2 replies to this topic

[jbelle]

We're going to be switching web hosts in the coming months; I've been involved with switching hosts with prior companies and the one consistent theme in all these swtiches was it never went as smoothly as it should have.

I'm hopeful that even if it doesn't go perfectly, the sites shouldn't be too affected, and it's a positive long-term decision, so it's all good in that sense.

But if anyone has tips or advice on making this go as smoothly as possible, and on best effort protection of our SEO efforts, it would be appreciated!

[fred]

Hi

I would suggest keeping a copy of your site on both host for 2 months

point your first dns towards your new host and your second dns towards your old host.

[Randy]

A lot in this question depends upon how much control you have at your current host.

First, you'll want to keep both sites operational for an interim period. One month at the very least. More is better potentially.

Second, after the new site is up and running it is wise to set up some sort of 301 Permanent Redirect from the old IP number to the new one.

Third, make sure you change the nameserver information for the domain to the new IP.

If you have absolute control over your site's local DNS, you can simply reconfigure it so that all traffic (http, mail, etc) are directed to the new IP number. IMHO, that's the best way to go about it, but most people don't have that type of control over their local DNS. And if you ask your current host to reconfigure that for you, it's not likely to haapen. After all, they're losing business, so don't have any motivation to help you make a smooth transition.