Website migration checklist: files, DNS and email

Make an inventory and plan the change

Record where the domain, DNS zone, website, databases and email are hosted. Include subdomains, redirects, scheduled tasks and external integrations. Check access to both hosting accounts and the domain settings. Keep the old service active until the destination has been verified.

Choose a suitable time and agree who approves the switch. A shop or a site with active accounts needs a plan for orders and changes made after the first copy. A short, coordinated pause in writes may be needed, with appropriate notice.

• Save the current DNS records, including email records.
• Record application, PHP and database versions and required extensions.
• Agree success criteria and when you would return to the old hosting.

Create a backup you can actually recover

Back up the files, database and application configuration. Store a copy separately from the server being moved and check that you can open it or restore it in a test environment. A successful backup notification alone does not prove that every required item is present.

Handle email messages and mailbox settings separately. Copying a website does not automatically move email. Protect archives and credentials during transfer, and never leave a backup in a publicly accessible website directory. Check version compatibility before importing the database.

Test the destination and SSL certificate

Check the website on its new hosting before changing public traffic. Use a preview method appropriate for the application, such as a local hosts file entry or a test environment. Keep the copy out of search results and avoid sending real messages or making real payments during testing.

Test pages, sign-in, forms, images and redirects. Check how the SSL certificate will be issued or installed for each hostname. The certificate on the old server does not move automatically; plan the new certificate validation method before switching DNS.

Change DNS after the checks pass

If useful, lower the TTL sufficiently in advance, accounting for the old value and existing caches. At the agreed time, synchronise new data and update only the required records. Changing nameservers means recreating the complete zone correctly at the new DNS provider.

Preserve MX and email authentication records if email stays with its existing provider. If email is moving too, check MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC with the provider, along with settings in email applications. Do not assume every visitor immediately reaches the new server.

Monitor the move and keep a rollback plan

After switching, check HTTPS, forms, orders, messages and application errors. Compare the destination data with what should be present. Keep the old hosting until validation and the DNS transition are complete, for an interval agreed for the project.

Reverting DNS does not reconcile database differences. If new orders or messages arrived at the destination, decide how to preserve them before rolling back. Once stable, restore normal backups and monitoring, withdraw temporary access and remove test copies that are no longer needed.