How to move a website to Globalhostia

Migration is free. Tell us where the site is hosted and our engineers copy the files, databases and email, test the site on our servers and help you switch DNS when you are ready, with no downtime.

Request a free migration

1. 1

   List what you are moving

   Write down every website, database, mailbox, cron job and subdomain on the old host, and where the domain is registered. Note the PHP version your site uses.

2. 2

   Order hosting at Globalhostia

   Pick a plan with enough storage, websites and mailboxes for that list. The plan finder helps if you are unsure. Do not cancel the old host yet.

3. 3

   Take a full backup

   Download a full backup from the old control panel, or at least a copy of the files and an export (.sql) of every database. Keep it on your computer until the move is finished.

4. 4

   Copy files and databases

   Upload the files to public_html with the file manager or FTP, create a new database and user in the control panel, and import the .sql file with phpMyAdmin. For WordPress, update the database name, user and password in wp-config.php.

   define( 'DB_NAME', 'account_dbname' );
   define( 'DB_USER', 'account_dbuser' );
   define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'your-new-password' );

5. 5

   Recreate mailboxes and copy mail

   Create the same email addresses on the new hosting. To keep old messages, connect both accounts in a desktop mail app over IMAP and drag the folders across, or ask us to copy them.

6. 6

   Test before switching

   Preview the site on the new server before DNS changes, for example by adding the new server IP for your domain to your computer’s hosts file. Click through forms, logins and checkout.

7. 7

   Lower the DNS TTL, then switch

   A day before, lower the TTL of your DNS records to a few minutes. Then change the nameservers, or the A and MX records, to the values in your welcome email. Our nameserver guide shows both ways.

8. 8

   Check, then cancel the old host

   Once the new site and email work for everyone, and no new mail arrives on the old server, take one last backup and cancel the old hosting.

• Cancelling the old host too early. Keep it until DNS has fully switched and mail has stopped arriving there.
• Hard-coded old addresses. Search the database for the old server path or temporary URL and replace it.
• Different PHP version. Select the same version in the control panel first, then upgrade on purpose later.
• Forgotten cron jobs and email forwarders. Recreate them from your list in step one.