At Hostinger, our Virtual Private Servers (VPS) are self-managed, giving you complete control over your server environment. This means you’ll handle the setup and configuration of your project, including the manual migration process if you're transferring from your current VPS to another server on your Hostinger account.
If you have purchased before April 18, 2023, you have an OpenVZ Server. This is a container-based virtualization technology. Due to the differences between virtualization methods, it is not possible to automatically transition from OpenVZ to KVM.
We have prepared a detailed guide below to support you during the migration. While the steps may differ depending on your operating system and the applications you use, the guide provides general instructions applicable to most Linux-based servers.
NOTE:
We recommend scheduling your migration during low-traffic periods to ensure no service interruption on your application.
During the migration process, also consider and allot 24 hours for DNS propagation.
Step 1 - Prepare backups
Before starting the migration, you will need to do some previous checks:
Make sure to have an up-to-date backup, including all the files you will need to transfer and identify the backup location on your server.
If you are using a database, perform a new dump if required and confirm your database backup location.
Step 2 - Set up your new VPS
Once you have the backups, make sure your new VPS is set up. It is best to set up the server in the data center closest to you or your audience’s location. You can check out a full list of our data centers here.
Selecting a location is also made easier as the setup detects the lowest latency from your current location
NOTE: If you were using a license purchased from Hostinger, it is not transferrable to your new VPS. You will need to purchase a new license for your new server.
IMPORTANT: Since OpenVZ and KVM servers cannot communicate if hosted in the same location, direct data transfer using tools like SCP, rsync, and WHM’s transfer tool is impossible. You can choose a different location or download your data from OpenVZ and manually upload it to your new KVM VPS.
If your previous server is in Arizona, US - set up your new VPS to our Phoenix or Boston, USA locations
If your previous server had an older version of your preferred operating system - this is the perfect time to install the latest version on your new VPS 😊
Next, you can install the same applications you currently use, such as Apache, PHP, MariaDB, Redis, Node.JS, etc.
PRO TIP: You can use Kodee AI assistant for help with commands, troubleshooting, and simple management tasks 🚀
Step 3 - Transfer the data
Start the data transferring process by logging into your server as a root user and stopping all running services to avoid errors during the transfer.
Next, upload your backups to the new VPS by using FTP, SCP, or rsync tools. Once the upload is completed, move the application files to their correct locations.
Step 4 - Test
After restoring your backups, test all your applications to ensure they work properly. You may need to change the configuration files to update hostnames, IP addresses, etc.
If you are hosting a website and your domain is not pointing yet, you can use tools like SkipDNS or change your host file to preview your website.
NOTE: If you encounter difficulties or configuration-related issues after the transfer, we recommend you contact your developer or a freelancer for further assistance
Step 5 - Point your domain
Once you've completed the tests and everything is good to go, point your domain by updating the A record to match your new VPS IP address.
After a few hours, when the propagation process is completed, your application will be running fully from the new VPS 😊