Transferring Data Across Different Versions of Plesk

You can transfer your data across different Plesk versions in either of the following ways:

• Migrate data from one server to another. If you have two servers, one with, say, Plesk 7.5, and another with Plesk 8, you should use the Migration Manager tool, as described in the Plesk Administrator's Guide, Migrating User Accounts, Domain Names and Web Sites from Other Hosting Platforms section at http://download1.swsoft.com/Plesk/Plesk8.0/Doc/plesk-8-admins-guide/17348.htm.
• Upgrade Plesk without backing up and restoring data. If you have a single server with Plesk 7.5, which you would like to upgrade to Plesk 8, you can use the Plesk Updater facility to upgrade your control panel. You will not need to back up and restore any data because Updater will keep them. For instructions on using Plesk updater, refer to Plesk Administrator's Guide, Upgrading Your Control Panel chapter at http://download1.swsoft.com/Plesk/Plesk8.0/Doc/plesk-8-admins-guide/21423.htm.
• Back up data before upgrade with migration script and restore data after upgrade with pleskrestore utility from Plesk 8 distribution. If you have a single server with Plesk 7.5, and would like to back up your data before upgrading, and then restore them on Plesk 8, follow the instructions below. This is the only way to restore on Plesk 8 any data backed up on earlier versions of Plesk.

To back up your data:

1. Create a new directory in your Plesk server's file system.
2. Obtain the migration script and other related files and copy them to your directory on the Plesk server.

   If you have access to a Plesk 8 installation, copy all files and subdirectories from the directories /plesk_installation_directory/PMM/agents/PleskX/ and /plesk_installation_directory/PMM/agents/shared/ to the directory on your server.

   If you do not have access to a Plesk 8 installation,

   1. Download a backup-agent-8.0.1.tar package from http://download1.swsoft.com/Plesk/Plesk8.0/Extensions/backup-agent-8.0.1.tar.
   2. Unpack it with tar -xf backup-agent-8.0.1.tar command.
   3. Issue the command chmod +x PleskX.pl
   4. Copy the contents of the current directory to the directory on your server.
3. Change to the directory on your Plesk server.
4. Back up the data.
   • To back up entire server, run ./perl PleskX.pl --dump-all -o backup_file_name
   • To back up all data related to client accounts "account1" and "account2", run ./perl PleskX.pl --dump-accounts=account1,account2 -o backup_file_name
   • To back up all data related to domains "do.m1" and "do.m2", run ./perl PleskX.pl --dump-domains=do.m1,do.m2 -o backup_file_name
     

To restore your data on a Plesk 8 machine, use the pleskrestore utility as described in the Restoring Your Data section of this guide.