How to migrate a cPanel account to Plesk

You will use the official Plesk migration tool to transfer a cPanel account to a Plesk server. This process moves websites, email accounts, and databases from cPanel to Plesk without downtime. The steps target Plesk Obsidian 18.x and cPanel 118.x.

Prerequisites

• A running Plesk server with Plesk Obsidian 18.x or newer installed.
• Root or admin access to the Plesk server.
• Access to the cPanel server you want to migrate from.
• The cPanel account you want to migrate, including its domain list.
• Enough disk space on the Plesk server to hold the incoming data during the transfer.
• Network connectivity between the Plesk server and the cPanel server.

Step 1: Install the Plesk Migration Tool

The Plesk Migration Tool is required to handle the data transfer between the two control panels. Install the tool on your Plesk server using the command line.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y pska-migration-tool

You will see the package manager resolve dependencies and install the utility. The command outputs progress bars and confirms the installation is complete.

Step 2: Configure the Source cPanel Server

Before starting the migration, you must ensure the cPanel server is accessible and the migration tool knows where to find it. Open a terminal on the Plesk server and configure the source connection.

pska-migration-tool --source-type cpanel --source-url https://cpanel-server-ip:2083 --source-user root --source-password YOUR_ROOT_PASSWORD

Replace `cpanel-server-ip` with the actual IP address or hostname of your cPanel server and `YOUR_ROOT_PASSWORD` with the root password for that server. The tool will validate the connection and list available accounts.

Step 3: Start the Migration Process

Initiate the migration by specifying the target Plesk user and the source cPanel account. Run the migration command with the specific domain you wish to transfer.

pska-migration-tool --target-domain example.com --target-user admin --target-password YOUR_PLESK_PASSWORD --source-domain example.com --source-user root --source-password YOUR_ROOT_PASSWORD

Replace `example.com` with the domain name, `admin` with your Plesk admin username, and `YOUR_PLESK_PASSWORD` with your Plesk admin password. The tool will copy files, databases, and email configurations from cPanel to Plesk.

Step 4: Monitor the Migration Progress

Watch the command output to track the status of the transfer. You will see logs indicating which files are being copied and which databases are being restored. Do not interrupt the process until it finishes or reports an error.

pska-migration-tool --target-domain example.com --target-user admin --target-password YOUR_PLESK_PASSWORD --source-domain example.com --source-user root --source-password YOUR_ROOT_PASSWORD --verbose

Adding the `--verbose` flag provides detailed progress updates. You will see messages like "Copying files," "Restoring databases," and "Configuring email accounts." Wait until the tool reports success for all steps.

Verify the installation

Log into the Plesk control panel and navigate to the Domains section. You will see the migrated domain listed with a status of "Active." Check the Email Accounts section to confirm that the email addresses and aliases have been created correctly. Visit the website via a browser to ensure the content loads without errors.

Troubleshooting

Error: Connection refused to cPanel server
The Plesk server cannot reach the cPanel server. Check your firewall settings on both machines. Ensure port 2083 is open for HTTPS traffic. Verify that the hostname or IP address in the command is correct and accessible from the Plesk server.

Error: Authentication failed for cPanel user
The password provided for the cPanel root user is incorrect or the session has expired. Re-enter the password for the cPanel root account. Ensure you are using the correct root password for the specific cPanel server instance.

Error: Insufficient disk space on Plesk server
The migration fails because there is not enough space to store the incoming files. Check the available disk space on the Plesk server using the `df -h` command. Free up space or expand the disk partition before retrying the migration.

Error: Database connection refused
The migration tool cannot connect to the cPanel MySQL server. This often happens if the cPanel server has disabled remote connections for the database. Ensure the cPanel server allows remote connections for the database service. Verify that the database credentials in the cPanel server configuration are correct.

Error: SSL certificate mismatch
The migration tool rejects the connection due to an invalid SSL certificate. Ensure that the cPanel server has a valid SSL certificate installed. Check that the hostname in the command matches the hostname in the SSL certificate.

Migration fails after 50% progress
The transfer stops midway, possibly due to network instability or a large file corruption. Retry the migration using the `--skip-failed` flag to skip failed files. Alternatively, manually copy the remaining files using `scp` or `rsync` if the automated tool fails repeatedly.

pska-migration-tool --target-domain example.com --target-user admin --target-password YOUR_PLESK_PASSWORD --source-domain example.com --source-user root --source-password YOUR_ROOT_PASSWORD --skip-failed

If the issue persists, consult the Plesk migration tool logs located at `/var/log/pska-migration-tool/` for detailed error messages. Analyze the logs to identify the specific file or database causing the failure. Resolve the underlying issue and run the migration command again.