Customer Story: Website Migration to a Linux VPS with ISPConfig

With their existing hosting set to expire on November 16, a website owner in Latvia needed to migrate a WordPress site to a new Linux VPS without rushing the DNS switch. They also wanted to manage domain email on the new server. After discussing the requirements with our support team, they selected ISPConfig, ordered a one-month Basic Linux VPS, and completed the VPS migration using a manual file-and-database restore.

Submitted by user "f***@****.com" · Customer's live chat inquiry on November 3, 2026

Application Scenario

The customer ran a WordPress site on another host whose website hosting was ending. The hosting migration had to fit a deadline and a few requirements:

• Move the site before the current hosting ends on November 16
• Test the new VPS on a one-month plan before committing to a longer one
• Send email from the domain on the new server
• Manage the site and mailboxes from a control panel similar to the cPanel they were used to

Server Specifications

Product Name: Basic Linux VPS
CPU: 4 vCPU
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 140GB
Bandwidth: 200 Mbps
Operating System: Ubuntu (recommended for this ISPConfig setup)
Control Panel: ISPConfig
Location: USA

What the Customer Asked: Moving WordPress Before the Hosting Ends

At 06:33 on November 3, 2026, the customer opened our live chat with a plan for the same day.

"I want to move my website to your Linux hosting today! I've made my migration file with All-in-One WP Migration and Backup plugin."

They asked whether they needed to change their nameservers and to what, whether a one-month Basic Linux VPS was a good way to test the move, and how the test should work. They mentioned that Dallas had given them good latency in an earlier check.

The original live chat as sent by the customer.

Our AI assistant, Clarity AI, answered within a minute with plan details and a testing approach. The customer then asked for a human agent. Robert joined at 06:35, and at the customer's request the chat moved to Kabuto, who had helped them before. Kabuto went through the customer's needs, helped them choose a control panel, and told them which files to prepare.

Choosing Between CloudPanel, cPanel and ISPConfig

The customer was used to cPanel and asked whether CloudPanel was similar. Kabuto summarized the difference. cPanel is a fuller hosting environment with built-in email management, and it needs a paid license bought separately. CloudPanel is free and focuses on website and server management, without a built-in mail server, so email would need a separate service.

Because the customer wanted email, Kabuto recommended cPanel or ISPConfig and described ISPConfig as an open-source option with no license cost. The customer chose ISPConfig at 07:13.

ISPConfig supports website and email management when the required mail server components are installed and configured. For this deployment, Kabuto recommended Ubuntu as the operating system for the ISPConfig setup.

Preparing WordPress Files and Database for Migration

The customer had already made an All-in-One WP Migration backup, which is a normal way to move a WordPress site. For this setup, though, our support team recommended a manual migration. The customer would provide a ZIP archive of the WordPress files and a full SQL export of the database, and our team would restore the site from those on the new VPS. The customer already had their SQL file.

We don't offer a full migration service, but when you provide website backup and SQL database file, our team can assist with the migration.

To prepare the files:

1. Open your current hosting File Manager or connect by FTP or SFTP.
2. Find the WordPress root folder, the one containing wp-admin, wp-content, wp-includes and wp-config.php.
3. Select everything in that folder, compress it into a ZIP archive and download it.
4. In phpMyAdmin, select the WordPress database and click Export.
5. Choose the Quick export method and SQL format, then download the .sql file.

The customer's All-in-One WP Migration file was close to 8 GB and was still uploading to Google Drive during the chat, so they planned to share a download link. For large files, a download link or a direct upload to the server saves time.

Why You Should Test a WordPress Migration Before Changing DNS

Clarity AI's first answer to this customer was to keep the current site live and test the new one before touching DNS. That order protects your visitors, because the old site keeps working until the new one has been checked.

