Moving a site from Windows to Linux

Customer Support Customer Only Discussion
1

A client has requested I move their site to a Linux server. Before I begin, I want to confirm the process. The threads in the forum are all a bit old. I’m hoping a new, automated method has cropped up since they were posted. :tongue:

  1. Create a new Linux stopgap account
  2. Install the web files and database
  3. Create matching mail accounts on the new account
  4. Delete the old account
  5. Update the new account to add in the domain
  6. Wait minutes to hours for DNS to propagate, meanwhile mail gets lost and folks get site unavailable errors

I realize I could move the site elsewhere, then move it back here. That would result in less chance of lost mail. But, it would double my work. This is a somewhat complex CMS/database driven site.

Thanks,
Tim

2

Here is how I would do it to have less downtime:

  1. Create a new Linux account. Add a stopgap domain or a third level domain.

  2. Move a copy of this original site to this domain, move DB to a new DB here and ensure site is working.

  3. Reduce TTL for all DNS records ‘only’ in source account to 300 (5 mins).

  4. Wait for 24 hours

  5. Ensure all emails are downloaded, there are good backups of website & DB, and notes about domain settings (configuration in CP, files to edit for configuration, changes to be done in these files).

  6. Update the stopgap domain/third level domain created at step2 and the DB, to ensure it now has latest content.

  7. Delete the domain from source account and add in new account.

  8. Via FTP rename directory for ‘actual domain’ to anything (which should only contain default CP files).

  9. Rename directory for ‘stopgap domain or a third level domain’ created at step 2 to this ‘actual domain’.

  10. Ensure path settings are all correct, and see if the website is working fine using the temp URL.

  11. Run ipconfig/flushdns at command prompt on your computer, wait for a few mins, and then try to access the website.

  12. Verify if it is working fine for others using third party proxy sites like megaproxy or anonymouse

After this you can delete source account at your will.

3

Thank you Tanmaya! I will follow your steps.

4

Tanmaya, I’m finally ready to start following your steps. But I’m confused about step #3.

3. Reduce TTL for all DNS records ‘only’ in source account to 300 (5 mins).

There’s no way I see to edit the existing DNS records. So, do I delete what’s there and add new ones with the TTL set to 5 mins? Or am I doing something wrong?

BTW, the only DNS records are the built-in/default ones created when I set up this account.

Thanks,
Tim

5

yes. Only way is to delete and add new ones with 5-min TTL.

6

Using this process, I made the transfer this morning. It went quickly and I think error-free.

One final question: in the new site’s control panel, I have two domains listed. One for the actual domain and the other for the stopgap. Can I delete the stopgap without causing problems?

My concern is that hsphere might have some behind the scenes memory that the directory now named after my live domain used to be named for the stopgap and deleting the domain in the CP might delete all my site’s files.

Thanks,
Tim

7

This should be fine.