UPGRADE QUESTIONS: Apache2 Modules for Wordpress Proper functioning
 

Good Afternoon:

I am going to try again with an upgrade from DEB8.3 to DEB 11. What I need to know is: Is there a way to ensure that all Apache2 mods that are installed on my DEB8.3 Server can be determined, and after that, make sure that they are installed and available with my new install?

I ask because there are mods that you need for PHP 7.3/4, to function correctly and if these are installed and enabled correctly, the mods will make things work better from the getgo, and I dont THINK I will have errors come up if I KNOW that we have the mods needed.

Here are the mods that the system says I have in there now:

Loaded Modules:
core_module (static)
so_module (static)
watchdog_module (static)
http_module (static)
log_config_module (static)
logio_module (static)
version_module (static)
unixd_module (static)
access_compat_module (shared)
alias_module (shared)
auth_basic_module (shared)
authn_core_module (shared)
authn_file_module (shared)
authz_core_module (shared)
authz_host_module (shared)
authz_user_module (shared)
autoindex_module (shared)
deflate_module (shared)
dir_module (shared)
dnssd_module (shared)
env_module (shared)
filter_module (shared)
mime_module (shared)
mpm_prefork_module (shared)
negotiation_module (shared)
php5_module (shared)
reqtimeout_module (shared)
rewrite_module (shared)
setenvif_module (shared)
socache_shmcb_module (shared)
ssl_module (shared)
status_module (shared)

I know that some modules will have to be changed, because of the version of PHP running, so for example, the PHP 7.3/4 Modules (Instead of PHP 5 for example. How do I make sure that I have all the right mods for proper website operation?






Second: The Wordpress installs on all 4 domains have plugins installed. My question is: Should I go into the sites admin panels, and DISABLE all plugins BEFORE doing the upgrade, or should I just do the upgrade without doing this? My fear is that if I don't disable beforehand, my site won't even allow me to troubleshoot the problem, but I do have a list of the plugins I have running on my sites, the trick will be to make sure that they are updatable to the newest stable version.

Can anyone give me some advice here?

Thanks,

Brian

It is not possible to upgrade more than one major version of an OS at a time - i.e. you'd need to do 8->9 then 9->10 then 10->11.

It may well be safer and faster to not upgrade, but instead to export the relevant data and config from the Debian 8.3 server, then replicate config and import data on a fresh Debian 11 server, which you can configure (whilst offline) to work the same way as the existing one, without needing to modify the existing server (and retaining it as a reference).

Whichever approach you take, you'll need to read the relevant PHP migration notes for every PHP version between what you're currently running and what you plan to run, so you know how to deal with the backwards incompatible changes.

I don't entirely understand what you're asking regarding Apache modules, but most of those look like default/standard modules, so again you'll want to refer to relevant Apache Httpd upgrade notes for any necessary changes.