Your business is flourishing? It’s great news that means your traffic must be skyrocketing on your website. But since website traffic is growing exponentially, it gets clearer that you need a stronger web hosting server to maintain both perfect functionality and rapid connection.
To satisfy the requirements of your ever-growing project, you can switch from your current VPS to a more advanced hosting solution – dedicated server. Such upgrade will ensure accommodation of your growing needs. However, it’s important to know the nuts and bolts of moving your website from one type of hosting to another. This way, you will avoid possible failures and data loss.
Here are some recommendations for your transfer to dedicated hosting service. Follow these simple practices to ensure smooth work, minimal downtime and safety of information.
1. Order a New Dedicated Server but Don’t Cancel VPS service right away
The first step to make a switch to dedicated server hosting is to order some dedicated server plan that meets your demands and provides enough resources. Don’t hurry to cancel your present VPS plan until you totally finish your switch to a dedicated web server, or you may eventually lose all website data.
2. Check IP for Blacklisting
That’s a point of uttermost importance. Check the IP address rendered to you with your dedicated server plan for blacklisting. A blacklisted IP can get you into a huge trouble down the road: it may block functioning of your website, email and so on, and getting it delisted is a real challenge. If you’re offered a blacklisted IP, refrain from it.
3. Do not make any alterations on your website during the process
While switching from VPS to a dedicated server, don’t change any content on your website, because changes and updates can be lost in the result.
4. Always backup website files & databases
Before moving your files and databases to a new dedicated web hosting server, take backup of every single asset. It’s an easier task than you think: just download website files and store them on your computer or cloud. If you need to backup a database, use third-party software, for instance, PhpMydmin – it should be available in your control panel.
Practice shows that taking backups is a valuable measure since it helps to restore all important files in case of disasters.
5. Install all old web applications before uploading database files
The next step is moving all your files and databases to a new dedicated server. First, login to your dedicated server account with the help of login credentials provided in the welcome mail of your hosting provider.
Ordinary files can be simply uploaded, but when it comes to database files, you need to install web applications you used on your VPS server and then apply PhpMyAdmin to upload the databases
6. Bound your email IDs to new dedicated server prior to switching DNS records
It’s also crucial to have your email IDs hosted on your website address would come along with your new dedicated server. In order to do this, you should add email IDs to your new web hosting server before the switch of DNS records.
Use temporary logic credentials rendered by your hosting provider to access your personal account and then add your email IDs that were applied on your VPS server to the new dedicated server. Experienced web-masters recommend making a “catchall” address so that you wouldn’t lose any emails. Doing so, you ensure safe implementation of all emails during transfer period.
7. Test your website properly
After performing file and email transfer from your old VPS to the new dedicated web hosting server, you should make sure that everything works smoothly. During your test pay particular attention to the images and links, and define whether overall website performance lives up to your expectations.
8. Update DNS
After finishing testing and being satisfied with website functioning, you need to execute the following task: change DNS records to the ones you’ve received on your welcome mail for your dedicated server and from your domain registrar. All in all, DNS records are typically updated within 24-48 hours.
When all above mentioned steps have been completed successfully you can cancel your old VPS account – your website operates perfectly on your new dedicated server. With such practices you prevent possible issues and complications and reach optimal results of the switch.
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