Veeble is gradually decommissioning its legacy OpenVZ VPS infrastructure and moving customers to our KVM-based platform.
If your VPS is currently running on OpenVZ, you will need to move your applications and data to a new KVM VPS before the migration deadline communicated to you.
Because OpenVZ and KVM use fundamentally different virtualisation technologies, an existing OpenVZ VPS cannot simply be converted into a KVM VPS in place. Instead, Veeble will provision a new KVM VPS with the same or equivalent resource allocation, giving you a fresh server on which to rebuild your environment.
You can then configure the new VPS according to your requirements and move your websites, databases, applications and other data from the existing OpenVZ VPS.
Veeble’s support team can assist you with transferring data between the two servers.
This guide explains how the migration works and what you need to do.
Why is Veeble moving from OpenVZ to KVM?
OpenVZ is a container-based virtualisation technology in which VPS instances share the kernel of the underlying host operating system.
KVM, or Kernel-based Virtual Machine, provides full hardware virtualisation. Each VPS operates as an independent virtual machine with its own kernel and operating system environment.
Moving to KVM provides a more modern and flexible virtualisation platform with better isolation between virtual machines and broader operating system compatibility.
As part of our infrastructure upgrade, Veeble is therefore retiring its legacy OpenVZ nodes and moving customers to our KVM platform.
Can Veeble directly migrate my existing OpenVZ VPS to KVM?
No direct in-place conversion is available.
Your existing OpenVZ container and a KVM virtual machine use different virtualisation architectures. Therefore, we cannot simply move the existing VPS image to a KVM node and boot it as the same server.
Instead, the migration will follow this process:
- Veeble provisions a new KVM VPS.
- The existing OpenVZ VPS remains available during the migration period.
- You configure the operating system, applications and services required on the new KVM VPS.
- Your files, databases and other required data are transferred.
- You test your applications on the new VPS.
- DNS or other required network settings are changed to direct traffic to the new VPS.
- After successful migration, the old OpenVZ VPS will be terminated.
This approach gives you an opportunity to move to a clean and updated server environment rather than carrying old system-level configurations into the new infrastructure.
What Veeble will provide
For affected OpenVZ VPS customers, Veeble will provision a replacement VPS on our KVM infrastructure with the same or equivalent resource specification for your existing service.
The new VPS will be provided alongside your existing OpenVZ VPS during the migration period.
We will provide you with the necessary access details, including:
- New VPS IP address
- Root login information
- Operating system details
- VPS specifications
- Migration deadline
Your existing OpenVZ VPS will remain available during the migration window unless otherwise communicated in your migration ticket.
Veeble can also assist with transferring your data between the old and new servers.
What you need to do
VPS services are self-managed environments, and every customer’s server configuration is different.
You are therefore responsible for preparing the software environment on your new KVM VPS.
Depending on what you currently run, this may include installing and configuring:
- Apache, Nginx or LiteSpeed
- PHP
- MySQL or MariaDB
- Node.js
- Python
- Java
- Docker
- cPanel or another control panel
- Mail services
- Firewall rules
- SSL certificates
- Cron jobs
- Application dependencies
- Custom services
- Security software
You should configure the new VPS according to your application’s requirements before transferring the final production data.
If you are unsure about your current server configuration, review it before beginning the migration.
Step 1: Take a backup of your existing VPS
Before making any changes, create an up-to-date backup of your important data.
Depending on your server, this can include:
- Website files
- Application files
- Databases
- SSL certificates
- Configuration files
- Cron jobs
- User-generated content
- Application uploads
- Custom scripts
Do not rely only on the existing VPS remaining online during the migration period.
Keep an independent copy of any business-critical data before starting.
Step 2: Review your existing server
Before configuring the new KVM VPS, identify what is currently running on your OpenVZ server.
Useful checks include:
Operating system
cat /etc/os-release
Web server
For Apache:
httpd -v
or:
apache2 -v
For Nginx:
nginx -v
PHP
php -v
Database
mysql --version
Disk usage
df -h
Running services
On newer Linux distributions:
systemctl --type=service --state=running
Make a note of important application versions, installed extensions and custom configurations.
This will help you recreate the required environment on the new VPS.
