When setting up a website, it can be easy to assume that all web hosting is the same, but nothing could be further from the truth.
As people become more experienced with the setting up of websites, they will come to realize how important web hosting is, and to be able to leverage the benefits that robust web hosting can offer, website owners need to be in a position of migrating their website to another hosting provider.
It’s also important that small businesses are keeping track of costs, and exploring what options are available when it comes to saving money, such as shared hosting.
Regardless of whether you’re running a website for a small business, or sharing new pieces via a blogging site, being able to migrate your website without any downtime is an important piece of information that every business with an online presence should be aware of.
What Is Website Migration?
To be able to carry out a website migration in the right way, it’s important to know what it consists of.
In layman’s terms, a website migration means moving the files associated with the website from one hosting provider to another. And while the explanation is simple, the actual process can be tricky, and the work that’s needed can depend on the hosting provider and the type of website you have.
Of course, if anything goes wrong or is delayed with the transfer, then it can mean downtime for the website, which also means businesses and online bloggers are losing out on a lot of website visitors.
Migrating a Website on a Solo Basis
Given the basic premise of website migration, it’s not unusual for some people to go it alone. This approach is fine by those experienced with website hosting, but those new to website migration could find the process a little overwhelming.
The following is an overview of some of the factors that need to be considered when going ahead with a website migration alone.
Backup the Website
If something goes wrong during the website migration process, you will need to rely on a website back up to be able to restore the information.
If a backup isn’t made and the website migration fails or incurs an error, then you could find that you're having to create a website from scratch, which not only takes up more time but also means carrying out more work to make the presence of the website known.
Website files are located on the cPanel and will be labelled as ‘backup.’
Transferring the Website
Those that wish to start transferring their website will need to ensure that they’ve received an email from their old hosting provider that contains information such as the domain name servers and the IP address details.
Within the email should be a link that allows you to log into the website. In instances where the information hasn’t been made available, then website owners can try adding the /CPanel or:2082 suffix to their IP address to log in.
When logging onto the new hosting provider’s platform, you will be given options of uploading a backed-up version of the website, or a SQL database. In most instances, both will be required. The backup of the website will generally consist of files, images and other forms of media, while the SQL deals with the infrastructure of the website.
One of the most popular ways of transferring a website is via the use of an FTP client which allows for the easy transfer of files from one location to another. There are plenty of clients to choose from, with some of the more popular being FileZilla, CuteFTP or WinSCP.
Other Factors to Consider with Website Migrations
Even most technical-minded can have difficulty with website migration, especially as there are many different types of websites to consider. Whereas some websites are designed in a bespoke fashion, others may use a template, something that is commonplace with those using WordPress hosting.
There can be varying factors that affect the work that needs to be carried out. For example, although a website migration can transfer a great deal of information, there could still be a requirement to carry out other small tasks that ensure the website is operating as it should.
Other factors to consider include the prefix matter, which will need to be checked for discrepancies and amended accordingly.
Transferring Data to AVHoster
When carrying out an email migration many factors need to be considered before changing the name servers. Although AVHoster can carry out a site migration, it will need access to some information to ensure that the right files are transferred.
The information needed from AVHoster to carry out a site migration is as follows
- Files or MySQL Backups
OR
- Username and Password for Previous cPanel Provider
OR
- Username and Password to MySQL
- List of Emails That Need to be Transferred to the New Server
- List of Subdomains and Folder Names
If there is any difficulty in obtaining the information required or you have any other questions concerning the migration of a website then why not get in touch with AVHoster to discuss your requirements in more detail.
Switching the Name Servers
The changing of the name servers must be carried out via the domain registrant. Those looking to switch their name servers need to get in touch with their original domain registrar should they have any issues in locating the information.
Those that register a domain name using AVHoster will find that the domain is configured automatically.
The name servers for AVHoster are as follows
- ns1.avhoster.com
- ns2.avhoster.com
Is There an Easier Way of Migrating a Website?
Regardless of whether you operate a small business or a blogging website, there can be times when hosting is expensive.
As such, shared hosting can be a more cost-effective way of managing a website and using the right hosting provider ensures that the website is never subjected to any downtime, which can also include the website migration process.
AVHoster.com understands how important the uptime of a website is, which is why it offers a professional website migration website service that offers updates about the migration, aids with the changing of name servers and can help with the domain registration process.
What’s more, those that are new to the AVHoster.com platform can benefit from a migration service which not only ensures that there is little to no downtime with your website but also ensures that you’re never paying more than you need for shared hosting.
