Server shifting and website migration with no lost data
Moving hosting is risky when it is rushed. We plan and carry out server migrations step by step: full backup, copy, test on the new server, final sync, DNS switch and verification, with the old server kept ready as a fallback.
- Website migration
- cPanel to VPS
- Cloud migration
- Email migration
- Minimal downtime
What we migrate
Websites and applications
WordPress, WooCommerce, PHP, Laravel, Node.js and static sites moved with files, databases and settings intact.
Shared hosting to VPS or cloud
Move from shared cPanel hosting to a VPS or cloud server on AWS, DigitalOcean, Contabo and others.
Server to server
Full server shifting between providers or data centres, including cPanel to cPanel transfers and many sites at once.
Email accounts
Mailboxes and mail history moved between hosts or to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
Databases
MySQL, MariaDB and PostgreSQL exported, imported and verified by comparing tables and row counts.
DNS and SSL
DNS records, Cloudflare settings and SSL certificates prepared on the new server before traffic is switched.
Our server migration checklist, step by step
Every migration follows this order. Nothing that visitors can see changes until step seven, and the old server stays untouched until the end.
Inventory
List every domain, subdomain, database, mailbox, cron job, SSL certificate, DNS record and third-party service that has the old server's IP address on an allowlist.
Full backup
Take a complete backup of files, databases and mail on the old server and store it somewhere other than either server.
Lower the DNS TTL
Reduce the TTL on the records that will change, for example to 300 seconds, at least as long before the switch as the old TTL value, so resolvers pick up the new address quickly.
Build the new server
Install matching or newer versions of the web server, PHP, database and extensions, then apply firewall rules and hardening.
Copy files and databases
Transfer files with rsync or the control panel's transfer tool, export and import databases, and recreate cron jobs, redirects and environment settings.
Test before any DNS change
Open the site on the new server through a temporary URL or by editing the hosts file on a computer, then test pages, forms, logins, checkout, admin area and email sending.
Final sync
At the agreed time, put the old site into maintenance or read-only mode, then copy the latest database and any files changed since the first copy.
Switch DNS
Point the A and AAAA records, and MX records if mail is moving, to the new server. The old server keeps running and serving the same content while caches expire.
SSL and email checks
Confirm the certificate is valid on every hostname, send and receive test emails, and update SPF, DKIM and reverse DNS for the new IP address.
Monitor
Watch error logs, uptime checks, order and form activity on the new server, and watch the old server's access log until traffic there stops.
Rollback plan
If a serious fault appears, DNS is pointed back to the old server, which is still intact. Only after an agreed period of stable running is the old hosting cancelled and the TTL raised again.
What causes downtime during a migration, and how we handle each cause
Downtime during a move is not random. It comes from a short list of known causes, and each has a specific preventive step.
| Cause | What visitors would see | How it is handled |
|---|---|---|
| DNS caches still holding the old IP address | Some visitors reach the old server for a while after the switch | TTL lowered in advance, and the old server left running with the same content until its traffic stops |
| Orders or form entries written to the old database after the copy | Missing orders or enquiries on the new site | A short maintenance or read-only window for the final sync, scheduled at the quietest hour |
| SSL certificate not ready on the new server | Browser security warnings | The existing certificate is copied across, or a new one is issued by DNS validation before the switch |
| Different PHP or database versions and missing extensions | Error pages or broken features | Versions matched during the build, and the site tested through the hosts file first |
| Hard-coded IP addresses, file paths or old database credentials | Parts of the site failing | Configuration files searched and updated during the test stage |
| Third parties that allow only the old IP address | Payment, SMS or API calls refused | New IP address registered with payment gateways and API providers before cutover |
| Cron jobs and background workers not recreated | Scheduled emails, imports or reports stop silently | Jobs listed in the inventory and checked after the switch |
| MX records and mailboxes out of step | Bounced or missing email | Mailboxes created and synced first, MX switched afterwards, old mailboxes checked for late arrivals |
How a server move affects SEO
Changing the server does not change your URLs. If the domain, the page addresses and the content stay the same, search engines see the same site at a new IP address, and no redirects are needed. A change of IP address or hosting company is not in itself a ranking factor.
