How to Migrate Your Website to a New Hosting Provider Without Downtime

Website downtime is a major business risk that can cost businesses a substantial amount of money. A recent study I came across stated that about 67% of businesses report lost revenue due to poor website performance, with website downtime as the biggest culprit. Even short periods of unavailability can lead to missed sales and frustrated customers, causing long-term damage to the business’s reputation. 

I’m Tony John, and I have been working in the software and digital solutions sector for over the last three decades. I began my career as a software developer in 1996 and worked across companies such as Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Home Depot, Bank of America, Sage Stone, and Omnicell. In 2005, I ventured into professional blogging and digital entrepreneurship, founding SpiderWorks, a digital marketing agency in Dubai with a focus on web development and website migrations.

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work with companies and businesses across different industries. And across these projects, I have encountered a wide range of migration challenges, from unexpected downtime and broken links to misconfigured redirections and slow-loading pages. These experiences have shown me how even the tiniest errors in the migration process can impact the overall website performance. 

In this blog, I will guide you through all the aspects involved in migrating a website to a new hosting provider without experiencing downtime. We’ll take a detailed look at what exactly a website hosting migration is, what usually causes website downtimes, and everything related to how to migrate a website safely to a new domain. 

What is Website Hosting Migration?

Website hosting migration is the practice of moving your website from one hosting provider to another by redirecting all its webpages, files, databases and associated services to a new server. The true success of website hosting migration lies in doing it without disrupting the existing website functions and user experience and maintaining SEO performance. 

I have often felt website migration as a stressful process, especially in the case of companies and businesses that cannot afford to stay offline even for a single second. To avoid any mishaps, website hosting migration should be done with careful planning and execution. Some of the important steps I recommend for a successful migration include: 

• Take full backups of all website files, databases, and configurations before starting.
• Testing the website on the new server to ensure everything works correctly.
• Keeping the old host active until the new server is fully ready reduces the risk of downtime.
• Transferring server settings, email accounts, SSL certificates, and any custom configurations.

By following these steps, a website migration can be completed successfully without any disruptions to your website's function.

Types of Website Hosting Migration

White Glove migration and Manual migration are the two main ways you can move your website from one hosting to another. Each type of migration varies and is used as per the need and technical requirements. Let us take a detailed look at both of these types of website hosting migration methods: 

White Glove Migration

White Glove migration involves handing over the entire hosting process to your new provider. This specialist team will handle and manage the migration of files, databases, emails, configuration, and testing. 

Why Choose White Glove Migration?

The following are some of the key reasons to choose White Glove Migration: 

• This migration type is simpler and less error‑prone. It is the ideal choice if you lack any technical expertise.
  
  
• It reduces the risk of downtime as a dedicated team of experts handles file transfer, configuration, and DNS switchover carefully.
  
  
• White Glove migration ensures that not only the website content but also associated services, such as emails, databases, and server settings, are moved correctly.

Manual Migration

In the Manual migration process, you and your in-house technical team will work on handling the move yourselves. This involves managing all the fundamental processes - backing up all website files, databases, configurations, and uploading them to the new host, and updating settings. The final step involves switching DNS so that the traffic goes directly to the new server. 

Why Choose Manual Migration?

While Manual Migration is a more hectic process, it comes with its own benefits: 

• This migration type gives you full control, especially if your website has custom configurations. 
• Migrating yourself can often accelerate the process. You can schedule the migration during off-peak hours or do it overnight. 

Choosing the type of migration to follow depends on your website’s size, complexity, and downtime sensitivity. I have observed that small or medium sites with standard setups often benefit from White Glove migration, as it is a fast and low-risk process. On the other hand, manual migration is more ideal for bigger websites with custom configurations or tight budgets, as it gives full control across all the steps of the process. 

