Process Overview

• Keep Existing Domain and Site running, setup a redirector to your new web domain.
  
• Setup DNS, new domain to point to the Current Website.
• Create email accounts with new domain.
  
  • Provide you with instructions on how to access emails at both domains during the transition.
  • Help you with email setup.
    
• Perform a "Cross Over" at a scheduled date.
• Monitor Cross Over and report to you.
• Organize your website visual test and changes.
• Schedule a date with all company websites involved, notify them to be ready for the "Cross Over".
  • Crossover time is minimal
• Check SSL requirements, organize for transition.
• Check Database requirements, confirm new server meets the requirements.

 Tasks

• Purchase New Domain OR Transfer Domain OR just collect Registrar information of the existing domain.
• Create new hosting account
• Adjust Namespace settins at the Registrar
• Confirm DNS settings are ok at Hosting Provider
  • eg. If the client has any external Services, eg. "mail.example.com.au" or "shop.example.com.au" running on an external Server, the DNS must be adjusted to point to the correct servers.
  • Setup "webmail.domainname.com.au" to reach the webmail service if possible. Or, just find out what the address is for webmail and add this information to the email sent to clients.
• Setup email addresses, keeping current passwords intact if possible
• Setup existing FTP accounts, same passwords if possible.
  • Note: different servers have varying rules for FTP Usernames, some servers use simple word, "username" others will use a full email address.
• Notify clients of scheduled crossover period.
• Add "Down for Maintenance page" to all domains, if you wish. Not required.
  • The website transition may be invisible, thus not requiring this step.
• Database Operations - Export Database(s) from original server import at new server
  • When running dynamic sites where the content is constantly changing, then you will want to introduce the "Website Maintenance" screen, as you don't want data to be lost in the intransition.
  • External Database Access
    • Adjust your applications
    • Confirm this new server allows external connection into the Database. Not all servers allow that... for security reasons of course.
• IMPORTANT EMAIL Relocation Technique:
  • One of the largest problems in relocating a server is having emails for one account at 2 different servers. How to avoid this - one method:
    • Before setting up the new website & DNS with mail settings: Set all emails to forward to 1 address.
    • During the transition: one person from each domain keeps an eye on the Comunal email address via Webmail. Their job is to notify staff of incomming emails. Email services should always be running, there should be no email down-time.

• File Permissions and Folder Permissions
  • Make sure all file and folder permissions are the same as what they are on the original webiste. PHP and other scripts will need to write to files within folders.  Some of them require less security.
  • Possibly, a file or two beneath the /www/ folder will require adjusting too. Eg. a cgi config file, or PHP config file.

  For Mindflow's experienced support and services,  Contact Us