Change Web Hosts
At some point, virtually everyone finds it important to change web hosts. It could be simply a migration to another server, or it could be changing web hosting corporations wholly. Either way, the method is fraught with potential perils. But there are ways to minimize the percentages of issues and maximise your changes of a smooth migration.
Plan, plan, plan.
Make a very detailed list of everything that’s on your current system. Review what is static and what changes frequently. Note any tailoring done to software and files. Be prepared to remake them if the systems aren’t transferred properly or cannot be restored. Keep careful track of all old and new names, IP addresses and other information wanted to make the migration.
Backup and Test
Web hosting firms typically offer that as a service, but the staff and/or software are often less than par. Often backups appear to go well, but they’re barely tested by restoring to a spare server. When the time comes that they’re required, they occasionally don’t work.
Do a dry run, if you can. If you’ve got the host name and or IP address buried in files, make sure it gets changed.
This is frequently true of databases. Moving a single database, or multiple ones, to a new server is easy using in-built resources or commercial backup/restore software.
Accept Some down time
Be prepared for some down-time. Very few systems can get picked up, moved to another place, then brought online with zero down time. Doing so is possible[**] actually it’s common. But in such scenarios high-powered professionals use up-to-the-minute tools to make the transition seamless. Most staff at web hosting firms do not have the abilities or the resources to pull it off.
make preparations for Name Changes
One aspect of moving to a new host can bedevil the most skilled pros : changing domain names and or domain name/IP address combos.
And there are a lot of them.
There could be just two ( infrequently ) or there may be a dozen or more DNS servers between your visitors’ browsers/computers and your website host. Every system along the chain has to maintain a tally of who is who. When a name/IP address changes, that pair must be communicated to everyone along the chain, and that needs time.
in the meantime, it’s possible for one visitor to find you at the new place, while another will be pointing to the old one. Some amount of down-time will usually happen while everything gets back in sync.
The small Gotchas
But even aside from name and IP address changes, there are 100 tiny things that will, and regularly do, go inaccurate. That is not a disaster.
Gather Tools and Support
Having an FTP program that you are familiar with will help help the change.
They could be more ready to address your problem before the dozen others they have to handle at any given moment.
Ok. On your mark. Stand by. Go.
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