Migration

Fresh

How to migrate your MainWP Dashboard or child sites to a new server.

Migrating the Dashboard

Step-by-Step

1. Full Backup of the Dashboard site (files + database)

   # Database
   wp db export dashboard-backup.sql
   
   # Files
   tar -czf dashboard-files.tar.gz /var/www/dashboard/

2. Transfer backup to new server

3. Restore on new server

   # Database
   wp db import dashboard-backup.sql
   
   # Files
   tar -xzf dashboard-files.tar.gz -C /var/www/new-dashboard/

4. Update URLs if domain changed

   wp search-replace 'old-dashboard.com' 'new-dashboard.com' --all-tables

5. Reconnect all sites — required because encryption keys are tied to the Dashboard

   # Via WP-CLI
   wp mainwp sites sync --all
   
   # Or via Abilities API
   curl -X POST -u "admin:xxxx" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{"input":{"site_ids":"all"}}' \
     "https://new-dashboard.com/wp-json/wp-abilities/v1/abilities/mainwp/reconnect-sites-v1/run"

6. Verify all sites show "Connected" status

Important Notes

• SSL certificates must be valid on the new server
• DNS must point to the new server before reconnecting
• Extensions need re-authentication if API keys are domain-locked
• Cron jobs must be reconfigured on the new server

Migrating Child Sites

Child site migration is simpler — the Dashboard doesn't need changes unless the child site URL changes.

Same Domain (Server Change Only)

1. Backup child site (files + database)
2. Restore on new server
3. Point DNS to new server
4. Sync from Dashboard — should reconnect automatically

Different Domain

1. Backup and restore child site on new server
2. Update URLs in database:

   wp search-replace 'old-child.com' 'new-child.com' --all-tables

3. In MainWP Dashboard → Sites → Edit Site → Update URL
4. Reconnect the site

Bulk Migration

For migrating many child sites simultaneously:

1. Document all current site URLs and server IPs
2. Backup all sites (use MainWP's backup extension)
3. Restore on new servers
4. Update DNS records
5. Bulk reconnect from Dashboard:
   • Dashboard → Sites → Select All → Reconnect

Troubleshooting Migration

Issue	Fix
Sites show "Disconnected"	Reconnect from Dashboard
"Invalid request" errors	DNS hasn't propagated — wait or flush DNS
SSL errors after migration	Install new SSL certificate on new server
Extension data missing	Re-import extension settings
Cron not running	Reconfigure system cron on new server
Different PHP version	Match PHP version or test compatibility

Pre-Migration Checklist

• [ ] Full backup of Dashboard (files + database)
• [ ] Full backup of all child sites
• [ ] Document current server configurations
• [ ] Document extension API keys
• [ ] Verify new server meets system requirements
• [ ] Plan DNS TTL reduction (lower TTL before migration)
• [ ] Schedule maintenance window
• [ ] Test restore process on staging first