AWS Server Migration & Optimization Guide

Executive Summary

Phase 1: Preparation & Backup

Critical: Complete Backups Before Starting

1.1 Create Plesk Backup

# Full backup of all sites
sudo plesk bin pleskbackup --all /backup/plesk-full-backup.tar

# Individual domain backup (repeat for each site)
sudo plesk bin pleskbackup domains --domains-name=yourdomain.com /backup/

1.2 Document Current Configuration

Create a spreadsheet with:

• All domain names
• PHP versions per site
• Database names and users
• Email configurations
• DNS records (export from Plesk)
• SSL certificate details
• Any custom configurations

1.3 AWS Snapshot

1. Go to AWS EC2 Console
2. Select your instance
3. Actions → Image and templates → Create image
4. Name it: "plesk-backup-YYYY-MM-DD"
5. Wait for AMI creation to complete

Phase 2: Choose Your Control Panel

Recommended: CyberPanel

Why CyberPanel?

Advantages:

• Free and open-source
• OpenLiteSpeed web server (faster than Apache/NGINX for WordPress)
• Built-in LSCache (exceptional WordPress performance)
• Docker integration for AI/development work
• Automatic SSL with Let's Encrypt
• Modern, user-friendly interface
• Git integration
• One-click WordPress installation

Resource Usage:

• Base footprint: ~1-1.5GB RAM
• Leaves plenty of resources for AI/development

Alternative: HestiaCP

• Lighter weight (~500MB RAM)
• More traditional Apache/NGINX setup
• Easier learning curve if coming from Plesk
• Good option if you need maximum resources for AI work

Phase 3: Installation Strategy

Recommended Approach: Fresh Installation

Why Fresh Installation?

• Both servers run simultaneously during migration
• Easy rollback if issues arise
• Clean environment without Plesk remnants
• Test thoroughly before committing
• Zero downtime migration possible

Steps Overview:

1. Launch new m5a.large instance
2. Install CyberPanel
3. Migrate sites one by one
4. Test each site thoroughly
5. Update DNS when ready
6. Monitor for 48-72 hours
7. Terminate old instance

Phase 4: Detailed Installation

4.1 Launch New EC2 Instance

Instance Configuration:

• AMI: AlmaLinux 9 (or Rocky Linux 9)
• Instance Type: m5a.large
• Storage: 100GB+ GP3 SSD (same as current)
• Security Group: Open ports 80, 443, 8090, 22

Security Group Rules:

4.2 Initial Server Setup

# SSH into new server
ssh -i your-key.pem ec2-user@your-new-server-ip

# Update system
sudo dnf update -y

# Install essential tools
sudo dnf install wget curl nano htop -y

# Set hostname (optional)
sudo hostnamectl set-hostname your-hostname

4.3 Install CyberPanel

# Download and run installer
sh <(curl https://cyberpanel.net/install.sh || wget -O - https://cyberpanel.net/install.sh)

Installation Prompts:

1. Install CyberPanel Version: Choose option 1 (Latest)
2. Install Type: Choose option 1 (Full installation with email, DNS, FTP)
3. Choose Your RAM: Press Enter (auto-detect)
4. Setup Remote MySQL: No (press 'n')
5. Setup Memcached: Yes (press 'y')
6. Setup Redis: Yes (press 'y')
7. Set Admin Password: Choose a strong password
8. Watchdog: Yes (recommended)

Installation takes 15-30 minutes.

4.4 Access CyberPanel

URL: https://your-server-ip:8090
Username: admin
Password: (password you set during installation)

First Login Steps:

1. Complete initial setup wizard
2. Set timezone
3. Configure nameservers (if using CyberPanel DNS)
4. Enable automatic updates

Phase 5: WordPress Migration

5.1 Pre-Migration Checklist

For each WordPress site, document:

• Domain name
• Current PHP version
• Database size
• File size
• Active plugins
• Theme in use
• Any custom configurations

5.2 Migration Process (Per Site)

Step 1: Export from Plesk Server

# SSH into OLD Plesk server
ssh -i your-key.pem ec2-user@old-server-ip

# Export database
mysqldump -u db_username -p db_name > ~/yourdomain-db.sql

# Create tarball of WordPress files
cd /var/www/vhosts/yourdomain.com/httpdocs
tar -czf ~/yourdomain-files.tar.gz .

# Download to your local machine
# On your local computer:
scp -i your-key.pem ec2-user@old-server-ip:~/yourdomain-db.sql .
scp -i your-key.pem ec2-user@old-server-ip:~/yourdomain-files.tar.gz .

