Question Can I upgrade from12.5 to Onyx 17 by doing backup, reinstall server with Onyx, Migrate customers?

[Dan Mikkelsen]

I have seen a couple of comments about people having problems with their server not functioning properly after a distribution upgrade, and also others having problems from updating Plesk to Onyx. And since I need both (update debian from 7 to 8 and Plesk 12.5 to Onyx), could everything instead be migrated to a formatted server with newest Plesk freshly reinstalled (would be the same server, but I would just do a reinstall through my hosting providers control panel). I would really hate to try and update and then sit back with a hosting server with paying customers, and not no how to safe the update :/
And basically I am missing some features because of Debian being version 7, so I do need to get this updated also.

Would this work, or am I missing an important thing I haven't seen yet?
I have also considered to simple do it manually by downloading every customers data and then inserting them creating them new plesk Onyx and upload the files. Only problem is that I wouldn't know how to insert old emails, or how to make sure all passwords work for plesk login, emails and Mysql users

 

[Bitpalast]

It is possible to upgrade by migration, meaning that you are not changing the old server, but setup a new one, then migrate all accounts from the old one to the new one either in one shot or step by step. Make sure that the license and the extensions plus language packs on the new server are at least supporting all functions that the old one has. In that case a migration should work without problems.

I can confirm that upgrading from 12.5 to 17 or 17.5 can create several issues, even if the pre-upgrade check allows it and all other system parameters are working well. In your combination of Plesk upgrade and operating system upgrade I'd probably choose a migration upgrade, too.

 

[Dan Mikkelsen]

Great thanks! I think even I also would feel more safe doing it this way!

But just as a precaution before starting, what could I do if the migration process would fail? I cant reinstall the server with the older PLESK version again, and making a ghostdisk from a server is probably something that would take days when its through KVM (and I wouldn't even know where to look how to do it). Any suggestion for something to try then? Or most important, do you know how I could recover the login passwords to Plesk, users email addresses, mysql databases and ftp accounts? I know I cant get them out as plain text, but could I create the different accounts and then change the password hash in a user database (or textfile if this is where Plesk stores them)?

 

[Bitpalast]

Migration rarely fails, and a migration does not stop your old, existing server. It just keeps on running even after all accounts were migrated. You don't need to switch DNS before you have checked that the accounts were migrated correctly, so the risk is very low.

In case you run into trouble you can always open a support ticket with Plesk support. My experience with Plesk support is that they are highly motivated and knowledgeable. It is very likely that they will solve any issue.

I suggest to simply try the migration process. As long as you do not make changes to your existing server, nothing bad can happen from it.

 

[Dan Mikkelsen]

Yeas, but problem is that my dedicated server is rented through hetzner with Plesk preinstalled, and there there isn't any support from Plesk except the forums.
And worse yet, I don't have control over the DNS servers customers use, so I cant really change server. This would have been the far most easiest, but instead I have to do the update on this server, which also is running live (and then have a small downtime during the night when hopefully getting to update, but that's the least of the concerns).

I even tried to see if I could have the IP moved at a specific time in the datacenter, as this would be the safest solution, but they weren't really happy about doing anything like moving IP's. :/

My other idea was to find a way to make the live server work as a proxy, then set things up on a second server and get all traffic forwarded when that server worked as a copy of the Plesk server. Then after that I'd do the upgrade. Should things fail, I could fall back to run the proxy mode while I searched for a soluton or prepared for a different attempt or something. But couldn't Google any solution to set up some complete traffic forwarding.
So its a difficult situation I'm in with this

 

[fabian koeppel]

Hello ( sorry my englisch is bad )

I made 2 migrations last week.
150 domains (whole server) from Debian 6 (Plesk 10) to Ubuntu 16.04 Onyx 17.5.3
180 Domains (whole server) of Ubuntu 14.04 (Plesk 12.0) to Ubuntu 16.04 Onyx 17.5.3
Always on freshly installed Ubuntu 16.04 and Plesk Onyx 17.5.3.

After migration, I changed Ip from new onyx to the old server (so I do not have to make a DNS change)

I used the migration manager.
Has worked perfectly. All domains / databases / customers / resellers / mailboxes user / PW etc were perfectly migrated. Php was set to the same version as on SourceServer. With custom php settings they are also transferred and set. After the migration you can synchronize again. No changes are made to the source server. You can sync again many times. Wipe source and destination

Please note: (so I did it)

1. Secure Plesk License and Plesk Pannel Certificate from the old Plesk.

2.Default php Settings (php.ini) you must set the default php.ini settings on new Onyx Server for all php versions. You can make this on Plesk pannel php settings. These are set as on destination server. Not like on source server. php default settings Are not ported. And after migration with Onyx check whether all webs have a valid php version have been assigned. Otherwise, assign manually.

3. Port 587 for smpt activate only after IP change. Befor I had afterwards after ip change error. If you were 587 unencrypted. Plesk: SMTP Authentication Not Working on Port 587
Smtpd_tls_security_level = encrypt to
smtpd_tls_security_level = may

4. Mysql is not open for External. Even if in the Plesk Pannel set at settings, it does not go. Customers who do not have localhost in php script but IP of the server is not working. Solution: in /etc/mysql/my.cnf

Bind-address = :: ffff: 127.0.0.1

to

Bind-address = :: ffff: 0.0.0.0
Restart mysql

5. Start migration whit migration manger. And check the pre-check and install the required services with the Plesk install manager. Then start migration Can take 8 -10 hours, depending on the number domain, but it does not matter the source runs productively, except a little more load because sync. If migration ends then synchronize again (best in the night) Then check Warnings and error. Most of it is not bad. Only messages which php reassigned or fals a username must be changed. However, this is listed. check whether all webs have a valid php version have been assigned. Otherwise, assign manually. you can see this easy on php Settings on Plesk pannel. and then disconnect at the source server network.

5. On Destination Server (Onyx) IP Change whit IP change script. ( Snapshot bevor please )
How to replace IP addresses in Plesk for Linux
After ip Change check / etc / network / interfaces and delete the old Ip. Check also / etc / hosts (new ip)

6. Change Name of plesk to Plesk Settings. Check / etc / hosts (new hostname)

7. Install the License and SSL certificate for Plesk and add this to Plesk Pannel and Mail.

8. Webmail Here is a problem when people have the Webmail in browser favorites. Webmail.domain.com still works, but the bookmarks of the browser make webmail.domain.com /? = Php ..... and this is not the same with old Plesk as with the new (Old Horde unlike new Horde) it May be that customers get an error. Please note this. At Roundcupe there is this problem I do not believe.

9. If you have failtoban put the new IP of the server in IP whiteliste.

finisch.

10. When you have big Problem you disconnect netzwork from Onyx Server Server and add the network Cabel ( ad VM net ) to the old Server so you have no risk. its easy to go back when you have big Probem. Then you can start on a other day once again. but i dont had a Problem.

 

[fabian koeppel]

Sorry I have seen your message to late. If you can not change the IP is quite bad. I hope the German Hoster Hetzner allows this. PS: i also speack german

 

[Dan Mikkelsen]

Wow, very good description! Thanks!
I will try it out first by installing Onyx on a virtual machine and try to do the migration.
But the failover IP really is something that should be available, so I will ask in some Linux forums first about the possibility of (and how to) setting a server to simply forward all traffic on all ports used by websites, ftp and mail, to a different server that is a backup. I have an empty server I could use for a test migration also, and if that works it could be the fallover server if I ever find out how to do it with this setup.
Thanks for all the responses and help!