Description of problem:

The official documentation here:

https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_satellite/6.9/html/upgrading_and_updating_red_hat_satellite/cloning_satellite_server#sec-Pulp_Data_Considerations

Advises that /var/lib/pulp can be omitted from the backup process and rsync'd to the target server independently.

We have rsync'd the /var/lib/pulp directory to the target server prior to running satellite-clone. When Satellite-clone is run the 800GB of pulp data that was rsync'd is wiped out by the process.

If there are additional steps required to utilize the rsync'd data they are either not present in the documentation for satellite-clone or not obvious.

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): 2.0.3-1

How reproducible:
Follow the documented instructions for satellite-clone

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Create a backup of the satellite using satellite-maintain backup and include the option --skip-pulp
2.Synchronize the contents of /var/lib/pulp from the source Satellite to the target server
3.Run satellite-cone

Actual results:
during the satellite-clone process the transferred contents of /var/lib/pulp are deleted.

Expected results:
The contents of /var/lib/pulp are recognized and used by the process

Additional info:

The deletion of the contents of /var/lib/pulp occurs during the execution of the task "restore using foreman-maintain" from /usr/share/satellite-clone/roles/satellite-clone/tasks/main.yml

If the option --skip-pulp is used <backup dir>/pulp_data.tar is not created. Both the satellite-clone role and foreman-maintain ruby gem seem to use the presence of pulp_data.tar as a flag.

This is impacting an active consulting engagement with a Red Hat customer.