The Top 5 Common Migration Questions

A Migration FAQ

Is There a Cost?

In most cases, Linux migrations, which can be performed by our internal migration team, are included at no cost with your Fully Managed support. Fully supported migrations include cPanel to cPanel or Plesk to Plesk migrations with root access on both servers.

What if I Don't Use cPanel or Plesk?

Some other types of migrations fall under our "beyond scope support" umbrella and may have a more limited scope, meaning we may not have access to or be able to collect certain information related to your site. We will discuss with you the breadth of migration we are able to offer with your request, based on the specific circumstances and any special considerations related to your servers.

In all instances, if you would like additional information for your particular case, please open a support request, and we would be happy to discuss your migration.

How Long Does a Migration Take?

The honest answer is that the overall timeframe will vary depending on the complexity of the request and customer engagement. Most migrations can be easily completed within approximately 1-3 weeks, but every migration is different and there are multiple factors involved that can either add to or reduce the amount of time needed to move the data.

What are Some Factors Involved in a Migration?

Server Size and Disk Usage

The amount and type of data involved on the existing account(s) must be considered at the beginning of the process. Once the data is synced over, site testing should be completed. Obviously, a small partition that is partially utilized could require only a few minutes to duplicate. Copying a full, extremely large partition could take a number of hours.

Client Participation

Once the data is initially copied over, the client will need to edit their local computer’s hosts file to test the functionality of the websites on the new server. If any issues are seen, the client should notify the Migration team as soon as possible, so they can respond to any issues you report. They will then work with you to resolve them as quickly as possible.

DNS Changes

We do request to lower the Time To Live (TTL) on the websites early in the migration process (assuming we have access to the DNS records) in an effort to speed up the propagation time. Typically, websites will be visible on the new server within a few hours, but it still can take up to 24-48 hours for DNS changes to fully propagate globally.

Is There a Time Limit on the Migration?

No. There is no time limit on a migration, and the pace is left entirely up to the client. The more active a client is during this process, the quicker the migration is completed. The migrations team will not conclude the process until you have signed off on the sites as they exist on the new server. Once you have completed your evaluation, we then schedule a final sync of the data and if possible, schedule the DNS change over at a time of your choosing.

Have Other Questions?

At Liquid Web, we will do everything we can to assist you through the migration process, and, we’ll do it for free. 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!

Give us a call at 800.580.4985, or open a chat or ticket with us to speak with one of our knowledgeable Solutions or Experienced Hosting advisors to learn how you can take advantage of these techniques today!