Move to another server

You can move a website to another of your servers, for example to a bigger server or one in a different region. The domain stays the same. Moving is available for WordPress websites.

Before you start

• Staging: delete the website’s staging copy first. You can create it again on the new server.
• Preview address: a website still on its preview address must be taken live on its domain first. Websites created without a domain can’t be moved yet.
• The new server must be ready and can’t already have a website using the same domain.
• Downtime: plan for some. The original website is paused while it is copied and until you finish or cancel.

Step 1: Pause and copy

1. Open the website, then More › Move to another server.
2. Choose the Destination server. Servers that can’t take the website are listed with the reason.
3. Read the notes, then click Start move.

If the new server runs a different web server, the dialog says so. On Nginx only, custom .htaccess rewrite rules are ignored, so use Redirects instead. On Nginx + Apache, they become active.

Netkeel pauses the original website, its scheduled tasks and file access, then copies everything to the new server. A banner at the top of the website’s page shows progress.

Step 2: Point DNS

When the copy is ready, the banner shows the new server’s address.

1. At your DNS provider, change the domain’s A record to that address. Click Copy on the banner to copy it.
2. Netkeel watches for the change. Click Check DNS again to check straight away.

Your PHP settings, redirects, cron jobs, SSH keys, cache settings and security settings are applied on the new server for you. If any couldn’t be applied, the banner lists them. Fix the cause and click Retry settings, or set them up yourself on the new server.

Step 3: Finish

When the domain points to the new server, click Finish move. Netkeel issues the certificate on the new server and deletes the old copy. Tags, team access, the backup schedule and your website settings carry over.

Caution

Backups kept only on the old server are deleted with the old copy. Off-site copies are kept. If any backups haven’t been copied off-site yet, the panel tells you and asks you to confirm again.

Finishing early

If DNS hasn’t changed yet, the button reads Finish anyway. Use it only if you have already changed DNS and are waiting for it to spread. Until it does, visitors may see errors.

If the certificate can’t be issued, you can try again or click Finish without certificate and request one later from Domains & SSL.

Cancel a move

Click Cancel move on the banner. The copy on the new server, with any changes made there, is deleted and the original website is resumed. If you already changed DNS, point it back to the original server.

If the copy fails, the banner says so. Cancel the move to remove the partial copy, then start again.

If a server goes offline

If the old server is offline, you can still finish or cancel. The panel offers Finish anyway (old server offline) or Cancel anyway (old server offline) and explains what stays behind on the offline server.