XF 2.2 Verify my plan of action -- Migrate data to new VPS with fresh Xenforo install

[CZ Eddie]

I'm migrating from one VPS host to another and have full root (no control panels).
I only want to migrate the domain and user data.
I don't want to migrate any of the xenForo files or settings (I want a fresh start).
Is this a valid plan of action?

VPS SERVER SPECS:

• CentOS 7 >>> Almalinux 8 w/Centmin Mod 1.30 beta
• MariaDB 10.6.18 on both servers
• PHP 8.3.8 on both servers
• Xenforo 2.2.16 on both servers
• All admin accounts will remain the same but web root path will change.

1) Turn off forum on original server

2) Disable all plugins on original server

3) Back up old database and related user files such as /internal_data/attachments, /data/avatars, etc.

4) Install fresh xenForo 2.2.16 on new server

5) Copy all user files to Xenforo root on new server

scp -r root@1.2.3.4(old host ip):/pathofyoufiles* /pathwherewanttocopyfile

6) Create fresh database on new server, using same username & password as old database

7) Import the old database into the new database

8) Setup the new xenForo (run xenforo.com/install again??)

9) Upgrade from xenForo 2.2.16 to 2.3

10) Rebuild all caches

11) Setup Let's Encrypt & verify friendly URL's

12) Test everything

13) Full backup

14) Change all admin passwords

15) Change DNS to point to the new server IP address (will have a pre-configured short TTL)

Since the install path is changing, I suspect I'll need to edit a couple files.
Can you think of any steps I'm missing, no matter how small?
Thank you!

G-Suite/postfix setup will come last.

 

[Sebastiaan]

If all goes well, you can skip step 8 but only when the db settings are good.

 

[Mouth]

Step 5 - I would .zip|.tar.gz all files on old server, transfer .zip|.tar.gz, then unarchive. More efficient and easier.
Step 7 - I would rename the fresh install DB, then import the DB from backup.
Step 8 - as said by @Sebastiaan not required, BUT replace it with TEST, TEST, TEST. Do your testing before to make sure whole site content and functionality is working as expected before performing upgrade.
Step 11 - You'll probably need to do Step 15 DNS first before being able to enable LE certs.

I don't want to migrate any of the xenForo files or settings (I want a fresh start).

Why? Much easier to copy entire XF dir path over. Fresh install/start beforehand for XF files with achieve nothing when reusing same DB. Your only complicating it IMHO.

Can you think of any steps I'm missing, no matter how small?

Add-ons files? Elasticsearch?
Stop all XF cron and mail delivery on your original before DB backup and migration, you don't want 2 lots of emails for the same actions going to users.

G-Suite/postfix setup will come last.

Since you're doing local mail delivery, I would setup on new VPS first, before migration. Ensure mail delivery from new VPS works before migrating XF and enabling it.

 

[CZ Eddie]

Thanks, folks!

And thanks for all the tips. I have a couple of follow-up questions...

Step 7 - I would rename the fresh install DB, then import the DB from backup.

Just so I understand, you're suggesting we use a different database name on the new VPS than we had on the old?
Or you're talking about importing the new DB as its own DB rather than importing into to the fresh DB?

Why? Much easier to copy entire XF dir path over. Fresh install/start beforehand for XF files with achieve nothing when reusing same DB. Your only complicating it IMHO.

There are lots of little files and edits laying around, going back to XF 2.0. Lots of mods. And we had tons of add-ons at one point.
I didn't want to carry any traces of those over.
Do you still think it's better to copy the entire path over?

 

[Mouth]

Or you're talking about importing the new DB as its own DB rather than importing into to the fresh DB?

This.

I didn't want to carry any traces of those over.
Do you still think it's better to copy the entire path over?

You'll want to disable and uninstall any addons prior to backup and migration, if not taking across addon files too.
If not done so, you'll have errors (possibly fatal) and missing files on new VPS and be unable to uninstalll them without the addon code/files.