How to Switch from One Web Host to Another: A Simple Guide

No entrepreneur wants to stay connected to a web hosting provider riddled with incompetent offerings. If your business is experiencing frequent downtimes and poor support services, it’s the right time to move to a proficient benefactor now, rather than praying to God that things may fall into same shoes as intended. Believe me, it may throw you out of the business realm anytime.

Also, many clients believe that the migration task is overwhelmingly complex undertaking, which holds them to stay allied to a bogus hosting provider. For those, here is the step by step guide that will help in making a swift and secure move to a new web host for an enduring tomorrow.

Select a New Web Host

Today, the market is flooded with umpteen web hosting service providers. However, determining which provider has filled its arsenal with right capabilities to meet your unique business needs is not that simple. Also, you can’t pretend blind and hang on to any vendor, if you really don’t wish to face the aftermaths. The best way is to compare the services (dedicated server, VPS hosting, or shared hosting) of any of the top five reliable brands with respect to pricing, configurations, security, and resiliency. Moreover, it is recommended that you should always register your own domain name when making a final verdict; it will help you switch to the other provider with your domain, without any hassle.

Take Backup of Your Website

Backups are indispensable for uninterrupted business continuity. Backups can be really helpful especially in situations where you might have deleted some of your important files; equipment have got fail, or if virus have attacked your website. Transferring a website’s files to a new web hosting account is easy through FTP.

Static files can be backed up by simply copying old file structures to the new web hosting account. The most convenient way to transfer your website’s files to your new web hosting account is through FTP. For websites that are dynamic in nature, and the ones that run on databases like MySQL, it is important to configure the web apps to a new hosting account, as they are presently stored in the existing one.Further, move the database file to the selected partner. In order to commence swift migration, it is important to ensure that both the new and old web hosting vendors employ the same web based administration technology.

Note: It would be easy for web applications that have provision for transferring all your data files to the selected hosting vendor. However, with applications that lack such functionality you are required to modify the database configurations accordingly.

Hold Down….

Once you have uploaded all your files and databases into the new hosting account, it is important to ensure that everything is working fine. To ensure the same, you can take a quick look at the newly launched website with the help of a temporary URL in IP addresses. A host of companies offer a platform that enables clients to preview their website before making it live. This, in turn, cuts off the occurrence of errors.

Switch to New Domain Name Servers

Once you are done with the backup process, intimate the domain registrar to use your new DNS record. You can simply log on to the domain registration control panel provided by the registrar , select the Domain Name Server in the sidebar and change the DNS records, it would ensure that your visitors can access your website without experiencing any blackout or error message.

Note: It is critically important to collect the right DNS details from the new web host and replace the old name servers with the new one.

Intimate the Former Hosting Provider

Changes made to the name servers take around 6 hours to one day to reflect. During this transition time, both the new and the old website will stay functional. Once the process is complete, inform your former hosting provider to cancel the subscribed web hosting plan.

Note: It is recommended not to post the content when the transition process is underway as you might lose your critical data after the activation of new host files. However, downtime will not be an issue, but still you should not make any particular changes in the design, content, or files until and unless the process gets completed.

About Taiba Fatima (151 Posts)

Taiba Fatima is a Delhi, India based content writer with a knack for technical writing. Her alacrity to explore new horizons and learn technological advancements add piquancy to her writing profession. Apart from technology, she is a passionate blogger and loves to write about other verticals including: BPO sector, Travel, Art & Culture.