Drupal Solution

Drupal Checklist - Information to be collected before you migrate your Drupal site from one server to another

Anoop John | | 2 min read

When you want to move a Drupal site from one hosting server to another you have to ensure that the site works the same way on the new server as it used to work on the old server. There is no real fool proof way of doing this other than to meticulously document all the custom aspects associated with setting up the site and verifying it on the new server. The following is a checklist of information you have to collect before you move your Drupal site from one server to another.

Checklist: Migrate from one server to another

  1. DNS TTLs + contact info of whoever is authorized to make the switch once migration is completed.
  2. SSH access on both servers. Additionally all access related information on both servers.
  3. Drupal 1 user access credentials.
  4. Documentation / information about specific Apache modules used on the current site assuming this is on Apache. Confirm the web server running on both servers.
  5. Access to hosting support ticketing systems and / or root access on the servers for installation of custom modules.
  6. Root access or access to Apache (or other webserver) error logs.
  7. Documentation about third party integration used on the current site.
  8. Documentation about specific file system permissions required for custom folders if any.
  9. Additional items to be backed up and restored other than Drupal Webroot and Drupal MySQL database.
  10. Documentation about any custom configuration done on the current server - eg: cron jobs, shell scripts.
  11. Documentation about any custom applications running on the current server required for the site to work correctly - eg: Memcache, Varnish.
  12. IP related changes required for getting the application working - eg: Pull CDN with IP configuration.
  13. Total size of the folders
  14. Hosting plans on each server - space and bandwidth availability
  15. PHP versions and the modules used on each server
  16. Information about source control systems and mechanism to deploy code and push changes to the source control system.
  17. Mechanism to access the site via IP or subdomain till DNS switch happens
  18. IP addresses of both servers

In conclusion, migrating a Drupal site from one hosting server to another requires careful planning and documentation. The checklist provided above includes important information that should be collected before the migration, such as DNS TTLs, SSH access details, user credentials, and information about specific modules and integrations used on the site. Additionally, it's important to document any custom configurations, applications, and IP-related changes that may be required for the site to function properly on the new server. Proper planning and documentation can ensure a smooth migration process and minimize any potential issues.

 

 

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