Step 2: Create Website in CyberPanel

1. Login to CyberPanel (https://new-server-ip:8090)
2. Go to: Websites → Create Website
3. Fill in details:
   • Select Package: Default
   • Domain Name: yourdomain.com
   • Email: [email protected]
   • Select PHP: (match your current version)
   • SSL: Check "Issue SSL"
4. Click "Create Website"
5. Go to: Databases → Create Database
   • Database Name: yourdomain_db
   • Username: yourdomain_user
   • Password: (secure password)

Step 3: Upload Files to New Server

# Upload files to new server
scp -i your-key.pem yourdomain-files.tar.gz ec2-user@new-server-ip:/home/yourdomain.com/

# SSH into new server
ssh -i your-key.pem ec2-user@new-server-ip

# Extract files
cd /home/yourdomain.com/public_html
sudo tar -xzf ../yourdomain-files.tar.gz
sudo rm ../yourdomain-files.tar.gz

# Upload and import database
scp -i your-key.pem yourdomain-db.sql ec2-user@new-server-ip:/tmp/

# Import database
mysql -u yourdomain_user -p yourdomain_db < /tmp/yourdomain-db.sql
rm /tmp/yourdomain-db.sql

Step 4: Update wp-config.php

sudo nano /home/yourdomain.com/public_html/wp-config.php

# Update these lines:
define('DB_NAME', 'yourdomain_db');
define('DB_USER', 'yourdomain_user');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'your-new-password');
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

# Save and exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter)

Step 5: Fix Permissions

sudo chown -R yourdomain:yourdomain /home/yourdomain.com/public_html/
sudo find /home/yourdomain.com/public_html/ -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
sudo find /home/yourdomain.com/public_html/ -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;

Step 6: Install LSCache Plugin

1. Login to WordPress admin (http://new-server-ip/wp-admin)
2. Update /etc/hosts on your local machine to test:

   new-server-ip yourdomain.com

3. Go to Plugins → Add New
4. Search for "LiteSpeed Cache"
5. Install and activate
6. Go to LiteSpeed Cache → Settings
7. Click "Enable" at the top
8. Use preset: "WordPress" or "WooCommerce"

Step 7: Test Website

• Homepage loads correctly
• All pages accessible
• Images display properly
• Forms work
• Admin panel accessible
• Plugins functioning
• Theme displays correctly
• SSL certificate active

Phase 6: Repurpose for AI/Development

6.1 Resource Allocation

m5a.large Total Resources:

• 2 vCPUs
• 8GB RAM

Recommended Allocation:

• WordPress + CyberPanel: 4-5GB RAM, ~1.5 vCPUs
• AI/Ollama: 2-3GB RAM, ~0.5 vCPUs
• Development Containers: 1GB RAM (on-demand)
• System overhead: ~500MB RAM

6.2 Install Docker

# Add Docker repository
sudo dnf config-manager --add-repo=https://download.docker.com/linux/centos/docker-ce.repo

# Install Docker
sudo dnf install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io -y

# Start and enable Docker
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

# Add user to docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

# Install Docker Compose
sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/latest/download/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

# Verify installation
docker --version
docker-compose --version

6.3 Set Up Ollama for Local AI

Install Ollama:

# Install Ollama
curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh

# Start Ollama service
sudo systemctl start ollama
sudo systemctl enable ollama

# Verify installation
ollama --version

Pull AI Models:

