Transfer Mail Files

Submitted by izoox on Sat, 10/03/2009 - 16:21

I am moving a bunch of sites to a new server and was wondering if there is a good way to sync the mail between the servers until the DNS propagates.

Status: 
Closed (fixed)

Comments

Submitted by JamieCameron on Sat, 10/03/2009 - 16:49

Sorry, no .. in this kind of situation I usually avoid the problem by doing the following :

1) Shut down the mail server on the old machine, so that no more mail will arrive.

2) Backup sites on the old machine, transfer them over and then restore.

3) Update DNS to point to the new machine.

4) Once DNS has propogated, turn the mail server back on if you like.

tpnsolutions's picture
Submitted by tpnsolutions on Sat, 10/03/2009 - 17:27

I wonder if it'd work if you did this:

  1. Setup new mail server.
  2. Setup a backup MX record pointing to the new server.
  3. Wait for records to update.
  4. Turn off mail on old server.
  5. Turn on mail on new server.
  6. Migrate old mail to new server.
  7. Swap the roles of back and primary MX, and eventually remove backup (which is now the old server)

I figure in theory this would provide the lowest downtime, and if my thoughts are correct, mail should automatically start routing to the new server when the primary (old server) is detected as not receiving mail.

Given the new server would actually be excepting mail for the domain, it should deliver the mail to the new server as if it were the primary mail server.

Just my two cents! Don't take my word for it, as I normally do what Jamie does, as this is pretty simple.

Not to mention, most sending servers are trained to resend email a few times before bouncing the message. This process is generally spread out over a number of days as sending servers are generally forgiving to a downed mail server.