Transferring your website from one host to the other can be scary. You need to take some precautions. From my years of working with different web hosting companies, this is exactly what I have found useful. I hope you will like this read.
Backdrop
My life was different years ago. I used to try out different websites. It in fact soon turned out to be my hobby. I would design new websites. Then I had to find suitable web hosts. I would prefer free host to start with in those days. There were a few web hosts, who would give Database and FTP access. So, I could FTP my websites. One such good free hosting company was a Russian Hosting Company. They would even let you access SSH clients like PUTTY. So I would develop my website in my localhost, fire up all SQL queries (yes, starting from CREATE DB to CREATE TABLEs, and even a few INSERT queries via PUTTY, upload script files and images via FTP, and done. The site would go live.
Two Big Lessons
And BTW at that time DNS propagation would take 24 to 72 hours. But oftentimes host would include a preview website link so that you could see the site from a temporary location, which I presume, was a sub directory under some already hosted domain of that host. So, you could get a preview but you had to wait for a few days to see your hard worked website go live. Then it would take some efforts to list that website in Search Engines. So after all my hard work starting from site planning, design, and hosting, followed by promotion, the site would be ready to produce some juice. And alas! Because I would host my sites mostly in free servers, as I have already stated, it would not take long to see the notice from the hosting company – “Please move our websites”. Every time not because of excessive traffic load but also there were occasions when the host would stop operating. Not only it would happen with small companies, even big player like Yahoo! did the same. Once Yahoo! had a free hosting service. But they have retired that service long ago. So brand name does not have much weight so far as sustainability of free host is concerned. But my bitter experience taught me two big lessons.
- Not to go with free website Host if your website really means something for you.
- How to transfer your website if you transfer your website from one server to the other without downtime. (You can say I have developed a really hands-on experience in this regard.)
Create Hosting Account
So, here go the steps to transfer your hosting account.
Backup: Prepare & Prevent
Forget about free webhosts, even paid webhosts can make your life miserable by announcing sudden server outage. This could lead to complete destruction of website files and folders. Further periodic backup helps you to restore the last stable version after any virus attacks. So it is better to be prepared and prevent than to repair and repent. Regular site backup is a healthy habit every webmaster should acquire. And if you have developed/ cultivated this habit you must not face any problem to transfer the website to your new host.
So, let’s delve into details of back up procedure.
Depending upon your configuration, you may have to back up one/more of the following.
Back up Scrip files
This type of file includes HTML, PHP, javascripts, etc. That is the files you need to create webpages. Your file system should also include pictures, videos, and media files, if those are hosted locally. For hot linked images, that is, if your images are hosted in other server, you do not have to worry. For example one of my blog, hosted at blogspot.com, uses images hosted at photobucket. So, I must not have problem to transfer my website to other hosting account so far as images are concerned. But as a matter of fact, blogger.com does not provide FTP access. So, if your website is hosted at blogger.com, you can book a domain from Google.com or use your own domain name (purchased from other registrar) and continue access Google server.
Anyway, thing is that in case of a website backup, each and every script file hosted in that server is important. You cannot skip one single file.
Database Backup
The next important thing to consider is database back. If your website is dynamic data driven, like it has WordPress Blog, forum scripts, or if it has a content management system, your website actually saves data in database files. Pages are generated by querying the database files. Now it is important to backup and restore your existing database, tables with data. If you have access to database management GUI, like PhpMyAdmin, you will find one utility, called EXPORT. You have to export both database table structures and data. So, select both structure and data while exporting your database files.
Backup Emails
Make a List of POP3/IMAP accounts, passwords (if you have access to the same). Download existing emails from webserver to your localserver.
Also prepare a list of forwarded email addresses.
List of other domains
Prepare a list of parked and addon domains and where they point to within the site.
Custom Configuration
Any special hosting requirements, which you might have enabled in your hosting account.
How to handle large database file
Things may become even challenging, if your database file is large. Export may fail. And even if you can export the database, it may be impossible to upload the database files, as most web servers impose a restriction on maximum allowed file size. So, the solution is to export each table in your database separately. While importing your database, you have to follow the same procedure to handle large database file.
cPanel – the Savior
However, you can avoid these hectic steps of separately backing up script files, images, and documents and database files. You can use complete site backup feature available in cPanel. This backup system creates an “ALL INCLUSIVE” site backup, (if your server allows such site backup facilities. Otherwise, you can ask your host to create a backup for you). Now your only job is to upload that backed up file via FTP, and then import the database file(s) to your new web hosting account.
But I have detailed the backup steps because once you leave your present host, there is no way to look back. Your leftovers are likely to be deleted as soon as your hosting account expires.
Making a Smooth Transition with ZERO Downtime
So, now that your backup is ready, you are almost ready for a transition from old hosting account to the new one. It is very important to make this transfer process smooth. Here go a few easy and steps which you can follow to reduce downtime.
First of all upload your files to your new server. Import database files. Create database user accounts, grant access permission. Check your script files to find the page where you should include new database name, database username, passwords. Now your website is ready in your new server.
Update Nameservers
nameserver
That’s all I have learned regarding transferring your website to a new host. I hope it helps someone.
Final Checklist
Step #1: Back up your existing site (Database, Scripts, Pictures, Emails & Everything including a note on custom configuration, if any).
Step #2: Create Your New Hosting Account. Collect login details.
Step #3: Upload your website to your new hosting account.
Step #4: Update Nameservers. (You will find this entry in your domain registrar’s control panel.)
Transferring a website is never easy. But with little bit of planning you can transfer it without downtime. Only problem you might have faced is with the emails. It might be directed to the old server for a few more days.