# Small, efficient models for m5a.large:

# Llama 3.2 1B (1.3GB) - Fast, good for simple tasks
ollama pull llama3.2:1b

# Phi-3 Mini (2.3GB) - Microsoft's efficient model
ollama pull phi3:mini

# Mistral 7B (4.1GB) - More powerful, use only if you have RAM available
ollama pull mistral:7b-instruct

# Test a model
ollama run llama3.2:1b

Phase 7: Testing & Cutover

7.1 Pre-Cutover Checklist

For Each WordPress Site:

• Site accessible via IP address
• All pages load correctly
• Images and media display
• Forms submit properly
• Admin panel works
• Plugins active and functional
• SSL certificate installed
• LSCache configured
• Performance tested
• Backup created

7.2 DNS Cutover Strategy

Gradual Cutover (Recommended):

1. Week 1: Migrate and test 3-5 sites
2. Week 2: Migrate another 5 sites
3. Week 3: Migrate remaining sites
4. Week 4: Monitor, optimize, decommission old server

7.3 Rollback Plan

If Issues Arise:

1. Immediately: Point DNS back to old server
2. Investigate issue on new server
3. Fix problem
4. Re-test thoroughly
5. Update DNS again when ready

Resource Allocation Guide

Optimal Resource Distribution

CyberPanel + 15 WordPress Sites:

• Base CyberPanel: 1GB RAM
• OpenLiteSpeed: 500MB RAM
• MySQL/MariaDB: 1.5GB RAM
• PHP-FPM pools: 1.5GB RAM
• LSCache: 500MB RAM
• Total: ~5GB RAM, 1.5 vCPUs

AI & Development:

• Ollama: 2GB RAM, 0.3 vCPUs
• Docker containers: 1GB RAM, 0.2 vCPUs
• Total: ~3GB RAM, 0.5 vCPUs

Ongoing Maintenance

Daily Tasks

• Check CyberPanel dashboard
• Review server uptime
• Quick site checks (homepage loads)

Weekly Tasks

• Review error logs
• Check disk space
• Monitor resource usage
• Test backups
• Database optimization
• Security updates

Monthly Tasks

• Full backup verification
• Performance analysis
• Security audit
• Update all software
• Review and optimize Docker images
• Clean up old logs

Troubleshooting Guide

Common WordPress Issues

Issue: 500 Internal Server Error

# Check error logs
sudo tail -f /usr/local/lsws/logs/error.log

# Check PHP error log
sudo tail -f /home/yourdomain.com/logs/error.log

# Fix permissions
sudo chown -R yourdomain:yourdomain /home/yourdomain.com/public_html/

Issue: Database Connection Error

# Verify database exists
mysql -u root -p
SHOW DATABASES;

# Check wp-config.php credentials
sudo nano /home/yourdomain.com/public_html/wp-config.php

# Reset database password if needed
mysql -u root -p
ALTER USER 'username'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'newpassword';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Performance Issues

High Memory Usage:

# Check what's using memory
htop

# Check Docker usage
docker stats

# Restart services if needed
sudo systemctl restart lsws
docker-compose restart

Security Best Practices

Server Security

1. SSH Hardening:

# Disable root login
sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
# Set: PermitRootLogin no

# Change SSH port
# Set: Port 2222

# Restart SSH
sudo systemctl restart sshd

WordPress Security

1. Use Strong Passwords:

• Database passwords
• WordPress admin passwords
• CyberPanel admin password

2. Install Security Plugins:

• Wordfence Security
• Sucuri Security
• iThemes Security

Backup Strategy

Automated WordPress Backups

Manual Backup Script:

#!/bin/bash
# Save as: /root/scripts/wordpress-backup.sh

BACKUP_DIR="/backup/wordpress"
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d)

for site in /home/*/public_html; do
    domain=$(echo $site | cut -d'/' -f3)
    
    # Backup files
    tar -czf $BACKUP_DIR/${domain}_${DATE}.tar.gz $site
    
    # Backup database
    db_name="${domain}_db"
    mysqldump $db_name > $BACKUP_DIR/${domain}_${DATE}.sql
done

# Delete backups older than 30 days
find $BACKUP_DIR -type f -mtime +30 -delete

Support Resources

CyberPanel

• Documentation: https://cyberpanel.net/docs/
• Community Forum: https://community.cyberpanel.net/

