The 10 Step Checklist to a Better Migration

10 Tips to a Smooth Migration

Yes, migrations can be complex. But, they can - and often do, go very smoothly. At Liquid Web, we have dedicated migration teams to provide advice and expertise. We are here for you. Working collaboratively with the Liquid Web team will be the most important factor to migrate your data seamlessly.

The Checklist

We have compiled a checklist of ten items that you review to ensure as smooth a migration as possible.

1. Clarify the scope of your project up front. The first step will be to identify the type of migration your organization will need. Are you moving a single site or an entire server? Are databases or email associated with the migration? Will you need a secondary sync before pointing traffic to the new server? Clarifying the scope of the project up front is the first step in a successful migration process. You can provide these details while filling out the migration form.
   
   
2. Identify any outside providers. There may be some changes that need to take place outside of the source or destination servers themselves, such as updating DNS or making changes at your domain registrar. Make sure that you are able to login to these areas to make changes so that the migration can be completed smoothly.
   
   LIQUID WEB TIP:Wait until after your migration is entirely complete before changing registrars to be sure that you will have access to edit DNS zones.
   
   
3. Size Matters. When ordering your new server, be sure that there is enough room for all of your content that will be hosted, including approximately 20% of extra disk space. Migrating content often means that some extra space will be required to unpack the data being moved. You also want to be sure that you have enough room to grow on your new server.
   
   
4. Don’t forget Email. Be sure to let us know if you want to migrate your email as well. Organize the information on your existing email service (e.g. Google apps) and provide it in the migration ticket when making your initial request.
   
   
5. Take out the trash. Moving data can take time, and the less data there is to be moved, the faster the migration can be completed.
   
   LIQUID WEB TIP:Take a look through your site contents and remove anything that is not required on the new server, such as outdated backups or large email folders that you will not be looking at again.
   
   
6. Know your server access level. Allowing the migration team to have the full access to the source server, will allow us to have the ability to match the server environments. Root access is preferred, and user level ssh access can also be used. If not, the migration team should also be able to use cPanel, Plesk, or FTP access in order to move content.
   
   
7. Update your sites before you begin. You’ll likely be moving to a newer version of PHP and MySQL and updating first will make that transition much easier. Making these changes mid-migration can throw a wrench into the works.
   
   
   LIQUID WEB TIP:If you are using a CMS such as WordPress or Joomla, run any missing updates on the site or plugins before you request the migration.
   
   
8. Wait to add new sites. While it is perfectly fine to make normal content changes to your server in the middle of the migration (such as adding new posts, pictures, and pages), adding a new cPanel or Plesk account, or adding entirely new websites mid-migration adds additional complication into the process.
   
   
   LIQUID WEB TIP:Wait a few days until the migration is complete to make these types of changes, to allow time to make any other server tweaks that might be required.
   
   
9. Migrations begin by filling out our form through your Liquid Web account. If you do not have an existing server, one should be ordered prior to starting this process. If you do not have an existing server, an option to order one will be presented.
   
   
10. Additionally, when attempting to select a source server (after a new server is ordered and configured), select the new server from the dropdown menu. If you get a message stating that a source has not been selected, click the button "Add a source" and select the new server from that list.

Get Started Today!

At Liquid Web, we will do everything we can to assist you through the migration process. We provide complimentary migrations for new server orders from cPanel to cPanel or Plesk to Plesk.

Additionally, we are always available to provide free advice and can also offer custom migrations from nearly all other types of hosting and CMS systems. So pick out your new hostingsolution and start your migration today!