How to Use the Plesk Migration Manager to Transfer Customer Accounts

The Plesk Migration Manager allows you to transfer websites, email accounts, databases, and other content from one Plesk server to another. As a reseller, you can use this tool to migrate customer accounts to or from your server. This guide covers the basics of the migration process.

Important: Before You Begin

• Contact your hosting provider before attempting a migration. The Migration Manager is typically a server-level tool that may require administrator access.
• Ensure you have a full backup of the source server before migrating.
• Verify that the destination server has sufficient resources (disk space, PHP versions, extensions) for the migrated data.
• Plan the migration during off-peak hours to minimise downtime for your customers.

Initiating a Migration

1. Log in to Plesk.
2. Go to Tools & Settings → Migration Manager.
3. Click Start New Migration.
4. You will be asked to select the migration source:
   • Another Plesk server: Transfer from another Plesk instance.
   • cPanel server: Transfer from a cPanel server.
   • Other panels: Transfer from other hosting control panels.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to connect to the source server.
6. Plesk will analyse the source server and display a list of objects available for migration.
7. Select the customer accounts and subscriptions you want to migrate.
8. Click Start Migration.

During the Migration

• The migration process may take several hours depending on the amount of data.
• Customer websites on the source server remain active during migration.
• Plesk will copy all data including files, databases, email accounts, and settings.
• You can monitor the migration progress in the Migration Manager interface.

After the Migration

1. Verify that all customer accounts, websites, databases, and email have been transferred correctly.
2. Test customer websites to ensure they load without errors.
3. Update DNS records to point to the new server (if applicable).
4. Notify customers that their accounts have been migrated and provide updated login credentials if needed.

Important Notes

• Migration Manager is typically a server-level tool. As a reseller, you may need your hosting provider to initiate the migration.
• Always back up before migrating — the process can be reversed, but it is safer to have a backup.
• SSL certificates are not migrated automatically. You will need to reissue them on the new server.

Troubleshooting

Migration fails with a connection error:

• Verify the source server hostname, port, and credentials are correct.
• Ensure the source server allows incoming connections from the destination server.
• Contact your hosting provider for assistance.

"Migration Manager" is not visible:

• Your hosting provider may not have installed the Migration Manager extension. Contact support.