Website Migration: Hosting and Email Checklist
The most frequently forgotten parts of a hosting change are email boxes, DNS records and scheduled tasks. Prepare a separate checklist for each service to be migrated.
List what to move
Type the main domain, subdomains, additional sites, files, databases, and mailboxes. Also save automated tasks, redirects, and custom PHP settings. If DNS is managed elsewhere, check the relevant account access.
Find out if the current provider offers full account backup and if the new provider accepts this format. If the source and destination panel are different, some parts may need to be transferred separately.
Get a copy of the DNS zone
A and AAAA records can affect web traffic, MX records can affect incoming mail, and TXT records can affect authentication and email policies. If you are changing the nameserver, prepare all necessary records in the target DNS service, not just the web IP.
TTL dropout can make switching easier; however, it does not retroactively affect previously cached records. Making the change at the last minute will not immediately switch every user to the new server.
Test email migration separately from the website
Check the size and folders of existing mailboxes. Email service may remain in place while the website is migrated; In this case, the MX and associated validation records must be preserved. If email is also being migrated, plan for transferring boxes and recent messages.
Send a test email from the new server to the outside and from outside to the new box. Verify client settings, server name and certificate. Deleting old boxes immediately may result in the loss of messages delivered during the migration window.
When to close the old account?
Once files, forms, tasks, and email are verified to be working on the new site, monitor migration traffic. Check if requests or mail are still coming to the old server. Keep the last backup independent of the provider for rollback.
The migration success criterion is not just opening the home page. Quote form, order, password reset and automated tasks should also work. For specific steps of WordPress WordPress transport guide use it.
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