Don’t Wait Till the Deadline: Complete Guide: Migrating Your Hostinger OpenVZ VPS to KVM Before 2026

Hostinger is ending OpenVZ VPS by 2026. Here’s a quick, clear guide on how to move your OpenVZ VPS to KVM safely and keep your sites running. Our Live Support Team is always here to help you.

Don’t Wait Till the Deadline: Complete Guide: Migrating Your Hostinger OpenVZ VPS to KVM Before 2026

Hostinger recently confirmed that all OpenVZ-based VPS servers will be phased out by January 1, 2026, pushing every user to shift to KVM before the end of 2025. The idea is to bring better performance, stronger security, and compatibility with newer virtualization systems.

If your business still runs on OpenVZ, it’s best not to wait until the last minute. Delaying could mean downtime, data loss, or configuration chaos. This is exactly where Bobcares can make a difference. Our VPS experts handle migrations from OpenVZ to KVM every day, ensuring a zero-downtime, fully secure process, from backup to verification. From this blog you’ll get a Complete Guide: Migrating Your Hostinger OpenVZ VPS to KVM Before 2026.

Why KVM Is a Smarter Choice

Most users don’t notice the difference between OpenVZ and KVM until they see how much smoother KVM runs. The technology matters more than you think.

KVM uses hardware-level virtualization, meaning your server acts like a completely independent machine. This allows full resource isolation, custom OS installations, and even support for Windows VMs, something OpenVZ can’t do. It’s also more stable and secure since each KVM instance runs its own kernel. True, setup and maintenance can cost a little more, but the performance and reliability gains are worth every bit.

A Quick Look at OpenVZ’s Strengths and Limits

Advantages of OpenVZ

• Lightweight and fast since it doesn’t require a separate OS per VM.
• Quick to deploy and provision.
• Cost-effective for shared hosting environments.

Drawbacks of OpenVZ

• Shared kernel limits OS choices (Linux only).
• Less isolation, a single kernel issue can affect all containers.
• Resource allocation can be tricky under heavy loads.

KVM’s Key Advantages

• Full hardware virtualization for better isolation and performance.
• Runs multiple OS types, Linux, Windows, and Unix-like systems.
• More reliable for high-traffic production workloads.

KVM’s Downsides

• Slightly higher overhead due to full virtualization.
• Setup requires technical skill and proper configuration.

Getting Ready for the Switch

Now, let’s get practical. Here’s how to move your Hostinger OpenVZ VPS to KVM before 2026 safely and efficiently.

1. Prepare the New KVM Server

Log in to the new KVM VPS using the credentials from your activation email.
Make sure it has the tools you need:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install rsync -y # For Debian/Ubuntu

sudo yum install rsync -y # For CentOS/Red Hat

Check disk space and confirm it matches your app’s needs.

2. Transfer Your Files

Use rsync to copy files from OpenVZ to KVM:

rsync -avz /path/to/data/ username@new-kvm-ip:/destination/path/

Replace:

• /path/to/data/ with the actual data directory (e.g., /var/www/)
• username with your KVM username
• new-kvm-ip with your KVM IP address
• /destination/path/ with your KVM destination folder
• If SSH uses a non-default port:

rsync -avz -e "ssh -p PORT_NUMBER" /path/to/data/ username@new-kvm-ip:/destination/path/

Alternatively, you can use scp:

scp -r /path/to/data username@new-kvm-ip:/destination/path/

3. Move the Databases

Export your database from OpenVZ:

mysqldump -u username -p database_name > database_name.sql

Transfer it:

scp database_name.sql username@new-kvm-ip:/destination/path/

Then import it on KVM:

mysql -u username -p database_name < /destination/path/database_name.sql

4. Reconfigure Services

Adjust your web server or app configuration to match the new environment. Update paths, IPs, or credentials if needed, then test everything to confirm it works as before.

5. Double-Check Everything

Compare both servers to confirm all files are in place:

diff -r /path/on/openvz/ /path/on/kvm/

Also, check that your web server, database, and any background services are running correctly.

6. Contact Hostinger

Once everything looks good, open a support ticket and ask Hostinger to reassign your old IP address to your new KVM VPS.

Before You Wrap Up

A few reminders:

• Transfer speed depends on the connection between the two servers.
• Fix file permissions after transfer:

sudo chown -R user:group /path/to/data

• Always create a full backup before starting the process.

Conclusion

Migrating your Hostinger OpenVZ VPS to KVM before 2026 isn’t just a requirement, it’s a chance to boost performance and stability. Do it early, test everything, and you’ll avoid the year-end rush. Or simply hand it over to experts like Bobcares and keep your business running without a hiccup.