When you first sign up with a hosting provider, you may think that it is a permanent arrangement. After all, you spent a lot of time researching different hosting providers and evaluated their offerings. You have the perfect host for your situation.
This is not always true. Sometimes you come to find out that your web host just cannot live up to their promises. Alternatively, your website might have become so popular that your current web host just cannot handle the sheer volume or scalability that you now need.
Lets face it; there are many reasons to switch web hosts, both pleasant and unpleasant. If done right, it can be accomplished with relative ease.
First, you need to take the time to shop around for a new hosting provider. It may help to make a list of the features you need for your website, as well as any that you feel you might need in the near future. When evaluating new hosting providers, compare the available features of each one with the list that you have created. You will undoubtedly find at least a few that offer packages that will fit your needs. Be sure to investigate their options for scalability and support as well.
After you have made your selection, contact the host to make arrangements. During the signup process some companies want to transfer the domain to their servers immediately. Make arrangements to transfer the domain at a later date. You may have to contact the web host directly to accomplish this, since most automated sign-ups do not accommodate such a request.
Now that you have a new web hosting account, make a fresh backup of all your content on your original website. Backups are something that should be done on a frequent basis, but that is a topic for another time. Make sure that you have backed up all of the information needed to run your site. This includes HTML, scripts, images, database files, downloads, etc.
Once you have backed up all of your data, it is time to upload it all to your new website. Since you have not transferred your domain name yet, you will either have to use an IP Address to access your website, or some kind of sub-domain (i.e., http://www.webhosting.com/yournewwebsite). Using an FTP program or another method, upload all of the required files to your new web account. It may be necessary to have your new provider make security modifications to files or folders in your account, depending on the provider and your website requirements.
It’s now time to test. Test your website very thoroughly on your new server. Try every option and click every link. I know this seems like a lot of work, but it is necessary. The last thing you want to do is switch over to your new web host and have problems right away. Testing everything will ensure that the transition will go more smoothly for you and your website visitors.
After fixing any problems you encountered while testing your site you will want to transfer over any content from your original web host that may have change while you were setting up and testing your new service. It is important to make sure the two sites are completely in sync, since you are now about to enter the transition period of your domain transfer.
I refer to it as a transition period, since it is the easiest way to describe it. When everything is tested and ready, you will need to notify your new hosting provider that you are ready for them to transfer the domain name to your new account. Your hosting provider will make it so your domain name now points to their name servers. The problem with this is that it is not an immediate process. Once the changes have been made, it can take as long as 10 days for the changes to propagate completely throughout the Internet.
Since it can take so long for the changes to completely propagate, or spread throughout the Internet, you may not only need to keep both web accounts functional but completely synchronized as well. There is no telling when a visitor types in the URL for your website, which one that they are going to hit. So, for at least one week after the transfer of the domain name, you will be in the transition period between the two providers.
This transition period is not only for your website. It can also affect your other services such as email. You may need to check email for your website on both services for the duration of the transition period. As a matter of fact, any service of your website that can be located using the domain name is affected by propagation, so be sure to take those cases into consideration.
After your transition period, your new provider will now be handling all of your site traffic. It is now appropriate to discontinue your old web service. One final backup is recommended, just in case there is something that slipped through the cracks and did not get transferred to the new web provider.
In the case you find yourself in need of a new hosting provider, following the above guidelines will help you complete the transfer with a minimal margin for error.
| DISCLAIMER: The content provided in this article is not warranted or guaranteed by Developer Shed, Inc. The content provided is intended for entertainment and/or educational purposes in order to introduce to the reader key ideas, concepts, and/or product reviews. As such it is incumbent upon the reader to employ real-world tactics for security and implementation of best practices. We are not liable for any negative consequences that may result from implementing any information covered in our articles or tutorials. If this is a hardware review, it is not recommended to open and/or modify your hardware. |
More Web Hosting How-Tos Articles
More By Rich Smith
 developerWorks - FREE Tools!
|
Rational Modeling Extension for Microsoft .NET enhances usability for code generation supporting a more intelligent refactoring. The latest enhancements enable organizations with Java and .NET systems and software development maintain architectural integrity across heterogeneous platforms.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
As organizations integrate software into every aspect of business, they are constantly pressured to deliver faster, better, and cheaper results. Unfortunately, a “dis-integrated” software delivery approach reduces returns while increasing costs. This IBM Rational White Paper shows how Integrated Requirements Management aligns organizations around maximizing value and keeping pace with change.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
As businesses grow increasingly dependent upon Web applications, these complex entities grow more difficult to secure. Most companies equip their Web sites with firewalls, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), and network and host security, but the majority of attacks are on applications themselves – and these technologies cannot prevent them. This paper explains what you can do to help protect your organization, and it discusses an approach for improving your organization’s Web application security.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Get a free trial download of the latest version of IBM Rational Functional Tester V7.0.1. Rational Functional Tester is an automated functional and regression testing solution for QA teams concerned with the quality of their Java, Microsoft Visual Studio .NET, and Web-based applications.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Ken Krugler, co-founder of code search company Krugle, and Laura Merling, vice president of Marketing and Business Development for Krugle, join to talk about the ins and outs of code search and what it means as a new feature for developerWorks users.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Explore how Rational and WebSphere software enable enterprise documentation in SOA environments. Specifically, a new integration between IBM WebSphere® Business Modeler and IBM Rational® Method Composer software can help technical writers more easily keep enterprise operations manuals in sync with changes that are made to business processes, resulting in more accurate and timely documentation that benefits the entire enterprise.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Visit IBM developerWorks to download the latest trial version of IBM Data Studio V1.1 at no cost. IBM Data Studio is a comprehensive data management solution that helps you effectively design, develop, deploy and manage your data, databases, and database applications throughout the data management life cycle utilizing a consistent and integrated user interface. Unlike other client-side data management solutions that focus on only one aspect of the application lifecycle or database administration, Data Studio complements the Rational Software Delivery platform, providing unparalleled flexibility for a heterogeneous data server environment across platforms.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Get a free trial download of the latest version of IBM Rational Tester for SOA Quality V7.0.1, a functional and regression testing tool that enables the creation, comprehension, modification and execution of testing GUI-less Web services.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Because access to government information continues to be an area of concern for many U.S. citizens with disabilities, the U.S. government enacted Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act in 2001 to ensure that government agencies create accessible Web content, enabling all citizens to access the information they need. A fully accessible Web site makes Web content accessible to all individuals, including those with disabilities, who may be accessing Web content via a variety of user agents. Common user agents include standard Web browsers, text-only browsers, assistive devices and mobile devices such as cell phones or personal digital assistants (PDAs).
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Download a free trial version of IBM Rational Developer for System z, software that can help you deliver core development capabilities; the power of Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE); and rapid application development support to diverse enterprise application development teams. With comprehensive development tools to help create, deploy and maintain traditional enterprise and composite applications, Rational Developer for System z enables developers with different technical backgrounds to easily participate in important technology projects.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
All FREE IBM® developerWorks Tools!
|
