Migrate from Vultr to RamNode

Complete step-by-step guide to migrating your Vultr VPS instances to RamNode Cloud.

Introduction

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for migrating your virtual private servers from Vultr to RamNode Cloud. Whether you're consolidating infrastructure, seeking better pricing, or expanding to new datacenter locations, this guide covers everything you need for a successful migration.

Unlike some cloud providers, Vultr does not offer direct snapshot downloads. This guide presents two proven methods to extract your server images and upload them to RamNode's cloud platform.

Supported Image Formats

Format	Description	Notes
RAW	Uncompressed disk image	Largest file size, fastest to create
QCOW2	QEMU Copy-On-Write format	✓ Recommended - space efficient
VMDK	VMware virtual disk format	Convert from VMware exports
VDI	VirtualBox disk image	Convert from VirtualBox exports
VHD/VHDX	Microsoft Hyper-V format	Convert from Azure/Hyper-V

Recommendation: QCOW2 is recommended for most migrations due to its compression support. A 50GB disk with 10GB of actual data will result in a much smaller QCOW2 file compared to RAW format.

Prerequisites

Active RamNode Cloud account (sign up at cloudorder.ramnode.com)
SSH access to your Vultr VPS instances
qemu-img utility installed (for image conversion)
Sufficient storage space for disk images (local or cloud storage)
A web server or S3-compatible storage for hosting images during upload

1Recovery ISO with Block Storage (Recommended)

This method uses Vultr's Recovery ISO to boot outside the main OS and create a disk image on attached block storage. This is the recommended approach for complete system migrations.

Step 1: Create a Snapshot

In the Vultr control panel, navigate to your VPS and create a snapshot. Shut down the instance first for data consistency.

Step 2: Deploy New Instance from Snapshot

Create a new VPS from the snapshot to preserve your production environment during the migration process.

Step 3: Attach Block Storage

Create a block storage volume slightly larger than your VPS disk size and attach it to the new instance.

Step 4: Boot to Recovery ISO

Go to Settings → Recovery and select "Boot from Recovery ISO". Power cycle the VPS.

Step 5: Access VNC Console

Open the VNC console and select option 6 to start an interactive shell.

Step 6: Identify Disks

Run the following command to identify your disk devices:

fdisk -l

Typically, your main VPS disk will be /dev/vda and the block storage will be /dev/vdb.

Step 7: Format and Mount Block Storage

mkfs.ext4 /dev/vdb
mkdir /mnt/storage
mount /dev/vdb /mnt/storage

Step 8: Create QCOW2 Image

Extract the disk to QCOW2 format (recommended):

qemu-img convert -f raw -O qcow2 -c /dev/vda /mnt/storage/server-image.qcow2

Step 9: Set Up Web Server

Install a web server to serve the image file:

apt-get update && apt-get install -y nginx
ln -s /mnt/storage/server-image.qcow2 /var/www/html/
nginx

Step 10: Note the URL

Your image will be available at http://[VPS-IP]/server-image.qcow2 for import into RamNode.

Security Notice

The temporary web server exposes your disk image publicly. Use this URL immediately for upload and destroy the temporary VPS afterward. For added security, use basic authentication or IP whitelisting.

2Live System with rsync

For simpler setups or application-level migrations, you can use rsync to transfer files directly to a new RamNode instance.

Step 1: Deploy RamNode Instance

Create a new VPS on RamNode with the same operating system as your Vultr server.

Step 2: Set Up SSH Keys

Copy your SSH public key from the Vultr server to the RamNode server's authorized_keys.

Step 3: Sync Files

Execute rsync from your Vultr server:

rsync -avzP --exclude='/dev/*' --exclude='/proc/*' --exclude='/sys/*' \
  --exclude='/tmp/*' --exclude='/run/*' --exclude='/mnt/*' \
  --exclude='/media/*' --exclude='/lost+found' \
  / root@[RAMNODE-IP]:/

Step 4: Update Configurations

Modify network configuration, hostname, and any IP-specific settings on the RamNode instance.

Step 5: Reinstall Bootloader

Update GRUB to ensure the system boots correctly.

