The Zero-Disruption Migration Playbook
Moving complex web applications, emails, and database clusters between servers requires disciplined execution.Step 1: Pre-Migration DNS TTL Lowering
48 hours before the scheduled cutover, reduce DNS TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes). This ensures that once the new IP is published, client DNS resolvers update within minutes.Step 2: Background Rsync & MySQL Replication
Sync large static uploads and media directories first. For relational databases, take a point-in-time snapshot or configure transient replication to capture live writes.Step 3: Staging Verification
Test the destination instance using your local/etc/hosts file before touching public DNS records.
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