Moving hosts sounds risky and mostly is not, provided you do things in the right order. Nearly every migration that goes badly does so for the same reason: the DNS was pointed at a server that was not ready yet. Here is the sequence that avoids it.
Before you touch anything
- Take a full backup of the current site and database, and download a copy somewhere local. Do this even if the host has its own backups.
- Find out where your email actually runs. If it runs on the same hosting, it moves too, and email is the part that hurts most when it breaks. Establish this before anything else.
- Lower your DNS TTL to a short value, ideally a day before the move. TTL controls how long the rest of the internet caches your old server address. Lowering it early means the switch propagates quickly when you make it.
- Note every service using the domain — email, subdomains, any tool that verifies ownership through DNS.
Copy everything to the new host first
Set the site up completely on the new server while the old one is still live and serving visitors. Files, database, email accounts, and any scheduled tasks. Nothing about the public site changes during this stage — visitors carry on hitting the old host and never notice.
Test on the new server before switching
This is the step people skip, and it is the one that makes the whole thing safe. Most hosts give you a way to preview the site on the new server before DNS changes — usually a temporary address, or you can point your own computer at the new server by editing your hosts file. Check the pages load, images appear, forms submit and any login works.
Fix what is broken now, while the live site is still happily running elsewhere.
Then switch the DNS
Update the DNS records to point at the new server. With a low TTL set the day before, most visitors follow within minutes rather than hours. Some will still reach the old server briefly while caches expire, which is precisely why the next step matters.
Keep the old hosting running for a week
Do not cancel immediately. For a short period some traffic still lands on the old server, and if email was involved a few messages may arrive there too. A week of overlap costs one month's hosting at most and removes nearly all the risk from the move. Cancel once you have confirmed nothing is still arriving at the old host.
Watch these three things afterwards
- Email. Send and receive a real message in both directions. This is the most common casualty of a migration.
- Forms. Submit a test enquiry. Forms depend on mail settings that often differ between hosts.
- SSL. Confirm the padlock is present and there is no browser warning on the new server.
What actually causes downtime
Switching DNS before the new server is ready is the usual cause. The others are letting the domain expire in the middle of a move, cancelling the old host too early, and forgetting that email moved with the website. None of these are technically difficult problems — they are sequencing problems.
Where Gotka Technologies fits
You do not have to do any of this yourself. Migration to Gotka cloud hosting is free and handled by our team, including the testing step before anything is switched. Hosting starts at RM17.80/month on LiteSpeed servers with cPanel, free SSL, daily backups and a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
If you are also moving the domain, transfers in are free and it is registered in your name. Gotka Technologies has operated in Malaysia since 2004.
Will my website go down when I change hosting?
It should not, if you copy the site to the new host and test it there before changing any DNS records. Downtime almost always comes from switching DNS to a server that is not ready yet. Lower your DNS TTL a day beforehand, verify the site works on the new server, then switch — and keep the old hosting running for about a week.
What is DNS TTL and why does it matter for a migration?
TTL is how long other systems on the internet cache your domain's server address before checking again. If it is set to a long period, some visitors keep reaching your old server for hours after you switch. Lowering it a day before the move means the change propagates within minutes instead, which shortens the window where visitors could see anything inconsistent.
How long does it take for DNS changes to take effect?
With a low TTL set in advance, usually minutes to about an hour for most visitors. Without that preparation it can take considerably longer, because caches elsewhere hold the old address until they expire. This is why lowering the TTL the day before is worth doing even though it feels like an unnecessary extra step.
What happens to my email when I move hosting?
If your email runs on the same hosting as your website, it moves with it, and this is the part most likely to cause real disruption. Establish where email is handled before you start, make sure mailboxes are recreated on the new server, and test sending and receiving in both directions immediately after the switch.
Should I cancel my old hosting straight away?
No. Keep it running for about a week after the switch. Some visitors and occasionally some email will still reach the old server while caches expire, and having it available means nothing is lost during that window. One extra month of hosting is cheap compared with recovering from an early cancellation.
Can someone else handle the migration for me?
Yes, and for most businesses that is the sensible option. Migration to Gotka is free and handled by our team, including copying the site, recreating email accounts and testing on the new server before any DNS is changed. You confirm the site looks right, and the switch happens once it does.