Switching to a new host can be a complicated process. Follow our steps to ensure that your move is smooth and painless.
- The first step is to join your new host. Make sure to NOT cancel with your old hosting provider, and do not tell them you will be canceling. Keep this a secret from your old host, or they could prematurely terminate your site and cause downtime.
- At this point, you should have hosting accounts with two hosting providers (the old and the new one). You will now migrate your entire site from the old host to the new one. This can be done by connecting to the old host's FTP and downloading all your files, and then by connecting to the new host's FTP and uploading all your files (maintain the same file and folder structure). If you choose to make GoMedia your new host, we may transfer your entire site over free of charge!
- After you have all your files on both hosting accounts, it is time to change your domain name's DNS. Your new host will provide you with the correct name servers (DNS). You may need to contact the new host to find out what DNS settings you will use for your domain name.
DNS name servers usually looks like this (replace "yourhostname.com" with your host's actual domain name):
ns1.yourhostname.com
ns2.yourhostname.com
Once you have the correct DNS, go to the company where you purchased your domain name to make the change. If you purchased your domain name from your host, you usually need to ask them to make the DNS changes for you. You can tell them something similar to, "Hello. My domain with you is _____.___ ; please, change my domain name's name servers to ns1._______.____ and ns2._______.____ ."
If you bought your domain name from GoMedia, we are more than happy to help you or even make the DNS changes for you. - Once your DNS changes have been made, you will need to wait 48 hours (two days) before your site will load from the new host. During this 48 hour period, your DNS is propagating world wide and your site will be randomly loading from either the old host or the new host. Once the two days is complete, your site will only be loading from the new host.
- After the 48 hours have passed, your updated DNS will be fully functional. You will now contact your old host and cancel your hosting account with them. If you originally bought your domain name from the old host, do not cancel your domain registration.
If you completed all the above steps, you have successfully switched hosts with no downtime at all!
What about my Database?
If you are concerned about your databases staying up-to-date, all you need to do is disable your databases so that they cannot update while we complete the transfer. We require up to 72 hours for all transfer requests. The time will depend on how large is your transfer. (If you need the content transferred faster, you may transfer the files yourself.)
Tips
After the transfer, you can create an A record to redirect all visitors to the new server; this is much faster than waiting for the propagation of new name servers.
You can also configure your site to connect to your new database, remotely; this way whether your visitors are directed to the new site or the old site, all the new updates will be saved to the new database. Now the new database will have all of your current information and can continue to update.
Also, after the site transfer, you can create a MX record so your emails will all be delivered to the new server and not need to wait as long for propagation.