Move to a new host without losing anything
A migration in order, with a way back at every step.
I'm moving a site built with <stack> off <host> to <new host>. Give me a migration plan I can follow in order: 1. What to inventory first: files, databases, scheduled jobs, email, environment settings, DNS records. 2. Setting up and testing the new host before any traffic goes there. How do I preview it on its real domain without switching DNS? 3. Freezing changes so nothing is written to the old host mid-move. 4. The DNS switch, with the TTL lowered a day before. 5. What to check in the first hour after switching. 6. How long to keep the old host running, and how to roll back. Flag anything that commonly gets forgotten.
Email is the thing that gets forgotten. If the old host handled your domain's mailboxes, switching DNS can silently move them somewhere nothing is listening.