Migrating Website From One Server to Another
People had contacted me for website help because GoDaddy has been moving their sites to new web servers.
Since every website is a unique setup, there can be side effects to migrating a website that you can not always anticipate.
These people are running into website problems that they are having a hard time resolving. Whether or not GoDaddy clearly communicated what they were doing, and the steps the customer needs to take to complete the process, I do not know. I am getting involved after the fact when the website is not functioning, and people are in a panic.
Types of Problems
Website issues people are seeing after their website was moved to a new server.
- The website is not loading at all.
- Files are missing after the transfer, and the host does not have the files to replace them.
- The version of PHP was upgraded on the server, and the site was incompatible with the new version. Website code is now showing fatal errors and the site won’t load.
- Website database errors like “Warning: mysql_connect() [function.mysql-connect]: Access denied for user errors…”
These types of issues are not uncommon when migrating a website to a new host. Web servers are not all configured in the same way. Issues like this should be anticipated. The site should be fully tested on the new server before making any DNS updates.
I get the impression that there was no testing on the new server to review these websites before the move was complete.
Several of these websites were quite old. Website code needs to be maintained regularly, like your PC, car or house. If you let things go, eventually, they will come back and bite you.
If your website was recently moved to a new server and are now having problems, contact me to fix the issues quickly to get your website back online and functional.
Lessons Learned
A couple of takeaways from this:
- NEVER depend on your web host to have a good and recent backup of your website code. If you do not have a copy of your website on your local PC or storage device, do this now.
- Review your website code. If you are running open-source or commercial software, check what version you are running. Also, check what updates and security vulnerability patches have been released. Website code, like a program on your computer does need to be updated and maintained.
- Read emails that come from your host. I know that some hosts are relentless with marketing services, and you probably get way too much email from them. (Take a moment and click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of those emails to stop receiving that junk marketing.)
- Consider your web hosting services. Does the speed and quality of the customer service match your current needs? If you have a business website that has been online for a while you may be outgrowing low budget shared hosting and need to consider a higher quality business-level web hosting service.
In conclusion, website migration to new servers can cause unforeseen issues that may disrupt website functionality. It is important for website owners to take proactive steps such as monitoring communication from your host, maintaining website code, and keeping local backups to minimize the impact of any potential issues. Additionally, selecting quality web hosting services that match your business needs can help ensure a smooth transition.
