How to set up a test site?

[mike2902]

I currently have my site hosted at Host A

I just signed up for Host B. I want to have vbulleting installed at Host B but not take Host A off line for three weeks. How can I get the site up and running on Host B but not have it live on the internet.

[SVTCobraLTD]

Install the vb on host B. Create a backup of Host A and install that on Host B? Should be similar to that

[swn]

Can you do this i.e. run 2 copys of vb with one license I know you cant run more than one copy of vb live without having two licenses but one would be live and for people to use and the other just for testing perposes?

[Outbackmark]

You can do that, the TOS states you may have a test forum but it must be behind a "grey box" login.
You would have to access the forum on server B by IP or server name as http access will still be pointing to forum A.
I have done exactly this when moving large boards from one server to another. It may be worth checking but some server managements offer a move service and do it all via SSL direct from server to server, this is by far the easiest way as with the original method suggested you would still have to upload the latest DB backup to get everything up to date. Not too hard with a small DB but if the compressed DB is over 30 megs I would suggest you get the server techs to do it.

[mike2902]

I am going to setup the second server at a subdomain address that comes with my server. This is the note I got from my host

Note that one free subdomain, in the form "s[9-digits].onlinehome.us", is
included as part of your package.

I would install vbulletin there. Then backup my site to that address to get the large upload done. Then right before I make the switch take my board offline. Back it up, then restore it to the server and switch the DNS. Does that seem ok. There would be a couple days when technically im running two boards off the same liscnese. But as you can see no one will fine the second site.