How to Migrate a Website to a New Domain

Over the years, I have worked with a diverse range of businesses and observed firsthand the challenges that can occur during website migrations. Based on these experiences, I have outlined a step-by-step process of moving your website to a new hosting provider without any interruptions or downtime:

1. Sign Up with Your New Hosting Provider

The first step is to create an account with your new hosting provider. Do not cancel your old hosting plan yet, as ending it early may take your website offline and cause downtime. Keep both hosting accounts active so you have enough time to transfer files, databases, and emails safely while maintaining uninterrupted access for your visitors.

2. Back Up All Website Files

Before beginning the migration, take a complete backup of your website’s files from the old hosting provider. Use FTP to download all content while retaining the folder structure. Then connect to your new host via FTP and upload everything exactly as it was. Maintaining the same structure helps ensure smooth continuity without downtime once the migration is complete.

3. Back Up and Transfer Databases

Next, back up any databases from your old hosting environment and upload them to the new server. Tools like phpMyAdmin or SSH are ideal for exporting and importing databases. After the transfer, restore the original databases on the new host. Double-check database connections and encryption settings — this is a commonly overlooked but crucial step.

4. Archive Emails

Email accounts do not typically transfer automatically. To preserve old messages, connect via POP3 and download them to your local system. These emails will remain archived locally, while the new host will begin receiving new messages once DNS changes take effect. Configure the new hosting provider to handle email services after the DNS update.

5. Update Your DNS Settings

When all website components are transferred, update your domain’s DNS to point to the new hosting provider. Ask your new host for the correct nameservers. Update these settings through your domain registrar. DNS propagation may take up to 48 hours, so keep your old hosting active until this process is fully completed.

6. Wait for DNS Propagation

After updating the DNS, allow up to 48 hours for global propagation. During this time, your website may load from either the old or new host. Once propagation is complete, all traffic will route to the new server. Test your website thoroughly during this period to ensure all functions work as expected.

7. Cancel Hosting with the Old Provider

Once you confirm that your website is fully functional on the new host and DNS updates are complete, you can safely cancel the old hosting service. Ensure you do not cancel your domain registration if the domain is still managed by the old host — only terminate the hosting plan. This final step completes the migration without risking downtime.

What Causes Website Downtime?

Before we answer what causes website downtime, let’s first talk about why you might need to migrate your website. Websites often need to be migrated to improve performance, add new features, increase security or simply switch to a more reliable hosting provider. The main goal is to conduct hosting migration without any downtime. 

Some of the common factors that lead to unexpected website downtime that I have experienced are as follows: 

• Cyber-attacks: Hackers can target your website during migration, causing service interruptions.
  
  
• Hardware or software failures: Outdated or faulty servers, software bugs, or misconfigured settings can disrupt access.
  
  
• Server-side problems: Overloaded or poorly maintained servers may fail under migration load.
  
  
• DNS issues: Incorrect or delayed updates to DNS settings can prevent visitors from reaching your site.
  
  
• DDoS attacks: Malicious traffic can overwhelm your servers during critical migration steps.
  
  
• Low-quality hosting: Substandard hosting providers can slow down your migration and increase downtime risk.

With proper planning, careful selection of a reliable hosting provider, and keeping proper backups, you can minimize downtime.

Read our blog on: Benefits of Hiring a Website Maintenance Agency

Get Professional Hosting and Migration Support in Dubai at SpiderWorks

While tools and guides can help you in migrating your website to a new hosting provider, the chances of unexpected downtime remain high if the process isn’t executed with care. Even simple and obvious issues, such as a corrupted backup or incorrect DNS updates, can temporarily take your website offline. 

With over two decades of experience in crafting digital solutions and web development, SpiderWorks understands the need for a stable, well-planned migration is critical for business continuity. That’s why our team of web developers offers comprehensive web hosting services in Dubai. As the leader in the web development industry, throughout the website hosting migration journey, we focus on safeguarding your data, maintaining SEO integrity, and keeping your website active without compromising its functions. 

If you are planning to move your website to a new hosting environment, trust SpiderWorks for our expertise in the sector. Contact us today to schedule a meeting with our team or to check for a free quote!