Re-hosting the company website
Discussion
Without going into too much detail, we are going to move our company website and e-mail from our current host and are looking for a new host.
Our current host has set a deadline date of March 31st so we need to get everything moved over to a new host ASAP. How long does this process roughly take? I'm fairly sure it used to take a matter of days but I don't want to be caught short and end up without the website and e-mail system.
How difficult is it to move host?
Does anybody know of a decent company (possibly run by a PHer?) that would be able to host our website for us?
Thanks in advance.
Our current host has set a deadline date of March 31st so we need to get everything moved over to a new host ASAP. How long does this process roughly take? I'm fairly sure it used to take a matter of days but I don't want to be caught short and end up without the website and e-mail system.
How difficult is it to move host?
Does anybody know of a decent company (possibly run by a PHer?) that would be able to host our website for us?
Thanks in advance.
Basically the steps you need to follow are:
Once you have a new hosting company and the relevant amount of webspace setup:
1. Take a full backup of the existing site including all directory structure using FTP
2. Check the directory security (CHMOD), again using FTP connected to your existing site, of each directory and make a note of the settings eg 777 - tutorial here: http://www.phpjunkyard.com/ftp-chmod-tutorial.php
3. Upload your FTP backup of the existing site to the new host remembering to keep the same directory structure
4. Check and replace directory security CHMOD from step 2 if required
5. Request DNS zone file from your existing hosting company. This will take the form of a text document with all your DNS records - sample: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_file
6. Send your new hosting company the zone file and ask them to set up the relevant records or alternately using your zone file, in your domain control panel on the new host, recreate all the entries using the new hosting company's IP addresses
7. Get the domain DNS TAG of the new hosting company
8. Request your domain tag is released from the old company to the new one
9. Check your new hosting company has received the tag and added it to their DNS servers / become authoritative for it
10. Wait for between 8 and 72 hours for the new DNS to propagate round the internet so it will be visible to all internet users.
Unless you want significant downtime during business hours (no email or website visible from the internet) then I would normally recommend you initiate the DNS tag transfer on a Friday afternoon as late as possible so that the propgation takes place over the weekend and you are back to normal on Monday morning. You will also need to ensure with your new provider what will happen to mails sent during this period of downtime (by default they will be returned undeliverable to sender, some email hosting companies like messagelabs will store the emails for 1 week for delayed delivery)
If you want a quote for hosting (we have several cabinets in 2 datacentres - one in Maidenhead and the other in Milton Keynes) then drop me an email/pm
Once you have a new hosting company and the relevant amount of webspace setup:
1. Take a full backup of the existing site including all directory structure using FTP
2. Check the directory security (CHMOD), again using FTP connected to your existing site, of each directory and make a note of the settings eg 777 - tutorial here: http://www.phpjunkyard.com/ftp-chmod-tutorial.php
3. Upload your FTP backup of the existing site to the new host remembering to keep the same directory structure
4. Check and replace directory security CHMOD from step 2 if required
5. Request DNS zone file from your existing hosting company. This will take the form of a text document with all your DNS records - sample: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_file
6. Send your new hosting company the zone file and ask them to set up the relevant records or alternately using your zone file, in your domain control panel on the new host, recreate all the entries using the new hosting company's IP addresses
7. Get the domain DNS TAG of the new hosting company
8. Request your domain tag is released from the old company to the new one
9. Check your new hosting company has received the tag and added it to their DNS servers / become authoritative for it
10. Wait for between 8 and 72 hours for the new DNS to propagate round the internet so it will be visible to all internet users.
Unless you want significant downtime during business hours (no email or website visible from the internet) then I would normally recommend you initiate the DNS tag transfer on a Friday afternoon as late as possible so that the propgation takes place over the weekend and you are back to normal on Monday morning. You will also need to ensure with your new provider what will happen to mails sent during this period of downtime (by default they will be returned undeliverable to sender, some email hosting companies like messagelabs will store the emails for 1 week for delayed delivery)
If you want a quote for hosting (we have several cabinets in 2 datacentres - one in Maidenhead and the other in Milton Keynes) then drop me an email/pm
itsnotarace said:
Basically the steps you need to follow are:
Once you have a new hosting company and the relevant amount of webspace setup:
1. Take a full backup of the existing site including all directory structure using FTP
2. Check the directory security (CHMOD), again using FTP connected to your existing site, of each directory and make a note of the settings eg 777 - tutorial here: http://www.phpjunkyard.com/ftp-chmod-tutorial.php
3. Upload your FTP backup of the existing site to the new host remembering to keep the same directory structure
4. Check and replace directory security CHMOD from step 2 if required
5. Request DNS zone file from your existing hosting company. This will take the form of a text document with all your DNS records - sample: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_file
6. Send your new hosting company the zone file and ask them to set up the relevant records or alternately using your zone file, in your domain control panel on the new host, recreate all the entries using the new hosting company's IP addresses
7. Get the domain DNS TAG of the new hosting company
8. Request your domain tag is released from the old company to the new one
9. Check your new hosting company has received the tag and added it to their DNS servers / become authoritative for it
10. Wait for between 8 and 72 hours for the new DNS to propagate round the internet so it will be visible to all internet users.