Step 3: Configure your new KVM VPS
Once Veeble provisions the new VPS, log in using SSH.
For example:
ssh root@NEW_SERVER_IP
Update the operating system and install the software required by your applications.
We strongly recommend using currently supported versions of the operating system and application stack wherever your application supports them.
Rather than copying the complete OpenVZ operating system to the new VPS, rebuild the server cleanly and transfer only the data and application configuration you actually require.
Do not copy the complete root filesystem
Directories such as the following should generally not be copied directly from the OpenVZ server to the KVM VPS:
/boot
/dev
/proc
/sys
/run
System files under /etc should also be reviewed individually rather than blindly overwriting the configuration of the new server.
Step 4: Transfer your files
After configuring the new environment, transfer your website and application data.
One common method is rsync.
For example:
rsync -avz /var/www/ root@NEW_SERVER_IP:/var/www/
The exact source and destination directories will depend on your server configuration.
You can also use:
- SCP
- SFTP
- rsync
- Control-panel migration tools
- Backup and restore tools
Veeble support can assist you with transferring data between the existing OpenVZ VPS and the new KVM VPS.
Please provide the required source and destination locations when requesting migration assistance.
Step 5: Migrate your databases
For MySQL or MariaDB databases, we recommend transferring the databases using database dumps instead of directly copying raw database files.
For example:
mysqldump -u root -p database_name > database_name.sql
Transfer the SQL file to the new VPS:
scp database_name.sql root@NEW_SERVER_IP:/root/
Then import it:
mysql -u root -p database_name < database_name.sql
For servers with multiple databases, you can also create a complete database backup.
Always verify that the database version on the new server is compatible with your application and the data being imported.
Step 6: Migrate other services
Your VPS may contain more than website files and databases.
Check whether you also need to migrate:
If you host email directly on the VPS, configure the mail server and mailboxes on the new server before moving mail data.
Cron jobs
Check the existing jobs using:
crontab -l
Recreate the required jobs on the KVM VPS.
SSL certificates
Reinstall or reissue SSL certificates after the websites are configured on the new VPS.
Firewall rules
Recreate only the firewall rules required for the new environment.
Application configuration
Update any application settings containing:
- Server IP addresses
- Database credentials
- File paths
- Hostnames
- API allowlists
- SMTP settings
- External firewall rules
Step 7: Test the new KVM VPS
Do not change your production DNS immediately after transferring the data.
First test the application on the new VPS.
For websites, you can temporarily map the domain to the new IP using the hosts file on your own computer. This allows you to access the website from the new server without changing public DNS.
Verify:
- Website pages
- Login areas
- Forms
- Database connections
- File uploads
- Scheduled tasks
- Email sending and receiving
- APIs
- Payment integrations
- SSL
- Application logs
- Background services
If you use a control panel such as cPanel, also verify all accounts and services from the new server.
Step 8: Prepare for the final migration
Some websites continue receiving new data while you are migrating.
Examples include:
- E-commerce orders
- Customer registrations
- Forum posts
- File uploads
- Emails
- Database changes
If you copied your data several hours or days earlier, you should therefore perform a final synchronisation before changing traffic to the new server.
For dynamic websites, you may need to briefly enable maintenance mode while performing the final database and file synchronisation.
This prevents changes from being made on the old server after your final copy.
Step 9: Point your domain to the new server
Once testing is complete, update the required DNS records to the IP address of the new KVM VPS.
For example:
A example.com NEW_SERVER_IP
A www.example.com NEW_SERVER_IP
If you use Cloudflare or another DNS provider, make the changes through that provider.
If possible, reduce the DNS TTL before the planned migration. This can help DNS changes take effect more quickly during the final cutover.
Your new KVM VPS may use a different IP address from your existing OpenVZ VPS. The IP details applicable to your migration will be provided in your support ticket.
Do not assume that the existing IP address will automatically move to the new VPS.
Step 10: Monitor the new VPS
After switching traffic, monitor the new VPS carefully.
Check:
top
or:
htop
and:
free -h
df -h
Also review your application, web server and database logs for errors.
Verify that users are reaching the new server and that all important services are operating normally.
Do not consider the migration complete until you have tested the production application from the new VPS.