1. Restore the site on the new VPS while the current site stays live.
2. On your own computer, add a hosts-file entry that points your domain to the new VPS IP, or use a temporary hostname.
3. Log in to the WordPress admin and check pages, posts, images, menus and forms.
4. Confirm the database content is intact, for example recent posts, users and settings.
5. Remove the hosts-file entry, and switch DNS only after everything checks out.
6. Test email separately once the mail server is configured: send and receive, and check the mail DNS records.

Configuring DNS for the New VPS

There are two ways to point a domain at the new server. If you keep DNS with your current provider, change the A record, and the www record if needed, to the VPS public IP. If you want our DNS to handle it, set your domain's nameservers to ns1.mydnsservice.com and ns2.mydnsservice.com, the nameservers Kabuto gave in the chat.

Switching nameservers moves all DNS management to the new provider, so make sure the DNS zone for your domain already contains the records your site needs, then allow time for DNS propagation. If you plan to host email on the VPS, make sure the required MX, SPF, DKIM and other mail-related DNS records are configured before you move your email service.

Migration Results: WordPress Restored on the New VPS

The customer wanted to try the server before buying the 24-month Basic plan they had in mind. Support also offered to reactivate a free trial, and the customer ordered the one-month Basic Linux VPS, which Clarity AI had quoted at $9.74 for the first month with no setup fee. After the chat, they uploaded their website files and database file to this server, and our team restored the WordPress site from them.

Verifying the restored site, switching DNS and setting up mail are separate steps that follow the restore. For the longer term, the customer plans to move to a 24-month Basic plan if the migration goes well.

Choose a control panel that fits your email needs, then confirm the backup and restore method with your provider before you migrate.

Notes & Troubleshooting

Notes from this migration

• Start early. A website migration needs the backup, the new server and the DNS change to line up. This customer's hosting ended on November 16, and the chat took place on November 3.
• Choose the control panel by what you need. For websites only, CloudPanel is free. For websites and email, ISPConfig is an open-source choice that needs a configured mail server, and cPanel needs a separate license.
• For this ISPConfig setup, Kabuto recommended an Ubuntu VPS. Prepare a ZIP of your WordPress root folder and a full SQL export of the database.
• Keep your current site live until the new one is tested. Use a temporary hostname or a hosts-file entry to check it first.
• Share or upload large backups directly to the server or through a download link, instead of sending them in chat. When you provide a backup download link, our migration assistance is free.
• Test latency to our Dallas data center from your own location before you order.
• Technical support is available 24/7 by live chat and ticket. Pre-sales chats start with our AI assistant, Clarity AI, and move to a human agent on request. In this case the agents were Robert and Kabuto.

General troubleshooting for WordPress migrations

The following issues were not reported in this customer's migration. They are included as general troubleshooting tips for website owners moving WordPress to a new VPS.

• "Error establishing a database connection." Check that the database name, user, password and host in wp-config.php match the database created on the new server.
• Images or styles missing, or links pointing to the old address. Check the site address under Settings, General, and update old URLs in the database if the domain or path changed. Also check file ownership and permissions on the uploads folder.
• Pages other than the home page return 404. Open Settings, Permalinks and save once to rebuild the rewrite rules.
• The old server still shows after a DNS change. Propagation can take time, and your computer or router may cache the old address. Check with a DNS lookup, and remove any hosts-file entry you added for testing.
• Email is not sending or arriving. Check the MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records for the domain, and confirm the mail server components are installed and configured on the VPS.

Deploy Your Own Version of This Use Case Now?

Basic Linux VPS for WordPress Hosting

• CPU: 4 vCPU
• Memory: 8GB RAM
• Disk: 140GB
• Bandwidth: 200 Mbps
• OS: Ubuntu
• Location: USA

$12.99/mo

This is the configuration the customer chose for the migration. It suits website owners planning a self-managed website who want a Linux environment for WordPress and a control panel such as ISPConfig.

Planning a hosting migration and need email for your domain? Choose ISPConfig as your control panel, and when you share a backup download link, our team will assist with the migration.