We want to ensure your migration is as smooth as possible. Properly preparing for a migration can improve the completion time and the success of your transfer. We’ve compiled this pre-migration checklist to help you get ready for your move to Liquid Web.

Clarify the Scope of Your Project

First, you need to clearly identify what you are moving. This helps you communicate your needs to our migration specialists.

Determine the scale: Are you moving a single site or an entire server? This helps you decide which plan to choose. (Remember, with a Nexcess plan, you can manage sites directly without needing server administration.)
Identify databases and email: We take extra care with these dynamic services to prevent data loss. Be prepared to pause these services on your old server during the final sync.
Plan for a “Final Sync”: It is difficult to stop serving your website during a move. If you continue to update your site after we begin the migration, just let us know. We will schedule a secondary “final sync” to copy those new changes before you switch your DNS.

Consider Migrating to Premium Business Email

Instead of migrating email to your new server, consider moving to our Premium Business Email service. Hosting your own email is complex. Using a dedicated third-party service is significantly more secure and uses multi-layered systems to block spam and malware in real-time.

Identify any Outside Providers

You likely use services outside of your server, such as DNS hosts or external APIs.

Confirm access to third-party services: Ensure you can log in to your domain registrar, DNS provider, or CDN (like Cloudflare). You will need access to these to point your traffic to the new server.
Check for remote database connections: If your sites connect to a database on a different server, let us know so we can configure the connection on the new server.
Identify external API connections: If your site connects to external services (like a payment gateway or inventory system), check if those providers need to allowlist your new server’s IP address.

Wait to Make DNS Changes

Do not change your DNS records or transfer your domain registration until after the migration is complete and you have verified your site on the new server.

Clean Up Your Data

Moving data takes time. The less data we need to move, the faster your migration will be. Review your current server and delete the following if they are no longer needed:

Unused plugins or themes.
Old, unused websites.
Outdated backups stored locally on the server.
Large, archived email folders.

Selecting Server RAM and Storage

To choose the right server size, check your current resource usage during a peak traffic period (using top or htop).

Storage Requirements: Order a plan with enough space for all your content plus 20-30% extra. We need this extra “breathing room” to unpack and arrange your migrated data.
RAM Rule of Thumb: If your current RAM usage is consistently above 75-80%, you should upgrade. We recommend choosing a new server with at least 25-50% more RAM than your current peak usage to ensure a smooth transition and room for growth.

Address Issues Before You Begin

The migration process creates an exact copy of your site—which means it also copies any existing errors.

Fix existing errors: Resolve any fatal errors, broken plugins, or performance issues on your current site before requesting the migration.
Update your software: You will likely be moving to a newer version of PHP and MySQL. Run all updates for your CMS (WordPress, Joomla, etc.) and plugins on your source server first.

Avoid delay

Waiting to make any of these changes mid-migration can cause delays and/or compatibility problems.

Prepare for a Content Freeze

Once the migration begins, you should avoid making changes to your site. This includes adding new posts, installing plugins, or creating new users.

Changes May Be Lost

If you add a new post or image to your old server after we have migrated the data, that content will not appear on the new server. If you must make changes, please alert our team so we can attempt a re-sync.

Gather Your Credentials

We need access to your source server to move your data. Please gather the following:

Hostname or IP address of the source server.
Root or Administrator login credentials (username and password).
Specific login URLs (if you use a custom login page).

We prefer Root or SSH access, as this allows us to match your environment most accurately. We can migrate using control panel or FTP access, but it limits our ability to configure server-level settings.

Request Your Migration

You are now ready to move! You can start your request by visiting the Migration Center in the my.liquidweb.com portal.

For a deeper look into our migration process, read our articles on How to Request a Site or Server Migration and Expectations For a Site Migration.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

No. We copy your data while your site remains live. The only brief downtime occurs at the very end when you update your DNS to point to the new server, which you can schedule for a low-traffic time.

Yes, we can migrate email accounts stored on your server (cPanel/Plesk). However, we highly recommend switching to our Premium Business Email for better security and reliability.

It depends on the amount of data and the number of sites. Once you submit your request in the Migration Center, our team will review your server and provide an estimated timeline.

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