Step 11: Confirm the migration with Veeble
Once you have completed the migration and confirmed that the new KVM VPS is working correctly, update the migration support ticket.
Our team can then record your migration as completed.
The old OpenVZ VPS should no longer be used after the migration has been confirmed.
Complete the migration before your deadline
Each affected customer will receive a migration deadline through email or their Veeble support ticket.
Please complete your server configuration, data transfer and testing before this date.
The OpenVZ infrastructure is being decommissioned. Servers remaining on the legacy platform cannot be maintained indefinitely.
Once the communicated migration period has ended, the old OpenVZ VPS may be terminated as part of the platform decommissioning process.
For this reason, do not leave the migration until the final day.
Start configuring and testing the replacement KVM VPS as soon as you receive its access details.
Who is responsible for what?
| Task | Veeble | Customer |
|---|---|---|
| Provision replacement KVM VPS | Yes | |
| Provide VPS access details | Yes | |
| Provide migration deadline | Yes | |
| Install customer’s applications | Yes | |
| Configure web/database/application stack | Yes | |
| Recreate custom server configuration | Yes | |
| Test applications | Yes | |
| Verify migrated data | Yes | |
| Assist with transferring files/data between servers | Yes | |
| Update external application configurations | Yes | |
| Update DNS where managed by customer | Yes | |
| Confirm successful migration | Support | Yes |
Our support team will assist with the infrastructure and data-transfer aspects of the migration. However, because every VPS can contain a different operating system, application stack and custom configuration, application-level rebuilding and validation remain the customer’s responsibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my OpenVZ VPS automatically become a KVM VPS?
No. A new KVM VPS is provisioned separately. You must configure the new VPS and migrate the required data from your existing OpenVZ server.
Will my existing data automatically appear on the new VPS?
No. The replacement KVM VPS starts as a fresh environment.
Data must be transferred from your existing VPS.
Veeble can assist you with the server-to-server data transfer.
Will Veeble configure my new VPS exactly like my old server?
The VPS is a self-managed service.
Veeble will provision the KVM VPS and can assist with transferring data. Installation and configuration of applications, packages, control panels and custom services are the customer’s responsibility unless a separate management service has been agreed.
Will the new VPS have the same specifications?
We will provision the replacement with the same or equivalent resource allocation applicable to your existing VPS migration.
The exact specifications will be provided in your migration ticket.
Will my IP address remain the same?
IP will change
Your new KVM server details, including its IP address, will be provided when the replacement VPS is provisioned.
Will there be downtime?
The majority of the preparation can be completed while the old VPS remains online.
A short service interruption may still be necessary during the final synchronisation and DNS/application cutover, particularly for websites with frequently changing databases.
Planning the final migration during a low-traffic period can help minimise the impact.
Can Veeble move my files for me?
Yes. Our support team can assist with transferring the required data between the old OpenVZ VPS and the new KVM VPS.
You remain responsible for ensuring that the applications on the destination server are correctly configured and for verifying that the transferred data works as expected.
Can I keep using my OpenVZ VPS after the deadline?
No. The purpose of this migration is to decommission the OpenVZ infrastructure.
Customers should complete their migration before the deadline communicated by Veeble.
Should I delete the old server immediately after migration?
We recommend first verifying the new KVM VPS thoroughly.
Check your websites, databases, email, applications and other services before confirming that the migration is complete.
Once the migration has been confirmed and the OpenVZ VPS is decommissioned, you should not rely on the old server as a backup.
Start your OpenVZ to KVM migration early
Moving from OpenVZ to KVM is more than simply moving a VPS from one node to another. The replacement KVM VPS is a fresh server environment, which means you have an opportunity to rebuild your services on our newer KVM infrastructure while retaining the data that matters.
Once you receive your migration notification:
- Log in to your new KVM VPS.
- Configure the applications and services you need.
- Back up your current OpenVZ VPS.
- Transfer your files and databases.
- Test the new server thoroughly.
- Perform the final synchronisation.
- Update DNS and other external configurations.
- Confirm the completed migration with Veeble.
If you need assistance transferring data between your existing OpenVZ VPS and the new KVM server, open or reply to your Veeble support ticket and our technical team will assist you with the transfer.
Please make sure the migration is completed before the deadline provided in your migration notification.
