How to migrate servers from OVH: a guide after the incidents

To migrate servers from OVH after incidents such as the catastrophic fire at the SBG data center or unsatisfactory support experience, a clear and step-by-step plan is essential. This guide will help you perform data migration, set up new servers (e.g., on Valebyte), synchronize information using rsync, correctly update DNS records, and test failover scenarios to minimize downtime.

Why do many decide to migrate from OVH?

The decision to migrate from OVH often stems from a series of events that erode trust in the provider. Although OVHcloud is a major player in the hosting market, certain factors compel users to seek more reliable or flexible alternatives.

Key reasons compelling users to leave OVH

• SBG Data Center Fire (March 2021): This event was a watershed moment for many clients. The complete destruction of SBG2 and partial damage to SBG1 led to multi-day outages, data loss, and significant business damage. Despite recovery efforts, the incident exposed the risks of centralized data storage and processing, prompting many to consider diversifying their hosting providers.
• Support Issues: Many users complain about long response times from OVH support, especially for non-critical issues. Communication difficulties, language barriers (for non-English speaking users), and sometimes insufficient technical depth in responses can significantly complicate the resolution of daily tasks or critical incidents.
• Performance and Flexibility: In some cases, users encounter performance or configuration limitations that do not meet their growing requirements. The search for more performant SSD/NVMe drives, high-frequency processors, or more flexible network solutions often leads to considering other providers.
• Pricing Policy and Hidden Fees: While OVH is known for its competitive pricing, some users note that additional services or extensions can quickly increase the total cost, sometimes without a corresponding increase in quality.

How to prepare for OVH migration?

Preparation is 90% of the success of any OVH migration. The more thoroughly you plan each step, the fewer problems will arise during the relocation process.

Pre-migration checklist

1. Inventory of current infrastructure:
   • List of all servers, their IP addresses.
   • Operating systems and their versions.
   • Installed software (web servers, databases, caches, message brokers).
   • Dependencies between services.
   • Volumes of disk space and RAM used.
   • Network settings, firewalls, VPN.
2. Create full backups: Before starting any actions, be sure to make full backups of all data. Use multiple methods (e.g., tar, mysqldump, disk snapshots if available). Store copies on a separate medium not associated with OVH.
3. Documentation: Ensure you have up-to-date documentation for application configurations, database settings, and specific scripts.
4. Resource assessment: Determine what resources (CPU, RAM, disk space, network bandwidth) you will need on the new hosting, based on current load and growth plans.

Choosing a new hosting provider: Valebyte as an alternative

When choosing a new provider, it's important to find a balance between performance, reliability, support quality, and price. Valebyte offers a wide range of VPS and dedicated servers that can be an excellent replacement for OVH infrastructure.

Our advantages:

• High-performance hardware: Latest Intel Xeon processors, fast NVMe drives, high-speed network interfaces.
• Reliability and availability: Data centers with redundant power and network, guaranteed SLA.
• Prompt technical support: Our team of experts is always ready to help with any questions.
• Flexible tariffs: A wide selection of VPS and dedicated server configurations, allowing you to choose the optimal solution for any task.

Comparison of typical configurations: OVH vs. Valebyte

*Prices and characteristics may vary. Check current offers on Valebyte.com.

Step-by-step plan for migrating from OVH: data synchronization

After choosing a new server on Valebyte and performing its basic setup (OS installation, SSH access), you can proceed with the migration from OVH. The main tool for copying data is rsync.

Copying data using rsync

rsync is a powerful utility for synchronizing files and directories. It is efficient because it copies only changes, not entire files, which saves time and traffic. Use rsync in several stages:

1. Initial synchronization: Copying all data from OVH to the new server. This can take a long time, so it's best to run it in the background.
2. Incremental synchronizations: Before the final traffic switch, run rsync several times to copy only new or changed files. This minimizes downtime.

Example rsync command for copying the root file system (excluding system directories):

rsync -avzP --exclude '/dev/*' --exclude '/proc/*' --exclude '/sys/*' \
--exclude '/tmp/*' --exclude '/run/*' --exclude '/mnt/*' --exclude '/media/*' \
--exclude '/lost+found/*' --exclude '/boot/*' \
/ root@NEW_SERVER_IP:/

• -a: Archive mode (preserves permissions, owners, groups, timestamps).
• -v: Verbose output.
• -z: Compress data during transfer.
• -P: Shows progress and allows resuming transfers.
• --exclude: Excludes specified directories that are either temporary or should not be copied (e.g., system directories).

For more secure access, it is recommended to use SSH keys instead of passwords. Ensure that your OVH server's public key is added to ~/.ssh/authorized_keys on the new Valebyte server.

Database synchronization

Databases require special attention. Simply copying database files can lead to data corruption if the database server is active. The correct approach:

1. Stop writing on the old server: If possible, switch applications to "read-only" mode or completely stop them on the OVH server.
2. Export the database: Use export utilities such as mysqldump (MySQL/MariaDB) or pg_dump (PostgreSQL).

# For MySQL/MariaDB
mysqldump -u username -p database_name > database_name.sql

# For PostgreSQL
pg_dump -U username database_name > database_name.sql

3. Transfer the dump file: Copy the .sql file to the new Valebyte server (you can use rsync or scp).
4. Import the database: Import the data on the new server.

# For MySQL/MariaDB
mysql -u username -p database_name < database_name.sql

# For PostgreSQL
psql -U username database_name < database_name.sql

For systems with minimal downtime, consider setting up database replication between the old and new servers during migration, and then switch to the new server, making it the master.

DNS setup and switchover testing (switch from OVH)

The final stage of the switch from OVH is redirecting traffic to the new server. This is done by updating DNS records.

Changing DNS records

1. Lower TTL: 24-48 hours before the planned switchover, reduce the TTL (Time To Live) value for your A and AAAA records. For example, from 3600 seconds (1 hour) to 300 seconds (5 minutes). This will allow DNS servers to update information faster after the change.
2. Update A/AAAA records: In your DNS provider's control panel (or where your domain's NS records are configured), change the IP addresses for your domains and subdomains to the new Valebyte server IP addresses.
3. Monitor DNS propagation: Use online tools (e.g., dnschecker.org) to check the propagation of new DNS records worldwide.

Testing and monitoring

After updating DNS:

• Availability testing: Check the availability of all services (websites, APIs, mail) on the new server.
• Log verification: Monitor web server, application, and database logs on the new server for errors.
• Load testing: If possible, conduct a small load test to ensure the new server can handle the expected traffic.
• Rollback (Failover): Have a plan in case something goes wrong. If you are unsure of success, do not rush to shut down the old OVH server immediately. Keep it as a backup for a few days.

Recommendations for a smooth migration

1. Plan in advance: The more detailed your plan, the fewer surprises.
2. Test in a staging environment: If possible, perform a full migration of a staging environment before moving production.
3. Communicate with the team: Ensure all participants in the process know their tasks and deadlines.
4. Inform users: If downtime is expected, notify your users in advance.
5. Use a version control system: All configuration files should be in Git or a similar system. This simplifies rolling back changes.
6. Automate: Use Ansible, Chef, Puppet, or other tools to automate the setup of the new server. This will reduce the likelihood of errors.
7. Check licenses: Ensure that all software used has valid licenses for the new server.

Conclusion

Migrating servers from OVH is a serious undertaking that requires careful planning and execution. However, by following a step-by-step plan, using proven tools like rsync, and choosing a reliable partner such as Valebyte, you can ensure a smooth and secure transition. Valebyte offers high-performance VPS and dedicated servers with excellent support, making us an ideal choice for your new infrastructure.