Can I upgrade or downgrade my server without losing data?
Resource changes depend on the platform and the selected service. Increasing CPU or memory may use a different process from replacing a dedicated server or changing storage. A downgrade can require migration when the target cannot safely contain the existing data or configuration.
Before you start
- The current specification, actual resource usage and the proposed target configuration.
Instructions
1. Confirm the supported operation
Ask whether the change is in place or requires a replacement, which resources can change, whether IPs remain the same and what downtime is expected. Confirm the new price, effective billing date and licence implications. Do not assume an operating-system disk can be shrunk because a smaller plan exists.
2. Check workload and recovery readiness
Measure CPU, memory, storage use and growth against the target. Review application support, filesystem constraints and the existing tested recovery arrangement. For a replacement, plan data transfer, database consistency and traffic cutover as a migration rather than a simple billing change.
3. Agree an acceptance window
Coordinate the approved operation and record who can stop or reverse it if the method supports reversal. After completion, compare the reported resources, network access, disk layout and application performance with the target. Keep the service reference and observed results in the same support conversation.
Check the result
- The resulting resources and billing match the confirmed change.
- Application checks pass under representative demand after the operation.
Troubleshooting
- A larger disk appears but usable filesystem space is unchanged
- Identify the actual partition, volume and filesystem before planning expansion. A provider-side volume increase does not always grow every operating-system layer automatically.
Official references
Use the documentation for your installed version when a flag, service name or platform feature differs.