Transferring a site from one host to another

[Fred]

Hi guys,

My friend asked me to change their web host to a new one.

Could you reply with some tips on what to be concerned with when
moving the site?
FYI: There are 10 PC's and their email addresses use their site's
domain name.

Thanks

 

[cwdjrxyz]

Hi guys,

My friend asked me to change their web host to a new one.

Could you reply with some tips on what to be concerned with when
moving the site?
FYI: There are 10 PC's and their email addresses use their site's
domain name.

Before you even consider moving to another web host, be sure that you
have backed up everything on the old host to files on a computer, and
then make a CD or DVD copy of everything also just to be on the safe
side. If you select a new host carefully, then all you may have to do
is upload all of the files you saved to the new host using ftp.
Hopefully you can use a broadband connection for both backing up from
the old site and uploading to the new one.

Hopefully the domain name belongs to your friend. In that case the
domain can be moved to the new host. My host has instructions for
moving a domain name to them. If your friend just rented the domain for
a payment each year, and the old host owns it, you likely would have to
buy the domain from the old host - and this could be quite expensive.
Most good commercial hosts provide domain mail. Thus if you can
transfer the old domain name to your new host, you can create domain
mail there named exactly as you did for the old host. If you have to
use a new domain, then of course all of the mail addresses will have to
be changed.

Even though it may require some time, read all of the fine print
carefully at the new host to make sure you will have no nasty surprises
after you sign up.

If there is time, keep the old site going for a little while so that
you are certain the new site is working properly. Let the users play
with the new site for a while before you officially pull the plug on
the old site.

 

[Fred]

Before you even consider moving to another web host, be sure that you
have backed up everything on the old host to files on a computer, and
then make a CD or DVD copy of everything also just to be on the safe
side. If you select a new host carefully, then all you may have to do
is upload all of the files you saved to the new host using ftp.
Hopefully you can use a broadband connection for both backing up from
the old site and uploading to the new one.

Hopefully the domain name belongs to your friend. In that case the
domain can be moved to the new host. My host has instructions for
moving a domain name to them. If your friend just rented the domain for
a payment each year, and the old host owns it, you likely would have to
buy the domain from the old host - and this could be quite expensive.
Most good commercial hosts provide domain mail. Thus if you can
transfer the old domain name to your new host, you can create domain
mail there named exactly as you did for the old host. If you have to
use a new domain, then of course all of the mail addresses will have to
be changed.

Even though it may require some time, read all of the fine print
carefully at the new host to make sure you will have no nasty surprises
after you sign up.

If there is time, keep the old site going for a little while so that
you are certain the new site is working properly. Let the users play
with the new site for a while before you officially pull the plug on
the old site.

So to sum it up..

STEP ONE BACKUP
1) Gain access to current server (soon to be the old server) and copy
all site files to PC hard drive and then to a CDROM disk. I do have
high speed access so upload will be not problemo.

STEP TWO DOMAIN NAME
2) I'm pretty sure the domain name does belong to my buds company.
This is where I get a bit fuzzy.

Can you explain what parameter gets changed or updated in reference
to the domain name? Must a change occur at the new web host (name
server's ??) or must you make a change at the domain name registrar.
I'm confused.

I guess after the domain name is pointing to the right name server the
last part is dealing with the email.

STEP THREE EMAIL

3) The company has 10 PC's currently they are all pointing to the POP3
and SMTP addresses of the old web host. When I move to the new host
I'll have to update every pop3 and SMTP address on every computer
right?

So that's it! Back up, Domain name, email. I hope I have not missed
anything.

Thanks for the help!

 

[cwdjrxyz]

STEP TWO DOMAIN NAME
2) I'm pretty sure the domain name does belong to my buds company.
This is where I get a bit fuzzy.

Can you explain what parameter gets changed or updated in reference
to the domain name? Must a change occur at the new web host (name
server's ??) or must you make a change at the domain name registrar.
I'm confused.

The exact details of how you either add or transfer a domain to a host
depends somewhat on the host. Hopefully they have some documentation.
To give you an example of how one host tells you to do it, see
http://www.hostexcellence.com/documentation.php . Go to control panel
basics, and you will find a section concerning domains which leads to
detailed instructions for adding, transfering, buying, or parking a
domain. Note that this host is highly automated, and others may require
you to handle a lot of the details yourself. It can take a few days
after a transfer before the domain is repointed to your new host.
Usually you can get in at first just using numbers before the domain
name goes into effect everywhere. I can not comment on who would be a
good host for your friend, because I do not know the nature of their
web site.

 

[Fred]

I can not comment on who would be a
good host for your friend, because I do not know the nature of their
web site.

I have that squared away, thanks