Migrating to a new server or website is never a fun or easy process. During data migration, there are numerous problems that can arise, which can include a migration failure or error that could lead to you losing important data. Migrating to a new server or website will require at least a small amount of downtime while you wait for the migration to be completed.
There are any number of reasons why you may want your company to switch to a new server or website. For instance, you may want to migrate to a server that provides you with higher performance. It's also possible that recent business growth could require a better website or server to meet greater demand. Whatever the reason, you'll want to do what you can to reduce the possibility of a problem developing during migration.
Develop a Comprehensive Migration Plan
The best way to mitigate the possibility of errors during migration is to develop a comprehensive migration plan. Part of this plan should be to use a dedicated server as your new server, which will provide you with the highest level of performance and security. According to Liquid Web, the speed of a dedicated server is "consistently greater than that of other platforms,” which can help you obtain higher rankings for your website. Liquid Web has extensive knowledge and expertise when it comes to web servers and the needs of site owners.
Many companies focus solely on what constitutes a successful migration without actually planning for what the process will involve. Identify which data will be transferred as well as the individual who will be in charge of the migration process. You should also determine which employee will need to change the DNS and which one will be required to test the data that has been migrated. It's also very important that you select someone to make a backup for the data, which will keep your data protected in the event that migration fails. If you know who is responsible for every facet of server or website migration, the process should go smoothly.
Develop Your Plan B Backup Plan
It's recommended that you always have some kind of backup plan before migrating company data. Take note of how long your server can run if the migration fails. An off-site backup should also be created. In the event that migration fails, the backup that you create can be restored in an instant. If your data is fully protected, you should be relatively stress-free while the migration process is occurring.
Outline Milestone You Need to Hit to Stick to the Migration Plan
No migration plan is complete without milestones. These milestones will allow you to determine how well the site or server migration is progressing. Make sure that you set a start date as well as an estimated completion date. You should know how long the testing will take as well. Additional milestones can include data synchronization and changing the DNS.
Transfer Data
Once you've created an extensive migration plan, it's time to start transferring the data. It will take time to transfer all of your databases, content, and web apps over to a new server. However, it's important that you never rush through this process. A single line of incorrect or missing code could lead to your website or application not working properly once the migration is finished. Keep in mind that not all applications will need to be copied and transferred. For instance, you don't need to copy applications that are already included on your new server. Once your applications have been transferred, consider upgrading them to their latest version.
Synchronize Data Between Servers
Data synchronization is essential to make sure that nothing is lost between your old server and the new one. It's possible that new data appeared on your old server while the migration was ongoing, which can include orders on an eCommerce site or comments on a blog. Once the migration is finished, it's important that you re-sync this data to make sure that no information is lost in the transition.
Test, Test, Test
It's now time for you to test the final results of your migration. You need to examine every facet of your new website or server to make sure that everything is running accordingly and that no data has been lost. Make sure that you log every error you come across. You might also want to test the website on a variety of devices. In order for a migration to be wholly successful, minor problems will need to be detected and fixed before you take the website online.
Now that you understand what server and website migration entails as well as the steps you can take to avoid errors, you should be fully prepared for migrating company data to a new website or server.
