Many times there are instances where you may have to switch your website hosts. One of the key reasons remains to be behind this switching is the downtime amount which many faces. After all, you are running an enterprise or a business, and it depends on your website most often, then, in that case, the amount of downtime is not acceptable. Here are the ways through which you can
switch your website hosting without any downtime.
- First, you need to make sure that you are not cancelling the current host almost immediately. If you don’t want any kind of downtime, it is better not to cancel the current service on a permanent basis. The key here is to keep the current service while you keep on searching, acquire as well as set up a new service.
It can be quite painful in case your present service is due for renewal but in case the downtime is costing you money, then it might be worth spending some money to keep the website operating smoothly.
But it is quite essential to consider and note that you don’t discontinue the current service without having somewhere else to go. In fact, you need to make sure that you don’t cancel the current service until moving of the website is complete. In case you cancel prematurely or inform the hosting provider that you are planning to cancel, then there is certainly a huge chance that the host might entirely close your account. This means that you can essentially lose all your files, content as well as site functionality. You definitely want to avoid this scenario as it may harm your business and cost you a lot.
- Next thing you need to do it is backup everything and then keep doing it again. Before doing anything, make sure that you have created a local backup of your website. You can easily do this via FTP. You can also view if the present host has any app or cPanel app which makes a backup for you. If you want to take extra care, make sure that you make multiple backups. Use various kinds of utilities and keep one on your computer while keeping one on the cloud. You should make sure that your backups include all the files along with all the databases.
You should always keep in mind that backups fail also and you don’t want any chance of losing any part of your website. Transfers can also fail, and backup can come in quite handy to keep all the missing items after you have transferred to a completely new host.
- Another thing you should ensure that you choose a new host and check whether they have a transfer service. Ensure that you choose the host which fulfils your requirements. You should also ask your new web host if they provide any transfer service or any kind of advice on the transfer of the website. Website hosting services understand the people’s issues, and desires for no downtime and many of them provide things which assist the people to facilitate those desires to avoid any downtime.
You should also talk to their representative and inform what you are planning to do. Even if they don’t have any type of dedicated transfer service available, they can still help you out and explain to you about how to go through the transfer process.
- You also need to make sure that you upload everything to your new host but make sure that you don’t transfer the name yet. First, you need to transfer all the files as well as databases to the new hosting service. You need to ensure that the file structure is right and correct. You should be able to achieve that without any requirement of transferring the domain name. The new host will provide you with an IP as well as FTP access which will allow you to upload everything. The host should also have different options for uploading compressed backup databases and files. You can also utilize this to upload the databases that you have backed up earlier. You can also make use of the supplied IP to ensure that the site and its features are working properly.
- The essential aspect to consider is that you update the name servers and domain name records. Your new hosting service should provide with name server information. That information should appear something like xx1.domain.com. If the new host that you have selected doesn’t send you any information, then you should contact the support and ask for it.
To handle this step you need to know whether you have bought the domain name via a dedicated registrar or in case you got it via your current host. In case you have used a dedicated registrar, all you have to do is log into your account and then update the DNS records for the domain name. Most registrars make this process quite simple. If you are not sure about how to do it, you can check the help pages of the registrar or talk to the representative of the registrar.
In case you have registered the domain name of your website via your current host then you need to log into the control panel and change the DNS entry to point to the newly selected host’s servers.
- When it comes to transferring your email accounts, it can be quite difficult in case you are not careful. If the email addresses are hosted on the previous website host of yours, you need to recreate the address as well as setting with your new host. If the email host is a third party, then you need to ensure that you update the emails’ DNS records with the new host.
Once you have updated the DNS records, it can take up to two days before your website is begin getting served from the new host. During this particular propagation period, visitors of your website may face or experience some small issues since your domain is in transition. However, this is not actually downtime.
After a couple of days, you can certainly and safely assume that the people who visit your website are seeing the one which is hosted on the new host. Then only it is safe to cancel your old web hosting account. You need to keep in mind that you are actually cancelling the hosting account, not the domain registration.
In case you want to remove the domain name of your website from that old host completely, you need to initiate a domain transfer with the new host or a registrar.
It is essential for you to make sure that that you do your best and show great care when you are making the switch. It is entirely possible that switching the website hosts don’t require any downtime of your website at all. If you go through the right process with utmost care, you can certainly do it without any hassle. You should also take necessary steps in right order and avoid any confusion during the process. Backing up the files and databases on computer and cloud can help you a lot in the transfer. It can avoid losing them due to discontinuation of your current hosting service. You should make sure that the switch is done with the right procedure so that there is no downtime. However, you need to remember that when it
comes to switching web hosts, you may still see unforeseen problems. It is best for you to check and double-check every action that you take. And also, never hesitate to ask your new host for any help.
