---
title: "Migrating to another server"
date: "2015-01-20"
category: "platform"
slug: "migrating-another-server"
---

## Overview

You can migrate to a newer, more powerful [[determining-platform-version]] at any time. New platforms are built on the latest [Red Hat Enterprise Linux releases](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux). To request a migration, [[logging-into-the-control-panel]] and go to **Help** > **Trouble Tickets**.

Migrations are free, result in zero downtime, and take 24 hours to complete.

## Migration Process

Migrations occur in two phases:

### Stage One -- Preview

Your files are migrated to the new server:

- Account is created on the destination server
  - If you run background services, your [[listening-ports]] will change. Update your configuration files to avoid having processes automatically killed on the new server.
- Files, users, email addresses, and databases are copied over
- DNS TTL is [[reducing-dns-propagation-time]] to 60 seconds for domains using the default [[nameserver-settings]] (`ns1.apnscp.com` and `ns2.apnscp.com`)
  - This change takes 24 hours to propagate
  - **Important:** For domains not using ns1.apnscp.com and ns2.apnscp.com, you must manually update IP address records
- You can [[previewing-your-domain]] on the new server once Stage One is complete

### Stage Two -- Finalization

Runs exactly 24 hours after Stage One completes:

- File, user, email, and database changes made since Stage One are synced to the new server
  - Databases from Stage One are dropped and recreated before importing the latest schema
- Scheduled tasks are copied to the new server and activated
  - Scheduled tasks on the old server are disabled to prevent duplication
- DNS is updated from the old server IP to the new server IP; TTL is increased back to 12 hours
- The old server account is deactivated
  - Note: this change may take 4-6 hours to reflect when logging into the control panel via [apnscp.com](https://apnscp.com/cp-login)
