Recently, the company that hosts my website charged my credit card for a full year of service. It was the result of a glitch in their software, and it affected a great number of their customers. Some people’s accounts were overdrawn, and there were many other financial mishaps. I’d been considering a move to new web host for a while, and this was all that was needed to turn thought into action.

Finding and transitioning to a new host seems like it should be simple, but it can quickly become a daunting task. It often takes a few days for your domain name to match up well with the new server, and there are always a lot of items to move, including email, files, databases and more.

I learned some things in the course of my move, and I thought I’d give you some tips in case you’re considering your own transition.

1) Leverage your existing knowledge when finding a new host. Usually when you’re choosing your very first host, you have only a vague idea of what you require. As a result, you often end up with more space, more bandwidth, and more email addresses than you really need. But when you switch, you know exactly what you use. You’ll get a much better deal because you know this information.

2) Make dramatic technological changes only if absolutely necessary. Moving from a host with PHP to a host with ASP (or vice versa) can adversely and profoundly affect your site’s functionality, and some hosts may have a certain type of shopping cart that you love while others may not. Itemize the technology you need and find useful, and talk to the tech support at your new host before making a switch.

3) Move all your files before you point your domain name. Once you’ve signed up with a new host, start moving files onto the server immediately, but don’t point your domain name to the new host’s nameservers until all your files have been relocated and are working properly. If you jump the gun, the public will be routed to your new host immediately, and they may find a site with busted scripted and missing graphics. Note: Your new host will probably give you a temporary address that will allow you to check your site during the transition.

In another post later this week, I’ll share a few more tips. By the end of the week, you should have all the info you need to ensure a smooth move.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 5th, 2008 at 4:48 pm and is filed under Web Design. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.