How to Move a cpanel/WHM Server?

[bidware]

Is there a program available (or set of commands) that would allow me to move my entire server to another cpanel / WHM server? I've done customization and there are certain configuration settings that I don't want to have to remember to setup on the new server, etc. So, there must be a program to move the server, say via ftp or something similar?

Thank you.

 

[chirpy]

The script posted by DigitalN pretty much does it if you don't want to go down the backup/restore route:
http://forums.cpanel.net/showthread.php?t=35046

You'll have to use the WHM IP Migration wizard afterwards if your IPs are changing.

 

[bidware]

Ok. That script should work with moving the server. But, there might be one more problem to consider. Once you move the files to the new server, then set the DNS servers (ns1, ns2) to the new IP's of the new server, there will be a 12 to 72 hour period that the DNS takes to propagate. So, during that time, the old server will still be receiving the updates for the 12 to 72 hour period. So, when the DNS finally resolves to the New Server, the New server will not have the current version of the files. Is there any way to ensure that the New server is actually up to date when the DNS does resolve?

Thanks.

 

[rsaylor]

The answer is to update the zone files on the old server after the account have been moved.

Do a search on perl -pi

This is a search and replace, old IP to new IP

 

[bidware]

Thanks for that. So, you would run perl -pi on the new server, right after accounts have been moved and ns1, ns2 have been changed?

 

[bidware]

Would you just do the search and replace on the New server or the Old server? I wasn't sure about that.

Thanks

 

[rsaylor]

you would run the pearl -pi on the old server so basically you are changing the old ip to the new ip in every zone file. Then restart named. All sites are instrantly resolving to the new server. Now, people who recently visited the sites would have to flush there DNS before it updates for them.

 

[bidware]

Thanks for that. On the new server, would I still have to run the wizard that appears when you login to whm for the first time?

 

[bidware]

So how would the users Flush their DNS? They wouldn't necessarily know what that means.

 

[nickp666]

FOR WINDOWS:

ipconfig /flushdns

from the command prompt if they arent using an internal DNS server (sometimes needs a few goes to work)

If they are running windows server with DNS, go into administrative tools > dns, right click on the server name and choose 'Clear Cache' then run the above a couple of times on the server as well

 

[bidware]

Ok. Would the script mentioned also transfer all installed programs (for example zend optimizer, current PHP settings, etc. etc.)?

Thanks.

 

[chirpy]

No it doesn't. You have to redo that sort of thing manually.

 

[bidware]

Ok. Thanks. Does that script also change the IP's for all the files copied over to the New server's IP's? I was thinking that cpanel's copy accounts function would be easier to use. Then after copying accounts, configure PHP, and install zend, etc. That would still work the same, or is there still more that I'm missing?

 

[bidware]

Also, in WHM, can you view the current PHP settings somewhere? I noticed that in Apache Update, It simply shows the default settings, and not necessarily the current ones.

 

[nettigritty]

click load previous config in the apache build page to see that or use phpinfo();

 

[chirpy]

You can actually copy them over with the file in /etc/buildapache/config.pl

The script doesn't change the IP's, you'd need to use the WHM > IP Migration Wizard for that.