| > | | | | exist, the links point to the right pages and that all |
| John's online business is expanding. His customers | | | | your scripts are running. One important point |
| are increasing day by day. However, he feels | | | | which people always forget is their domain name |
| very frustrated at the moment as he finds his | | | | expiration date. If you plan to move near the |
| website is 'down' about every 4th day. Whenever | | | | expiration date, it could cause you lots of |
| he calls up the support team of his web host, he | | | | problems. To be on the safe side, make sure that |
| gets the same old answer that his problem will be | | | | you have at least 3-4 weeks in hand before the |
| rectified soon. If the problems do persist it will | | | | domain name expires, or just renew it for |
| surely hamper his business. He has been with his | | | | another year. |
| present hosting provider for the last year but | | | | To transfer domain name service to a new host |
| now he feels he has to find a new web host as | | | | identify registrar using "WHOis" lookup verify |
| soon as possible because his present hosting | | | | registration of your domain name, identify the |
| package is also not able to meet up with his | | | | name server information for the host your are |
| growing demands. This is not a one-off | | | | transferring to, and make changes in the DNS |
| occurrence that has happened only to John, it | | | | information at the registrar. During this DNS |
| happens with many people like him. Changing the | | | | transition period new DNS information has to be |
| web host might become a cumbersome task if | | | | propagated throughout the world's DNS servers. |
| John and other people like him don't know the | | | | This propagation might take 2-4 days as an |
| correct procedure of doing it. So, let's have a look | | | | International root name server will firstly have to |
| at the following easy and simple steps: | | | | check all the various Domain registrars for |
| First of all, it's very important to have a backup | | | | updates, and then every ISP provider will update |
| of your website and everything related to it, like | | | | their DNS setting to show the new changes. Not |
| databases, scripts etc. It will be very helpful in | | | | only this, even Internet, i.e. Internet routers and |
| case there is data loss because of any unforseen | | | | caching engines have to update/clear its DNS |
| reason. Save at least 2 copies of everything and | | | | cache as well. During this propagation period, you |
| store them separately, so that you can work | | | | keep your old site running so that the visitors |
| with one and the other one will function as a | | | | whose ISP provider haven't updated can still visit |
| backup. You can take backup in various ways. | | | | your website. |
| One is by using software programs like a FTP | | | | It's advisable that you don't cancel your old |
| program (e.g. Smart FTP for downloading data. | | | | hosting service during the transition period, as you |
| Now, the time is to look for a new web host that | | | | will need to check your mail from both the |
| meets all your requirements and provides better | | | | hosting providers, as some will direct e-mail to |
| technical services than your previous host. Since | | | | your old server whereas other Internet regions |
| you have already been through the search | | | | will send mail to your new server. After one or |
| procedure it won't take you much time to come | | | | two weeks you can annul the account with your |
| across a reliable hosting company. | | | | old host. |
| Once you have taken a new web-hosting plan and | | | | On the very first notion it sounds like a painful |
| you are ready to upload your web pages, | | | | task to find a new web host and make all the |
| databases etc., check that you have received an | | | | necessary changes, but with the steps known, |
| IP number, FTP or FrontPage login, and password | | | | people like John will not find this procedure |
| from your new hosting company. Now, upload all | | | | problematic. With so many automation software |
| your files to the new server; you are just | | | | packages available, it has now become easier to |
| repeating the same procedure that you've done in | | | | switch over your web site from old host to new |
| the past when you uploaded your files for the | | | | host. If both hosting providers have the same |
| very first time. | | | | operation system platform, the procedure will |
| Only a few more steps more and you will be | | | | become even simpler. But remember, the most |
| completely done. Before transferring your DNS | | | | important task in the whole host-changing scenario |
| servers over from your previous host to your | | | | is to find a host that meets your requirements so |
| new one, debug and test the new site from an | | | | that you don't have to go through this entire |
| individual IP number. Check that all the web pages | | | | procedure again in the future. |