Step-by-step guide to safely migrating your data, websites, and applications to a REXE server with minimal downtime.
Server migration is the process of transferring all data, applications, and configurations from your existing server to a new one. With proper planning, you can minimize downtime and prevent data loss.
# Running services
systemctl list-units --type=service --state=running
# Installed packages
dpkg --get-selections > /tmp/packages.txt # Debian/Ubuntu
# Open ports
ss -tlnp
# Crontab
crontab -l > /tmp/crontab_backup.txt
# Disk usage
df -h
du -sh /var/www/ /home/ /etc/
# Databases
mysql -e "SHOW DATABASES;"
# Web files
tar -czf /tmp/www_backup.tar.gz /var/www/
# Database backup
mysqldump --all-databases -u root -p > /tmp/all_databases.sql
# Config files
tar -czf /tmp/etc_backup.tar.gz /etc/
Lower DNS TTL 24-48 hours before migration:
Current TTL: 86400 (24 hours)
New TTL: 300 (5 minutes)
# Pull files from old server to new server
rsync -avz --progress \
-e "ssh -p 22" \
root@old_server_ip:/var/www/ \
/var/www/
# Config files
rsync -avz --progress \
-e "ssh -p 22" \
root@old_server_ip:/etc/nginx/ \
/etc/nginx/
# Database
rsync -avz --progress \
-e "ssh -p 22" \
root@old_server_ip:/tmp/all_databases.sql \
/tmp/
# Single file
scp root@old_server_ip:/tmp/backup.tar.gz /tmp/
# Directory
scp -r root@old_server_ip:/var/www/ /var/www/
# 1. Transfer web files
rsync -avz root@old_ip:/var/www/ /var/www/
# 2. Transfer Nginx config
rsync -avz root@old_ip:/etc/nginx/sites-available/ /etc/nginx/sites-available/
# 3. Transfer SSL certificates
rsync -avz root@old_ip:/etc/letsencrypt/ /etc/letsencrypt/
# 4. Restart Nginx
nginx -t && systemctl restart nginx
# On old server: dump
mysqldump --all-databases -u root -p > /tmp/all_db.sql
# On new server: import
mysql -u root -p < /tmp/all_db.sql
# Save images
docker save myapp:latest | gzip > /tmp/myapp.tar.gz
# Transfer
rsync -avz root@old_ip:/tmp/myapp.tar.gz /tmp/
# Load on new server
docker load < /tmp/myapp.tar.gz
# Check DNS propagation
nslookup domain.com 8.8.8.8
nslookup domain.com 1.1.1.1
# Check all services are running
systemctl status nginx mysql php8.2-fpm
# Test website
curl -I https://domain.com
# Check SSL certificate
curl -vI https://domain.com 2>&1 | grep -E '(SSL|expire|issuer)'
# Check logs
tail -f /var/log/nginx/error.log
Don't shut down the old server immediately after migration. Keep it active for at least 1 week. Some users may still reach the old server due to DNS caching.
Planning is critical for a successful server migration. Take a full backup before migration, lower DNS TTL, and thoroughly test before going live. Our technical support team can assist if you encounter issues during migration.
With live migration using rsync, downtime is minimized. If you lower DNS TTL beforehand, the DNS cutover completes in 5 minutes. Total downtime is typically 5-15 minutes.
Export all databases with mysqldump, transfer to the new server, and import. For large databases, you can use rsync with live replication or MySQL replication.
It depends on the TTL value. If you lowered TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes) beforehand, the change propagates in 5-10 minutes. With the default 24-hour TTL, it can take up to 24 hours.
Wait at least 1 week. Some users may still reach the old server due to DNS caching. After 1 week, if traffic has fully moved to the new server, you can shut down the old one.
Compare REXE Technology's VDS, dedicated server, colocation, and rack rental services in detail. Find the right hosting solution for your needs with our pricing and feature guide.
REXE Technology backup options: automatic snapshots, manual backups, and application-level backup strategies. Learn how to prevent data loss and recover quickly from any incident.
REXE Technology SLA policy: 99.9% uptime guarantee, credit policy, uptime calculation and data center infrastructure. Learn your rights and the credit process during outages.