When to Use This Method

rsync migration is ideal for stateless applications, web servers, or when you need to change operating systems during migration. Method 1 is preferred for exact system clones with complex configurations.

Uploading Images to RamNode Cloud

Via Cloud Control Panel

Log into the Cloud Control Panel at cloud.ramnode.com
Navigate to Compute → Images
Click Create Image
Select File as the source (or URL if hosting the image)
Choose your image file or enter the URL
Configure image details:
- Name: Descriptive name (e.g., "vultr-webserver-ubuntu22")
- Format: Select QCOW2 or RAW based on your export
- Minimum disk size: Match or exceed your original Vultr VPS disk size
- Minimum RAM: Specify the minimum RAM required
Click Create Image and wait for the upload to complete

Large Image Uploads (Over 2GB)

For images larger than 2GB, use the OpenStack CLI for reliable uploads:

# Download your authentication file from the Cloud Control Panel
# Navigate to: API Access → Download OpenStack RC File

# Install the OpenStack CLI
pip install python-openstackclient

# Source your authentication file
source your-openrc.sh

# Upload the image
openstack image create \
  --disk-format qcow2 \
  --container-format bare \
  --file server-image.qcow2 \
  "vultr-migration-image"

For more details on using the OpenStack CLI, see our Region Migration Guide.

Deploying Your Migrated Instance

After the image upload completes:

Navigate to Compute → Instances → Create Instance
Select your custom image from the Images tab
Choose a plan with equal or greater specifications than your original Vultr VPS
Select your preferred datacenter location
Configure networking, SSH keys, and other options
Click Create Instance

Post-Migration Tasks

Verify System Boot

Access the VNC console to verify your system boots correctly. Check for any boot errors or driver issues.

Network Configuration

If your image has cloud-init installed, network configuration should be automatic. Otherwise, you may need to:

Update /etc/network/interfaces or Netplan configuration
Configure DHCP on network interfaces
Update DNS resolver settings in /etc/resolv.conf

Reinstall Cloud-Init (If Needed)

If cloud-init was previously configured for Vultr, reinstall it to properly integrate with RamNode's metadata service:

Ubuntu/Debian:

apt purge cloud-init
rm -rf /etc/cloud /var/lib/cloud
apt install cloud-init

CentOS/Rocky/Alma:

yum remove cloud-init
rm -rf /etc/cloud /var/lib/cloud
yum install cloud-init

Update DNS Records

Update your DNS records to point to the new RamNode IP address. Consider lowering TTL values before migration to minimize downtime.

Verify Services

Test all critical services to ensure they function correctly:

Web servers (Apache, Nginx)
Database services (MySQL, PostgreSQL)
Mail services (if applicable)
SSL/TLS certificates
Application-specific services

Troubleshooting

Instance Won't Boot

Verify virtio drivers are installed (check VNC console for boot errors)
Ensure the bootloader is properly configured
Check that the image isn't corrupted (verify checksum if available)
Verify disk size meets minimum requirements

Network Not Working

Install virtio network drivers if missing
Configure DHCP on the primary network interface
Check that cloud-init networking is enabled
Remove any hardcoded IP configurations from Vultr

Disk/Filesystem Issues

Use resize2fs to expand filesystem if disk was enlarged
Run fsck if filesystem errors are reported
Verify fstab entries don't reference Vultr-specific UUIDs or paths

Best Practices

Practice	Recommendation
Minimize Image Size	Remove unnecessary packages, clear logs, and delete temp files before imaging
Use QCOW2	More space-efficient than RAW, faster uploads and storage
Enable Virtio	Significant performance improvement for disk and network I/O
Include Cloud-Init	Enables automatic configuration, SSH key injection, and cloud features
Test Thoroughly	Launch test instances before production migration; keep Vultr running until verified
Document Requirements	Note minimum disk and RAM requirements for future deployments

Need Professional Assistance?

RamNode offers professional services for complex migrations. Our team can handle the entire migration process for you, ensuring minimal downtime and a seamless transition to your new cloud infrastructure. Contact support through the Client Area.