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- Checklist for Moving to a New Web Server
Checklist for Moving to a New Web Server
By Peter Pollock
Part of Web Hosting For Dummies Cheat Sheet
If you’re planning on moving your website to a new web server, print the following checklists and mark the left column when you have copied those things from the old server; mark the right column when you have restored or uploaded those things to the new server. You should also go through and, line-by-line, mark through any items that do not apply to your site — for instance, mailing lists, parked domains, or add-on domains.
Domain name
Item |
Copied from old server |
Copied to new server |
Parked domains |
O |
O |
Add-on domains |
O |
O |
Forwarders and redirects |
O |
O |
Subdomains |
O |
O |
Subdomains need to be configured correctly prior to moving the data. |
O |
O |
Change the nameservers on your domain(s) after the data is moved. |
O |
O |
Website
Item |
Copied from old server |
Copied to new server |
Download all files via FTP and upload them to your new server. |
O |
O |
Put a notice on your site saying that there will be some disruption for up to 48 hours. Alternatively, put up a “We are moving” front page. |
O |
O |
Re-create password protection on appropriate folders and inform users if the details have changed. |
O |
O |
Use phpMyAdmin to download all databases and then re-create them on the new server and upload the data into them. |
O |
O |
If the database names, usernames, or passwords have changed, update the configuration files in your website. |
O |
O |
If you use an external database manager such as MySQL Workbench, update your logins with the new details. |
O |
O |
Reconfigure SSL certificates with new server details. |
O |
O |
E-mail
Item |
Copied from old server |
Copied to new server |
Re-create all e-mail addresses. |
O |
O |
Transfer e-mail history, if possible. |
O |
O |
Copy across or re-create mailing lists. |
O |
O |
Check that MX records match those on the old server. |
O |
O |
Re-create mail aliases. |
O |
O |
Re-create forwarders. |
O |
O |
Switch on server spam filtering and configure it, if necessary. |
O |
O |
Re-create auto-responders. |
O |
O |
Miscellaneous
Item |
Copied from old server |
Copied to new server |
Re-create all FTP accounts and notify users if details have changed. |
O |
O |
Re-create all cron jobs. |
O |
O |
Set up a server-based backup facility, if necessary. |
O |
O |
Check that SSH access works correctly. |
O |
O |
Reinstall FrontPage extensions, if needed. |
O |
O |