SiteHost

Server Cloning

Server cloning allows you to create a copy of one of your existing servers using a backup taken at an earlier point in time. There are a few situations where this may be useful:

  • You need to retrieve some files from an old server backup but you don't want to restore it over your live server
  • The setup process for your servers is not automated, so you want to clone an existing one and simply modify any specific files/configurations to differentiate it

Cloning is available for High Performance Virtual Servers, or Standard Virtual Servers provisioned after November 2024. Read more on our blog.

Process

  1. Head over to the server you wish to clone in the SiteHost Control Panel.
  2. Open the Backups tab at the top of the screen.
  3. Locate the backup you wish to create a clone from.
  4. Click on the three dots on the right-hand side of the backup and select Clone.

To kick off the cloning process for a server, you'll be required to select a new primary IPv4 and/or IPv6 address. We do this to ensure that the server clone operates with a distinct set of IPs from the original server. This way, network traffic can continue to flow to/from your original server without any disruptions.

Network Config / Rescue Mode

Once the cloning process has begun, you'll notice a username/password are provided to you at the top of the Control Panel. These are your credentials to enter Rescue Mode once the new server is ready. While we take care of the networking configuration on the hardware node, you will need to mount your server's filesystem and manually edit your networking configuration files to reflect the new IPs you chose.

Once you've mounted the filesystem you can follow our general guide on updating Linux IPs. When you've finished amending the files, you can head back to the Control Panel and exit Rescue Mode.

If your server boots up and is accessible via the internet, you're good to go. If your server fails to boot up or cannot be accessed, then it's likely that the network config is wrong. You can fix it by either re-entering Rescue Mode, or using the server Console in the Control Panel.

Billing

Any server clones are created with a copy of all the subscriptions related to the original server. If the pricing of the new server doesn't match what you expect, please reach out to our accounts team.