Ollama

• Documentation: https://ollama.com/docs
• GitHub: https://github.com/ollama/ollama

Docker

• Documentation: https://docs.docker.com/
• Docker Compose: https://docs.docker.com/compose/

Migration Timeline

Immediate (This Week)

• Create full Plesk backup
• Create AWS snapshot
• Document current configuration
• Launch new EC2 instance
• Install CyberPanel

Week 1

• Migrate first 3 test sites
• Test thoroughly
• Configure LSCache
• Install Docker
• Set up Ollama

Week 2-4

• Migrate remaining sites
• Deploy AI Docker stack
• Configure Redis for WordPress
• Update DNS for tested sites
• Monitor performance
• Final testing and optimization
• Terminate old instance

FAQ

General Questions

Q: How long will the migration take?

A: Plan for 3-4 weeks total. Active migration work is about 1-2 hours per site, but allow time for testing and DNS propagation.

Q: Will there be any downtime?

A: No. By running both servers simultaneously and updating DNS gradually, you can achieve zero downtime migration.

Q: What if something goes wrong?

A: You have multiple safety nets: AWS snapshots, Plesk backups, and the old server running. You can always roll back by pointing DNS back to the old server.

Technical Questions

Q: Why CyberPanel over other control panels?

A: OpenLiteSpeed (CyberPanel's web server) is significantly faster than Apache for WordPress, LSCache is the best WordPress caching solution, and it's completely free with active development.

Q: Can I use different AI models?

A: Yes! Ollama supports many models. Just be mindful of RAM usage. Models under 4GB work best on this setup.

Appendix A: Useful Commands Reference

CyberPanel CLI

# Restart CyberPanel
sudo systemctl restart lscpd

# Restart OpenLiteSpeed
sudo systemctl restart lsws

# Create website via CLI
cyberpanel createWebsite --domainName example.com --email [email protected] --package Default

# Issue SSL certificate
cyberpanel issueSSL --domainName example.com

Docker Commands

# View running containers
docker ps

# Start all services
docker-compose up -d

# View logs
docker-compose logs -f [service-name]

# Update images
docker-compose pull
docker-compose up -d

# View resource usage
docker stats

System Monitoring

# Real-time process monitoring
htop

# Disk usage
df -h

# Check service status
sudo systemctl status [service-name]

Appendix B: Performance Benchmarks

Expected Performance Improvements

Appendix C: Scaling Guide

When to Scale Up

Signs you need more resources:

• Consistent RAM usage above 85%
• CPU usage consistently above 70%
• Slow page load times (>2 seconds)
• Database queries timing out
• AI models running out of memory

Vertical Scaling (Bigger Instance)

Next instance tier: m5a.xlarge

• 4 vCPUs (double)
• 16GB RAM (double)
• Supports 30-40 WordPress sites
• Can run larger AI models (13B parameters)

Appendix D: Migration Automation Scripts

Automated Backup Script

#!/bin/bash
# save as: /root/scripts/daily-backup.sh

BACKUP_DIR="/backup"
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d)

# Backup all WordPress sites
for site in /home/*/public_html; do
    domain=$(echo $site | cut -d'/' -f3)
    
    # Backup files
    tar -czf $BACKUP_DIR/${domain}_${DATE}_files.tar.gz $site
    
    # Backup database
    db_name="${domain//./_}_db"
    mysqldump $db_name | gzip > $BACKUP_DIR/${domain}_${DATE}_db.sql.gz
done

# Delete local backups older than 7 days
find $BACKUP_DIR -type f -mtime +7 -delete

echo "Backup completed: $DATE"

Appendix E: Security Hardening Checklist

Server Level

• Change SSH port from default 22
• Disable root SSH login
• Set up SSH key authentication only
• Configure firewall (CSF)
• Enable Fail2Ban
• Set up automatic security updates
• Regular security audits
• Monitor system logs

WordPress Level

• Strong admin passwords
• Two-factor authentication
• Security plugin installed
• Hide WordPress version
• Disable file editing
• Limit login attempts
• Regular updates