Unless you want significant downtime during business hours (no email or website visible from the internet) then I would normally recommend you initiate the DNS tag transfer on a Friday afternoon as late as possible so that the propgation takes place over the weekend and you are back to normal on Monday morning. You will also need to ensure with your new provider what will happen to mails sent during this period of downtime (by default they will be returned undeliverable to sender, some email hosting companies like messagelabs will store the emails for 1 week for delayed delivery)
If you want a quote for hosting (we have several cabinets in 2 datacentres - one in Maidenhead and the other in Milton Keynes) then drop me an email/pm
Plus:Once you have a new hosting company and the relevant amount of webspace setup:
1. Take a full backup of the existing site including all directory structure using FTP
2. Check the directory security (CHMOD), again using FTP connected to your existing site, of each directory and make a note of the settings eg 777 - tutorial here: http://www.phpjunkyard.com/ftp-chmod-tutorial.php
3. Upload your FTP backup of the existing site to the new host remembering to keep the same directory structure
4. Check and replace directory security CHMOD from step 2 if required
5. Request DNS zone file from your existing hosting company. This will take the form of a text document with all your DNS records - sample: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_file
6. Send your new hosting company the zone file and ask them to set up the relevant records or alternately using your zone file, in your domain control panel on the new host, recreate all the entries using the new hosting company's IP addresses
7. Get the domain DNS TAG of the new hosting company
8. Request your domain tag is released from the old company to the new one
9. Check your new hosting company has received the tag and added it to their DNS servers / become authoritative for it
10. Wait for between 8 and 72 hours for the new DNS to propagate round the internet so it will be visible to all internet users.
Unless you want significant downtime during business hours (no email or website visible from the internet) then I would normally recommend you initiate the DNS tag transfer on a Friday afternoon as late as possible so that the propgation takes place over the weekend and you are back to normal on Monday morning. You will also need to ensure with your new provider what will happen to mails sent during this period of downtime (by default they will be returned undeliverable to sender, some email hosting companies like messagelabs will store the emails for 1 week for delayed delivery)
If you want a quote for hosting (we have several cabinets in 2 datacentres - one in Maidenhead and the other in Milton Keynes) then drop me an email/pm
Get the zone file changed at your exisitng provider so that the TTL is an hour rather than what it is i.e. 72hrs, But you need to do that before the 72 hours (or what ever the time period it is set to)
This will ease the transition and limit timeout
If you are using mysql or a similar database for your website (i.e. wordpress uses one) then you will need acopy of that as well. Your new hosting provider should be able to setup your new website with a temporary address so you can copy everything over and check it works
itsnotarace said:
1. Take a full backup of the existing site including all directory structure using FTP
2. Check the directory security (CHMOD), again using FTP connected to your existing site, of each directory and make a note of the settings eg 777 - tutorial here: http://www.phpjunkyard.com/ftp-chmod-tutorial.php
3. Upload your FTP backup of the existing site to the new host remembering to keep the same directory structure
4. Check and replace directory security CHMOD from step 2 if required
5. Request DNS zone file from your existing hosting company. This will take the form of a text document with all your DNS records - sample: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_file
6. Send your new hosting company the zone file and ask them to set up the relevant records or alternately using your zone file, in your domain control panel on the new host, recreate all the entries using the new hosting company's IP addresses
7. Get the domain DNS TAG of the new hosting company
8. Request your domain tag is released from the old company to the new one
9. Check your new hosting company has received the tag and added it to their DNS servers / become authoritative for it
10. Wait for between 8 and 72 hours for the new DNS to propagate round the internet so it will be visible to all internet users.
This would be the "proper" way of doing it, but if the company web site simply isn't that complicated, you only have a few e-mail accounts to manage or this speak of zone files is gobbledygook to you, then here's what I'd do:2. Check the directory security (CHMOD), again using FTP connected to your existing site, of each directory and make a note of the settings eg 777 - tutorial here: http://www.phpjunkyard.com/ftp-chmod-tutorial.php
3. Upload your FTP backup of the existing site to the new host remembering to keep the same directory structure
4. Check and replace directory security CHMOD from step 2 if required
5. Request DNS zone file from your existing hosting company. This will take the form of a text document with all your DNS records - sample: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_file
6. Send your new hosting company the zone file and ask them to set up the relevant records or alternately using your zone file, in your domain control panel on the new host, recreate all the entries using the new hosting company's IP addresses
7. Get the domain DNS TAG of the new hosting company
8. Request your domain tag is released from the old company to the new one
9. Check your new hosting company has received the tag and added it to their DNS servers / become authoritative for it
10. Wait for between 8 and 72 hours for the new DNS to propagate round the internet so it will be visible to all internet users.
1. Backup files and databases from old server.
2. Run Outlook Express and use IMAP to retrieve messages from mail accounts on old server if users are in the habit of leaving mail on the server.
3. Set mail accounts on old server to forward mail to temporary GMail or similar.
4. Upload files and databases to new server.
5. Set up mirror e-mail accounts on new server.
6. Change domain nameservers.
7. Wait 24 hours.
8. Use IMAP mail to upload old and Gmail mail to e-mail accounts on new server.
Job done. Provided your site does not change during this time (no visitor-generated content), you lose no site visitors and you lose no e-mails. For many, this is all that matters.
Looks like you're sorted for a hosting company.
If you're not technically minded and your website is important to your business, I'd recommend getting someone to do the migration for you. I did a whole pile of website migrations for an ISP client a while ago. They had initially tried to do it themselves and messed it up, meaning lots of downtime, lost sales and several people lost their websites and emails entirely.
Assuming your website isn't unusual it should take only a couple of days, if that. You could even use rentacoder.com, you'll get loads of eastern europeans bidding to do it for peanuts I bet.
If you're not technically minded and your website is important to your business, I'd recommend getting someone to do the migration for you. I did a whole pile of website migrations for an ISP client a while ago. They had initially tried to do it themselves and messed it up, meaning lots of downtime, lost sales and several people lost their websites and emails entirely.
Assuming your website isn't unusual it should take only a couple of days, if that. You could even use rentacoder.com, you'll get loads of eastern europeans bidding to do it for peanuts I bet.
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