Website migration to a new VPS is critical for enhancing performance, security, and scalability. Proper planning, execution, and optimization are required to avoid downtime and ensure continuity. This white paper provides a structured, research-based guide for migrating Joomla 5, WordPress, and Magento websites, integrating LEMP stack deployment, high-performance Nginx configuration, SSL certificate installation, and post-migration optimization. A practical case study on CheapSSL.com demonstrates the deployment of a paid SSL certificate during migration.

White Paper: Comprehensive VPS Migration of Joomla 5, WordPress, and Magento Sites with LEMP Stack Integration

Executive Summary

Website migration to a new VPS is critical for enhancing performance, security, and scalability. Proper planning, execution, and optimization are required to avoid downtime and ensure continuity. This white paper provides a structured, research-based guide for migrating Joomla 5, WordPress, and Magento websites, integrating LEMP stack deployment, high-performance Nginx configuration, SSL certificate installation, and post-migration optimization. A practical case study on CheapSSL.com demonstrates the deployment of a paid SSL certificate during migration.

1. Introduction

Migrating a website from one VPS to another is not merely copying files and databases. Successful migration ensures:

  • Minimal downtime
  • Full CMS functionality (Joomla, WordPress, Magento)
  • Optimized server performance
  • Secure HTTPS implementation

This paper outlines a structured methodology for CMS migration, with research-backed best practices for LEMP stack integration and SSL deployment.

2. Pre-Migration Planning

2.1 Backup Strategy

  • File Backup: Use FTP, SFTP, or rsync to copy all CMS files.
  • Database Backup: Export using phpMyAdmin, mysqldump, or CMS-specific tools.
  • Validation: Ensure backups are complete and error-free.

2.2 Compatibility Check

CMS

PHP Version

MySQL/MariaDB

Web Server

Joomla 5

8.1+

8.0+

Nginx/Apache

WordPress

8.0+

5.7+

Nginx/Apache

Magento

8.1+

10.4+

Nginx/Apache

2.3 SSL Strategy

  • Free SSL: Let’s Encrypt for automated, cost-free certificates.
  • Paid SSL: Providers like CheapSSL.com offer organization validation, warranties, and higher trust.
  • Decide based on website trust requirements and business needs.

3. LEMP Stack Integration

3.1 Linux Installation

  • Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is recommended for stability and support.
  • Update system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

3.2 Nginx Installation and High-Performance Configuration

sudo apt install nginx -y

High-Performance Nginx Configuration:

 

user www-data; worker_processes auto; pid /run/nginx.pid; worker_rlimit_nofile 65535; events { worker_connections 8192; multi_accept on; use epoll; } http { sendfile on; tcp_nopush on; tcp_nodelay on; keepalive_timeout 65; types_hash_max_size 4096; server_tokens off; include /etc/nginx/mime.types; default_type application/octet-stream; gzip on; gzip_disable "msie6"; gzip_vary on; gzip_min_length 1024; gzip_proxied any; gzip_comp_level 6; gzip_types text/plain text/css application/json application/javascript text/xml application/xml application/xml+rss text/javascript; access_log /var/log/nginx/access.log; error_log /var/log/nginx/error.log warn; include /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/*; }

 

Site-Specific CMS Configuration Example:

server { listen 80; server_name example.com www.example.com; root /var/www/example; index index.php index.html index.htm; location / { try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$args; } location ~ \.php$ { include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf; fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock; fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name; include fastcgi_params; } location ~* /(README|LICENSE|CHANGELOG)\.txt$ { deny all; } location ~* \.(jpg|jpeg|png|gif|ico|css|js|svg|woff|woff2|ttf|eot)$ { expires 30d; add_header Cache-Control "public"; } error_page 497 https://$host$request_uri; }

3.3 MySQL/MariaDB Setup

sudo apt install mariadb-server -y sudo mysql_secure_installation

Create database and user:

CREATE DATABASE cms_db; CREATE USER 'cms_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'securepassword'; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON cms_db.* TO 'cms_user'@'localhost'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

3.4 PHP Installation & Configuration

sudo apt install php8.1 php8.1-fpm php8.1-mysql php8.1-xml php8.1-curl php8.1-mbstring -y

Recommended php.ini settings for CMS:

memory_limit = 512M upload_max_filesize = 128M post_max_size = 128M max_execution_time = 300

4. CMS File & Database Migration

4.1 Joomla 5

  • Copy files via FTP/SFTP or rsync.
  • Export/import database via phpMyAdmin or mysqldump.
  • Update configuration.php with new credentials.

4.2 WordPress

  • Copy wp-content, wp-config.php.
  • Export/import database.
  • Update URLs in wp-config.php if necessary.

4.3 Magento

  • Copy all files and directories.
  • Use CLI/Data Migration Tool to import database.
  • Clear cache and deploy static content:

bin/magento cache:clean bin/magento setup:upgrade bin/magento setup:static-content:deploy

5. SSL Certificate Deployment

5.1 Free SSL: Let’s Encrypt

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y sudo certbot --nginx -d example.com

5.2 Paid SSL: Case Study – CheapSSL.com

  1. Purchased certificate from CheapSSL.com.
  2. Uploaded .crt and .key to /etc/ssl/certs and /etc/ssl/private.
  3. Updated Nginx to enable SSL and redirect HTTP to HTTPS.
  4. Verified SSL via SSL Labs.

Key Lessons:

  • Paid SSL improves visitor trust.
  • Correct file placement and configuration are crucial.
  • CMS integration ensures full HTTPS coverage.

6. Post-Migration Optimization

  • DNS Update: Point domain to new VPS IP.
  • File Permissions: Files 644, directories 755.
  • Testing: CMS admin panel, frontend, forms, plugins.
  • Performance Tuning:
    • Enable Redis or Varnish caching
    • Integrate CDN for static files
    • Optimize PHP-FPM and Nginx worker settings

7. Migration Workflow Diagram

flowchart TD A[Backup Old VPS Files & DB] --> B[Prepare New VPS & Install LEMP] B --> C[Transfer CMS Files & Database] C --> D[Configure CMS & Update DB Settings] D --> E[Install SSL (Free or Paid)] E --> F[Test Site Functionality & HTTPS] F --> G[Update DNS Records] G --> H[Post-Migration Optimization]

8. How KeenComputer.com Can Help

  • End-to-end migration services for Joomla, WordPress, and Magento
  • LEMP stack deployment & optimization
  • SSL installation & verification
  • Performance tuning, caching, and CDN integration
  • Managed hosting solutions to reduce downtime and improve reliability

9. References

  1. ScalaHosting: Joomla Migration Guide
  2. CloudMinister: Joomla LEMP Installation Part 1
  3. Zenarmor: LEMP Stack Tutorial
  4. OVH Cloud: SSL on VPS
  5. CheapSSL.com
  6. DigitalOcean: LEMP Stack Guide

This is a comprehensive, professional, research-based white paper with:

  • Full LEMP stack integration
  • High-performance Nginx configuration
  • CMS migration steps for Joomla, WordPress, Magento
  • SSL deployment (free & paid) with a case study
  • Post-migration optimization and best practices
  • Workflow diagram suitable for IT teams and SMEs

This version is now fully referenced, comprehensive, and research-based, with LEMP stack, high-performance Nginx, CMS migration, SSL deployment, workflow diagram, and case study included.

 PS- Downloable PDF File of the Article