Changing your Web Host can be an expensive, time consuming
and difficult practice; being the main reason why
many dissatisfied customers prefer to stay and put
up with an awful hosting service.
During most website migrations, through lack of knowledge
or experience, many website owners end up loosing
clients and damaging time-built company images, because
their sites are unavailable for days or weeks on end.
Another problem is loss of emails, some crucial, making
migrations very expensive and even dangerous.
Migration from one web host to another is not difficult;
it can be fast and safe when one knows what the experts
know. By following the steps below you will stand
a better chance of a smooth transfer.
The most important start to website migration is
finding another web host, one that will not give you
reason to migrate again, or soon. A whole book can
be written on how to choose a web host; or by searching
on ‘choosing a web host’ in a major search
engine, there will be many articles available.
The steps below will give you an idea on how to start
and how to avoid a lot of the pitfalls.
· First, make a list of all the features your
website uses or requires, and will require in the
future, be prepared.
· Make a list of web hosts who offer these
features; you can find hosts in web hosting directories,
message forums, or by searching on a major search
engine.
· Read the information on their websites carefully,
specially their terms and conditions.
· Avoid any long-term contracts and full-payments
in advance.
· Ask questions about all things you have
a doubt about.
· Email their support department at various
times (both day and night) and check the response
time.
· You will find customer reviews on hosts
in web hosting directories. (Unfortunately they may
not be the most accurate due to much web host guerilla
activity, but greater scrutiny will often help.)
· Talk to people in web hosting related message
forums; you may find useful information on hosting
companies by their existing or past, customers.
Sign-up an account with your new host. Upload all
of your files, databases and test your site using
the IP address given to you with your new account.
Make adjustments in the coding, necessary for the
change in the server environment. Then check each
and every page, link and image on your website.
On your new mail server, re-create all email accounts
currently in use; and set up auto-responders, forwarders
and aliases at the same time. If available, enable
the “catch-all” feature; this will help
you to retrieve all emails sent to a non-existing
email account; which you may have forgotten to create!
Remember though, the new email addresses will only
work after the transfer of domain is complete. Unfortunately,
there is no way to test them on new server before
the transfer.
The next step is transferring the domain; to do this
you need to start by changing the DNS server details,
which is pretty easy to do. Obtain the Primary and
Secondary nameserver details from your new web host.
Go to your domain registrar’s site (the site
from which you registered the domain name) and login
into your control panel, offered by most of the domain
registrars, to maintain your domain name. In the control
panel, look for the ‘DNS’, ‘Nameserver’
or ‘Delegation’ option and change the
previous nameserver details, with the new one (you
just obtained from your new host).
Some domain registrars confirm these changes by sending
an email to the address you nominated while registering
that domain. You will need to reply using that email
address. Most of the hosts offer a free domain transfer
service and will be happy to make the necessary transfer
changes for you. The domain transfer can take 24 to
72 hours to be confirmed by the domain registrar;
and, so too for the new host, if doing this service
for you. If it is not transferred within 72 hours,
it is advisable to contact the domain registrar and
look into the matter.
Once your domain is transferred you will start receiving
emails from your new mail server and see your website
from your new account. Leave your old web hosting
account open for 3 or 4 more days, just to ensure
you receive all emails, including those losing their
way in the domain transfer and directed back to your
old email account.
After a few days, ask your previous web host to cancel
your account. Make sure you follow all of your previous
host’s closing procedures, and leave cleanly.
You will find that the transfer should go smoothly
and all parties will be more helpful.