Rankings are put at risk by side effects of a careless move: server errors while search engines are crawling, redirects that existed in the old .htaccess file and were not recreated on an Nginx server, a robots.txt or noindex setting carried over from a staging copy, a missing XML sitemap, or HTTPS that stops working. We compare the old and new sites for these points and check status codes on a crawl of your main URLs after the switch.
Speed is the part that can improve. A server with faster response times helps Core Web Vitals and lets search engines crawl more pages in the same time. After the move we watch Search Console's crawl stats and page indexing reports for errors. If the migration also changes the domain or URL structure, that is a different project: every old URL needs a 301 redirect to its new address.
Email migration
Email is the part of a migration people notice first when it goes wrong, so it is handled as its own task.
- List every mailbox, alias and forwarder, with mailbox sizes
- Create the same mailboxes on the new server or on Google Workspace or Microsoft 365
- Copy existing mail over IMAP with a sync tool, so folders and read status are preserved
- Switch the MX records, then run the sync again to collect mail that arrived during the change
- Update SPF to include the new sending server, publish the new DKIM key and keep the DMARC record valid
- Set reverse DNS on the new IP address if the server sends mail itself
- Send each user the new incoming and outgoing server settings for phones and mail apps, if they change
- Keep the old mailboxes for an agreed period and check them for late deliveries before closing them
When to shift servers
- Your website is slow or goes down at busy times
- You have outgrown shared hosting
- Hosting renewal costs have jumped
- You need a server in a different country, closer to your customers
- Your current host has poor support or security problems
- Your operating system or PHP version is no longer supported and cannot be upgraded in place
Frequently asked questions
Will my website go down during a server migration?
For most sites, visitors do not see an outage. The site is copied and tested on the new server while the old one keeps running, and after the DNS switch both servers serve the same content until caches expire. The exception is sites that take orders or logins: they need a short maintenance window during the final database sync, which we schedule at your quietest hour.
How long does DNS propagation take after switching servers?
It depends on the TTL set on your DNS records, which tells resolvers how long to cache the old answer. If the TTL was lowered to a few minutes before the switch, most visitors reach the new server within minutes. A few networks hold records longer than instructed, which is why the old server stays online for some days afterwards.
Will changing my hosting affect my SEO rankings?
A server move that keeps the same domain, URLs and content should not change rankings by itself, because search engines index addresses and content, not IP addresses. Problems come from errors during the move: downtime, lost redirects, a blocked robots.txt or broken HTTPS. A faster new server can help page experience. We check redirects, status codes and Search Console after every migration.
Will I lose emails when I move my hosting?
Not if mail is migrated in the right order. Mailboxes are created on the new server, existing mail is copied over IMAP, the MX records are switched, and a second sync collects anything delivered to the old server in between. The old mailboxes are kept for a period as a safety copy. Users only need new settings if the mail server name changes.
How long does a server migration take?
The copying itself is usually the short part. A single small website can be copied, tested and switched in a day. A server with many sites, large databases or many mailboxes is moved in batches over several days, and the low-TTL waiting period and post-switch monitoring add time. We give a schedule after the inventory, once sizes and dependencies are known.
How do you test a website on the new server before changing DNS?
By editing the hosts file on a test computer so that only that computer resolves your domain to the new server's IP address. The site then loads from the new server under its real domain name, with working links and HTTPS, while everyone else still sees the old one. Some control panels also provide a temporary URL for the same purpose.
Can you move my website from shared hosting to a VPS?
Yes. This is the most common migration. The VPS is set up with a web server, PHP, database and optionally a control panel such as aaPanel or cPanel, then the site, database and mailboxes are copied from the shared account using a full backup or direct transfer. Our team in Kota, Rajasthan, India, handles the DNS and email changes as part of the move.
What happens if something goes wrong after the migration?
The old server is not modified or cancelled until the new one has run without problems for an agreed period. If a serious fault appears, the DNS records are pointed back to the old server, and because the TTL is still low the change takes effect quickly. Any orders or data created on the new server in the meantime are exported and merged.
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