Advice needed. Database-6.1 to 6.6

I am about to start the journey of upgrading 6.1.4 to d7.

I want to create a demo site first to practice on. Should I create a subdomain and use the same database as the main site or should I clone the database and and site and do the test on a completely different url.

The issue is I am adding content and usually one or two new members a day, if the test takes a couple weeks but is a success I would prefer to not have to do the whole thing over from scratch.

Any advice would be appreciated

Place the Dolphin 7 web site in a sub-directory of your current installation, and install it separately (as in, no database sharing). Once done, upgrade your current web site to Dolphin 6.1.6 and follow the document here for upgrading: http://www.boonex.com/trac/dolphin/wiki/6.1.6to7.0

Dolphin 6.1 cannot be directly upgraded to Dolphin 7, due to the sheer amount of changes in files, directories and especially the database. Because of this, BoonEx has created a module in Dolphin 7 which allows you to connect to your Dolphin 6.1 web site and copy its content over. It's called the migration module, and relies on cron jobs to transfer and process the data.

OK so for the 6.1.4 to 6.1.6 Can I do the test upgrade on shared database....I have quite of few mods that will need to be reinstalled after the 6.1.4 to 6.1.6. part of this process.

Yes, but I encourage you to create a copy of your web site and database and use this copy to test all upgrades, especially if you have modifications on your web site.

So the plan is

• Create a back up of files and Database
• Create a subdomain Test.xxx.com
• Create A subdomain D7.xxx.com
• Install D7
• Upgraded 6.1.1 to 6.1.6 on test.xxx.com
• Reinstall Mods
  
• uprade test.xxx.com
  
• to D7.xxx.com (if a success)
• back up original site and DB and replace with D7 install

Thanks!

Basically, that is correct. Just remember to keep a backup of your original web site in the event something goes awry. Also, I cannot recall exactly, but I do remember that you must update to the latest release by applying every patch before it. That may not be the case, though.