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Changing from one web hosting provider to another can cause downtime if you do not have the necessary skills and experience. Here is a step by step guide to help you make a transfer without any downtime.

Step 1: Back up all your files.

This must always be your first step. Before you do anything else, backup all your files from the old server. Back up your text files, image files, and database. This may take several hours, depending on the size of your website.

Use FTP to transfer all files to your local hard drive. For databases, you may need to use a third party software, or you can use PhpMyAdmin. PhpMyAdmin is available within your Cpanel control panel.

Step 2: Upload all files to the new server.

Once you have backed up everything, upload all files to the new server. Make sure the directory structure is correct. For example, if “www” is the root folder, all files that belong to the root folder must be uploaded correctly to that folder. Otherwise, you may encounter lots of errors when you migrate your website. Use your database software to upload the database as well.

Step 3: Add email accounts to your new server.

Log in to your control panel, and add your existing email accounts. When your new site is ready, your POP email accounts should be working as well.

Step 4: Test your mirror site.

You have just created a mirror site for your existing site. Use a temporary URL to test the site to ensure that everything is working correctly. Are you able to connect to the database? Are the links and images displaying correctly? If everything has been tested to work fine, it’s now time to make changes to the DNS.

Step 5: Changing the DNS.

The moment you change your DNS, you are instructing the registrars that you are changing web hosting providers. Your top level domain name will then point to the domain name servers. Go to your registrar, and update your DNS servers. There must be at least 2 domain name servers. Once the DNS has been updated, it takes a few hours for the changes to take place.

Some webmasters make the mistake of changing the DNS first. This is a mistake. When you change the DNS, the site starts to migrate. Some of your visitors may be unable to access your site because the new site is not ready yet. In other words, making changes to the DNS before the new site is ready can cause unwanted downtime.

Step 6: Wait 48 hours for the changes to take place.

Usually, the migration happens within hours. Allow up to 48 hours for the DNS updates to be completed. You can see that the transfer has been completed by using a WHOIS domain tool. The new name servers will be reflected when you make a search for your top level domain. Finally, check to see that your email accounts are working correctly.

The web hosting industry is incredibly competitive today, and they know that users are becoming increasingly sophisticated, so they have no choice but to provide their clients with better and better service, or else risk losing them to any one of the waiting pack of others. We are going to discuss some of most important features below, and explain briefly why they should be major factors in making your decision.

1)Type of website to be hosted

If it is personal and just for fun, there are many free hosting options available for you, with a few small catches. You will most likely have to display some banner advertising on your page in exchange for this service. If your site is business-related, then you should by all means find a good commercial host. You should also have your own domain name and IP address. Free accounts are not for anyone even half serious about doing business on the web.

2)Affordable Price

The cost of web hosting ranges anywhere from totally free to thousands of dollars a month for a dedicated server, depending on the features you need and the options available on the particular package you choose, check if there is a requirement to sign up for a minimum period; and if your package is scalable, meaning that upgrades will not be a problem or burden for you when the time comes.

3)Choosing the Platform: Linux or Microsoft Exchange

The choice depends on what kind of website you have and what you need to be served, if you’re putting up a basic site with standard HTML, without any server side scripting or database support. For most people just starting out, a Linux server is fine; but if you plan to use databases or ASP on your site, then you should go with Microsoft Exchange.

4)Space and traffic requirements

Space and traffic are often the basis for many web hosts rates, whether or not this has any basis in reality. I say this because the majority of sites require only a few megabytes (MBs) of space and the amount of traffic they will receive is rarely an issue.

5)Bundled email accounts

This is an often underrated feature of web hosting packages, since emails are essentially the lifeblood of an online business. Be sure that your package contains enough emails and aliases for your business, preferably an unlimited number of both. Be careful from the start and choose a package that meets your needs.

6)24/7 customer support

Many Web Hosts offer both email and phone support while others are available only via email. A competent host should offer 24/7 toll-free technical support provided by experienced, professionally trained technicians.

7)Maximum Up-time

Many companies will say they’re up 99.9% of the time when the reality may be quite different. Look into this as much as possible and again, check with as many references as possible to find out their experiences.

In the end, choosing the right Web Host really depends on your individual needs. Subsequently, what may constitute the perfect Web Host for one person may not meet the needs of another. It is up to you to decide, through a combination of logic, research skills, and a dash of intuition.