migration from WordPress hosted account to Lightsail of large multisite environment

Question

I have many single and multisite environments currently hosted with a dedicated WordPress host and need to explore options via Lightsail.  
I have successfully set up single and multisite environments; but, need to explore manually migrating a large multisite which contains over 200 subsites and a variety of custom post types. The core WordPress export function isn't practical in this case.

I have had success migrating the entire multisite environment into a local development environment using the "Local" application and am attempting to duplicate the same actions within Lightsail.  The zip archive of the live sites is approx 3Gb.  I have ssh access working fine as well as successfully accessing the sql database running in Lightsail.
I transferred the important and relevant bits of the wp-content  from the source site to the Lightsail instance and began with the seemingly straightforward task of just copying a single theme from the source backup into the themes folder on LightSail and the new theme fails to show up...  Permissions issue perhaps? I see the folder where it belongs via ssh; yet, the theme fails to be visible via the multisite dashboard.

Ultimately I want to update the contents of the wp-content folder from the backup, and import the mysql.sql file from the source backup in order to migrate the full environment. Is this impossible in Lightsail as I have done elsewhere?

re:Post Agent · Accepted Answer

Migrating a large WordPress multisite environment to AWS Lightsail is possible, but it requires careful planning and execution. The approach you're taking of manually transferring files and database content is generally correct, but there are a few things to consider:

1. File Permissions: The issue with the theme not showing up in the multisite dashboard could indeed be related to file permissions. Make sure the transferred files have the correct ownership and permissions. Typically, WordPress files should be owned by the web server user (often www-data) and have permissions set to 644 for files and 755 for directories.

2. Database Import: For a large multisite with over 200 subsites, you'll need to ensure your Lightsail instance has sufficient resources to handle the database import. You may need to increase PHP memory limits and MySQL configuration parameters temporarily to accommodate the large import.

3. wp-config.php: Ensure your wp-config.php file is properly configured for the new environment, including database credentials and any multisite-specific settings.

4. File Transfer: For transferring large amounts of data (3GB in your case), consider using a file transfer tool like SCP or SFTP for efficiency and reliability.

5. DNS and URL Updates: After migration, you'll need to update DNS records and potentially adjust URLs in the database to reflect the new Lightsail environment.

6. Plugins and Themes: Ensure all necessary plugins and themes are present and activated in the new environment.

7. Testing: Thoroughly test the migrated site, including all subsites and custom post types, before pointing live traffic to the new Lightsail instance.

To resolve the specific issue with the theme not appearing, try the following:

1. Check file permissions and ownership.
2. Verify the theme is in the correct directory (wp-content/themes/).
3. Ensure the theme is network-activated if it's a network-wide theme.
4. Clear any caches, including WordPress object cache and browser cache.

If these steps don't resolve the issue, you may need to investigate further by enabling WordPress debug mode and checking server logs for any errors.

Migrating a large multisite to Lightsail is challenging but achievable. Take your time, document each step, and don't hesitate to reach out to AWS support if you encounter persistent issues.  
**Sources**  
[how import website to aws lightsail using updraftplus ? | AWS re:Post](https://repost.aws/questions/QU8gbuHJW2RrORbk2R49ipPg/how-import-website-to-aws-lightsail-using-updraftplus)  
[Migrate your WordPress blog to Lightsail - Amazon Lightsail](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/migrate-your-wordpress-blog-to-amazon-lightsail.html)  
[Community | Migrating to WordPress on AWS Lightsail for Easier Maintenance](https://community.aws/posts/migrating-to-wordpress-on-aws-lightsail-for-easier-maintenance)

migration from WordPress hosted account to Lightsail of large multisite environment

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