Moving servers / clean install

[totalnetworx]

Hi all,

Firstly - if this post is in the wrong place, please accept my apologies and move as needed.

We are currently in the process of moving an established site from one web server which is almost 7 years old, to a new, powerful shiny server. The new server has a static IP address and will not be shared with anything. The domain now, will also be secured via SSL.

When we first installed ZenCart many many years ago, we did not really know what we were doing and so added a load of junk, template was messy, pictures taken were poor and not very good looking at all if I am being honest.

So we have taken the decision to do a 'clean' install, only install the plug-ins that are essential and re-add all items new with updated weights/pictures/descriptions etc.

We have 2 domains, for ease www.domain1.co.uk (current site) and www.domain2.co.uk (new site).

My questions are:

1) When we have finished setting up the new site, and it has been fully tested, we will then be adding www.domain1.co.uk to the server, installing ZenCart and doing a migration from www.domain2.co.uk, including database and all files. Will this be pretty straight forward?

2) The ONLY data that we will want from the old database will be customer data, order history, usernames/passwords etc. No catalog data, nothing store related just customer details. Does anyone have any experience in doing this? Is there a script or a defined set of commends to use>?

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

Kind regards
Stu

[twitchtoo]

Hi all,

Firstly - if this post is in the wrong place, please accept my apologies and move as needed.

We are currently in the process of moving an established site from one web server which is almost 7 years old, to a new, powerful shiny server. The new server has a static IP address and will not be shared with anything. The domain now, will also be secured via SSL.

When we first installed ZenCart many many years ago, we did not really know what we were doing and so added a load of junk, template was messy, pictures taken were poor and not very good looking at all if I am being honest.

So we have taken the decision to do a 'clean' install, only install the plug-ins that are essential and re-add all items new with updated weights/pictures/descriptions etc.

We have 2 domains, for ease www.domain1.co.uk (current site) and www.domain2.co.uk (new site).

My questions are:

1) When we have finished setting up the new site, and it has been fully tested, we will then be adding www.domain1.co.uk to the server, installing ZenCart and doing a migration from www.domain2.co.uk, including database and all files. Will this be pretty straight forward?

2) The ONLY data that we will want from the old database will be customer data, order history, usernames/passwords etc. No catalog data, nothing store related just customer details. Does anyone have any experience in doing this? Is there a script or a defined set of commends to use>?

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

Kind regards
Stu

We specialize in these types of migrations - You are already following the correct procedure with your plan ^ :)


New Zen Cart install - It's best to start with a fresh install of Zen, install each module and test each feature. As you merge the newest modules available in this manor the end result will be a stable and fully featured Zen Cart you can trust.

Next comes the data move - We have customizable automation scripts for larger database extractions and the smaller databases are easy to do manually. Here the data can be checked and cleaned for any unwanted spaces, characters or stray old table/field data from previous modules.

A file merging program will be your friend, as well as the newest version of your favourite web design program. The newer programs have some very useful on screen code matching/lookup features that help find duplicates or inconsistencies in the code while you are working on it.

The key is to backup the site files and the SQL database after each completed step. Rely on scripts you wrote or you are certain move files and data exactly the way you want/need or move the data manually from one db into another. Remember to update the index keys/order to match the data.



Here's a simple project flow...

Old Site
- Backup files locally in at least 2 locations
- Backup SQL db - ensure you select all fields to export in at least 2 locations locally
- Use filenames with OLD_SITE or OLD_ZC1.5x for clarity

***
For databases too large to read
- Select only the tables you intend to 'keep' including all of the associated tables for each table group. Export each one or each group separately so that you can open them within the file size limits of your site building software
***

For example: To migrate the customers data you will need every table connected to customers as well any module data you intend to keep in the future that may be in another table from the past and will be needed in the new site/module when it's completed.


--> Only if you know what you are doing<--

Dump the old site db entirely
- Test the old site - it should fail

Upload the 'backup' SQL
- If your backup worked your old site will be working when you test it.

This will also get you accustomed to any SQL errors that may be a result of dirty data or upload errors.

--> Only if you know what you are doing<--


Now you have the old saved and tested - start building the new.
- Remember you will need the user and password of the old site and db when performing the migration/db upgrade with the Zen Installer.


New server setup
- Manually install Zen Cart from the newest version available on this forum.
- Download the new admin folder name and both configuration files from the server to your local computer
- Backup the new 'vanilla' Zen Cart database.

- After installation assuming it went smoothly TEST YOUR NEW CART. This is to establish a baseline to prove everything works.
- Place orders like a customer and process them like an admin.


Once you are satisfied the new install is stable
- Install and test any required updates for the Zen Cart core to fix any errors you may have already found in your /logs folder on the server. Fixes are found on this forum or GitHub.

TEST THE CART AGAIN

Lets assume you're good to this point and lately I've had no problems getting to this point with 1.55f. The problems have come from SQL and php versions and their related settings on the server.


New site modules
- Install modules smallest to largest or any that do not involve core changes first.
- Test, backup files and SQL
- Repeat until all of the modules are installed


Now you should have a gloriously smooth looking well oiled e-commerce site ready to load up with data.
- Backup the site files and SQL db using a new name for clarity like NEW_FINAL, NEW_STABLE, NEW_COMPLETE and the db name.


Merging old and new data
- Your old database needs to run through the Zen Cart Installer to be upgraded to the newest version
- That will produce an OLD dataset that can be merged with your NEW site database

Now you have to decide how to merge the data.

Problems you will encounter:
- Old dataset has mismatched tables/columns/fields
- New dataset has new mismatched tables/columns/fields

- Extra data in old dataset
- Missing data for new tables in new dataset
- Admin settings that do not apply or match

- Data size - some databases need to be merged one table at a time.


Hindsight and Experience...
This leads to meetings with discussions like:

Should we have transferred all the data first, then installed all of the new modules/plugins?
- Then all of the data would move forward along with the new settings/features.

or

Maybe we should call Twitch.


I have the answer to that: I'm here to help :)