I plan to install Pro licence on a test server and use the “Install Script” to install let’s say I “osTicket” or “NextCloud” with a domain called: testscript.mydomain.com.
On installation goes smooth, I would probably need some time to do all the bug fixes, make all tweaks and configurations.
Once this is all done, how can I migrate (cut-paste) this entire domain or virtual server from the test server on to the production server? Everything needs to move like users, emails, settings, configuration everything.
P.S: These are 2 different physical servers, running on 2 different IP addresses? So is there an option like exporting and importing the whole virtual server?
I appreciate, after the migration, I will have to make IP address changes which I believe Virtualmin is smart enough to alert me. Not 100% sure if I will need to make DNS changes as well and if Virtualmin will alert me for that as well.
You are talking about “Backup” and “Restore”. Both features are part of Virtualmin and take care of the tasks like automatically assigning the correct IP address upon restoral.
Assuming both servers are kept in sync in terms of how they are provisioned, things should work pretty smooth on both ends of the process.
You can also use the “Transfer” option which lets you migrate the website from server to server.
Remarkably, there are a few different ways to accomplish the same task.
Thanks for your response, but it sounds like a high-level solution. I am aware of the backup/restore and transfer option in VM and WM, but how do I actually execute it, especially when I have to transfer the virtual server from one physical server to another?
Just so you know both servers are not in sync and there is no plan to do anything on those lines for multiple reasons.
So, can I export it on an external HDD or USB drive and then import it on the new physical server?
Basically when you backup a virtual server, it creates an archive which can be saved virtually anywhere from on that server, a remote server, or locally on your own computer.
When you restore a virtual server, you pretty much give it the file you saved in the previous step and it restores the site on another Virtualmin (or the same) installation as part of the backup process includes a configuration so it knows how it was setup on the server.
Its up to you how you do this. Virtualmin will assist you to backup domains, migrate and import - it does this brilliantly. Backing up whole server/creating server image and from posts I see elsewhere - got nothing to do with Virtualmin but Sys Admin tasks. For Virtualmin specific tasks like moving a domain, try to read the documentation available and also test with 1 domain.