I wanted to ask if anyone has experience with this issue. Currently using 3.1.9 with phpbb3 and plimus plugins. To upgrade requires php5, but my current server is 4.4.9. My hosting company said they can move me to a different server with the proper php version (which they did so that I can test it whether everything works properly first). As i understand it, when I decide to go ahead and approve this, I tell them and they change the DNS to point to new server. This takes time so for awhile, some people may sign up on old site's amember, some on the new server until the DNS has been fully changed around the web. So is there a way to transfer/import/whatever the proper term would be, those that signed up via amember on the old site, during this transition period? After the transition is complete, I will then pay for Alex's staff to upgrade to the new version of amember. Any suggestions or advice for doing this properly would be extremely appreciated.
In this situation this is better to control move yourself if possible. You will need to copy everything to new server and make aMember working with temp license. Then disable signup page on old server and switch DNS.
Make sure everything is working on new server, you would have been given a url to access this by your host. Now simply put a redirect on your old index page pointing to this address. But why will your host not arrange everything to ensure the switch over is virtually instant?
alex- what your saying is to not let people sign up on the old site? thehpmc - Here's what they told me about this issue: I don't what to take the site down or say it is under construction. This might be a stupid question, but is it vital to upgrade from 3.1.9?
Host can arrange for everything to be virtually instant by redirecting visitors from old server to new one THEIR system. Since they are not willing to help I would suggest setting everything up on new server ready to run. Taking both sites off line to avoid duplications, replace index page on old site with a redirect to new server (using the actual server address given to you so you can upload files there). Put both sites back on line. Downtime couple of mins max. Now whichever site visitors reach via the various DNS servers they will end up on your new server. Do you need to upgrade aMember? Point is that sooner or later PHP 4 will reach its end of life and cease to be supported so you will have to change sooner or later.