-through for doing so?
Is this a poor idea?
Should I simply set myself on fire now and save everyone a lot of hassle? :)
Would you suggest an alternative, and tell me if it might achieve the
objectives above?

I'm more than glad to take pointers to threads on this topic. I just
haven't been able to dredge this up with my Google-foo.

TIA
-Greg

I hate to bug anyone about this again, but I'm really unsure of how best to
proceed.

If someone could point me in a good direction - a web-link or link to
a relevant listserv thread - I'd really appreciate it.

Some additional searches have given me _some_ new ideas.
 - I've seen about dsync - but it appears that would only help between
two v2.x Postfix machines, correct? [Or will it pull from 1.x to 2.x
without an issue?]

TIA

-Greg

GS> So, I've done some searching - but search terms are hard to come by,
GS> that work, for this query.

GS> In short, migrating a RHEL 5.9 server running the back-ported Dovecot
1.0.7
GS> To: Ububtu 12.04 with 2.0.19, I believe.

GS> [I'm not against compiling a more recent version if there's some
real
GS> advantage to doing so. But I'd certainly prefer to stay with the
GS> packaged version.]

GS> Most users are POP3, with some leaving messages on the server for a
GS> while.

GS> Other users are IMAP - whole mail repository on server.

GS> ---
GS> In an ideal world, I'd like to simply copy all the mailboxes/dirs
from one
GS> server to the other. [Local/LAN file copies are possible]

GS> It would be great if the message ID's wouldn't change, so the
GS> read/unread/new etc status all all the messages wouldn't change
GS> between the two servers for POP/IMAP.

GS> ---
GS> So, does anyone have a reasonable walk-through for doing so?
GS> Is this a poor idea?
GS> Should I simply set myself on fire now and save everyone a lot of hassle?
:)
GS> Would you suggest an alternative, and tell me if it might achieve the
GS> objectives above?

GS> I'm more than glad to take pointers to threads on this topic. I just
GS> haven't been able to dredge this up with my Google-foo.

GS> TIA
GS> -Greg

On 16.4.2013, at 2.48, Gregory Sloop <gregs at sloop.net> wrote:
> In short, migrating a RHEL 5.9 server running the back-ported Dovecot 1.0.7
> To: Ububtu 12.04 with 2.0.19, I believe.
Dovecot v2.0 can use v1.0's mbox/maildir files including their metadata.
v2.0 should also be able to read v1.0's index files without errors.
> In an ideal world, I'd like to simply copy all the mailboxes/dirs from
one
> server to the other. [Local/LAN file copies are possible]
You can do that. Or use rsync.