Migrating a Docker Compose Stack to AnubizHost
Docker Compose is the simplest container orchestrator and migrates trivially when the source is any standard Linux host. This guide covers moving a Compose stack to an AnubizHost offshore VPS with full data parity including persistent volumes, image registry references, and reverse-proxy SSL.
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Inventory the Source Compose Stack
From the source host, list running stacks: docker compose ls. For each, copy the compose.yml, .env, and any override files. Note the image registry (Docker Hub, GHCR, private registry) and image tags - you'll re-pull these on the target.
Identify named volumes: docker volume ls. Each named volume is backed by a directory under /var/lib/docker/volumes/VOLUME/_data.
Provision AnubizHost VPS
Order offshore VPS with disk for all volume data plus 30% headroom and enough RAM to run all containers. Install Docker: curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh. Install compose plugin: apt install docker-compose-plugin.
Transfer Volume Data
Stop the stack on source: docker compose down (or for zero-downtime, leave it running and rsync, then do a brief stop+sync+start at cutover). Rsync each volume:
rsync -avHAX \
/var/lib/docker/volumes/MYAPP_db_data/_data/ \
root@NEW_IP:/var/lib/docker/volumes/MYAPP_db_data/_data/Create the same named volumes on target before rsync, or let compose create them on first up - then rsync data over.
Bring Up Stack on Target and Cut Over
Copy compose.yml and .env to target. Pull images: docker compose pull. Start the stack: docker compose up -d. Verify containers are healthy: docker compose ps, docker compose logs.
Update DNS A records to the AnubizHost IP. Re-issue Let's Encrypt for the reverse proxy (Traefik, nginx, Caddy) certificates. Keep source running 7 days as rollback.
Operational Notes
Set up a backup pipeline: rsync of /var/lib/docker/volumes to AnubizHost offshore storage nightly. For database containers, prefer logical backups (pg_dump inside the container) for cleaner restores. Use docker compose logs --tail and Prometheus + cAdvisor for monitoring. Related reading: offshore VPS, Kubernetes migration, Droplet migration.
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