From time to time, we may need to change hosting provider. This can be a strenuous process and even worse if you don’t plan it. Today, we are going to look at some of the aspects of hosting and migration to a new server.
What is website migration?
A website migration is when you need to move your website to a new server or upload from your local installation to your hosting provider with the intent of making it live.
Sometimes,we may just need to change the nameservers and keep the domain where it was originally registered. So what is nameservers? Nameserver is a server that is responsible for dealing with queries regarding a domain name and all of it’s services. Nameservers are fundamental part of the DNS.
Where would i find it?
When you register a domain name your registrar automatically assigns default nameservers. Some registrars offer free holding page / email address forwarding etc. This is not meant to be standard hosting. If you are looking for find where to edit your nameservers, well, you are most likely to find it in your control panel / my account page.
Login to your control panel or my account that you have with your current company who registered your domain. You will find it in domain management option / DNS settings or nameservers.
What will happen when I change my nameservers?
Once you change your nameservers, every service attached to it will be affected. If you currently have hosting and a live website, please make sure to take a backup or consult your new hosting / web design company before you make this change as your website will be offline. Your email services will also be affected and you may loose all your emails.
Wait! It doesn’t have to be that strenuous!
Don’t worry. Most nameserver changes or change of hosting provider is hassle free if you plan it. The nameserver changes can take up to 24 hours. Below are some of the steps you should follow for a stress free migration of your website.
So let’s get back to website migration. How to do it safely? In the following few steps, we will discuss this with you.
- Backup, backup and backup!
There is no alternative to taking website backup on a regular basis. Before you make any change, please take a full backup of your website using ftp and if you have a more advance website, make sure to take a backup of your database using PhpMyAdmin. If you are using a CMS system like Wordpress, there are other options using plugins. - Do you use Outlook for your emails?
If you use an email client like Microsoft Outlook then most likely all your emails are already downloaded to your email client and you will still have them. You will just need to change the settings to start receiving emails. If not, download it now and sync it to download all your emails to your computer. - Start the process during night time.
Do it at a time when most people are likely to be sleeping, meaning you are expected to have the lowest number of visitors. For instance, if you make the required changes / start the process during night time, hopefully the changes will be done be ready to attach hosting by next morning. - Upload files to new server
Once the hosting is ready, you may upload the files using FTP to your new server. Remember, most servers usually have a public html folder. You should upload all your files inside there. If this is not the case, consult your new host. - Issues or errors
One of the common error is the website still showing the default landing page specified by the host. Please ensure, you upload it to the correct folder and you have named your homepage as index.html or index.php. This is what server looks for. If you have capital letters, make it small. Also, you may wish to clear your browser cache or try a new browser. You can also hold the shift key and press refresh to reload everything.
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