I want to move some of my customers' sites onto a new server. These accounts have html, php, cgi, and MySQL data. How can I do that and keep the downtime minimal?

Thanks :cartman:

Just curious, why are you moving them?


I am not sure about the MySQL, as it isn't my strongest field, but you could always .tar the site's HTML, PHP, and CGI and then untar then at the other location.

do you use cpanel? cobalt? Are both servers identical?

To answer this it will require more information about both servers.

Make sure the version of MySQL on the new server is compatible with tables from the MySQL db on the old server or you will be biting ur fingers with conversion scripts etc. Otherwise... tar up the home directory, email etc and do a mysqldump as well as copying the files in the mysql <dbname> folder.

Thanks for answers!

I want to change my current provider to another one which is cheaper and better!

Both companies use Linux/Apache and WHM/Cpanel. I do not want to download backup files then upload them to the new server again. Server to Server movement would be better and faster, right?!

Some of the old accounts do not have SSH. How can I tar the files then? :confused: :rolleyes: :bawling:

shouldn't this be on The technical issues section?

In any case, this is how you would do if you are not using control panel (this is only for one account right)?

- zip all the files, transfer them to the other server
- if you are using phpMyAdmin, make of a dump of your MySQL data to a text file, use phpMyAdmin on the new server to import the files.

your new server probably has an IP or a temporary path that you can test to make sure everything is okay. Test all your CGI scripts and make sure none of the links are broken.
Then change your DNS entry to point to your new server.

once you the DNS is fully propagated and your happy on your new server, you can delete the old site.

If you have root access on the boxes, you can use cpanel's account mover.

-Steven

One thing I would suggest would be to set your TTL (time to live) on your DNS to something like 1 or 2 hours a few days before your start. Then when you make the changes to the IPs the new information will propagate much quicker.