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How to move to a new windows web hosting provider with Plesk control panel?

You decided to switch your current web hosting provider, you searched a lot and finally you have signed up with your new windows web hosting company. But you are wondering about your uptime during move; how to keep your web site’s downtime in minimum or even zero?

At least before 1 day starting the transfer of your web site: Login to the Plesk control panel of your current host, and click “Domains” > click “yourdomain.com” > click “DNS Settings” > click “SOA Record”. There you will see the “Default TTL” is (most probably) “1 day” or “86400 Seconds”. Set it to “15 Minutes” or “900 Seconds” then click “Set”.

What we have done above? “Changing the “Time to Live” TTL from 1 day to 15 minutes means that as soon as you change the name servers, it will take affect everywhere within 15 minutes as opposed to 1 day. This will be helpful after moving your web site because you want your web site point to your new server quickly so that file changes, new database records, new emails, etc all reach to your new server and don’t “disappear.”

Wait at least 1 day then login to the Plesk control panel of your “current host”, and click “Domains” > click “yourdomain.com” > click “Backup Manager” > click “Personal FTP Repository Settings” and enter the required information of your “new host” i.e. Server IP, your FTP login credentials etc. Enter “httpdocs” for “Directory for backups…” Then click “OK”. If the connection is not successful, Plesk will let you know.

Then return to “Backup Manager”, click “Backup”, enter a name, select “Personal FTP repository” radio button, select “Domain configuration and content”, and click “Backup”. The duration of backup operation depends on your web site’s volume. After the operation completed; you will see the backup file under “Personal FTP Repository” tab. This means that your zip file has been prepared and transferred to your new server. Preferably, you can download it to your computer by clicking “Floppy Disk” icon at right.

Contact your “new” company’s support and tell them that your web site’s Plesk backup is under “httpdocs” folder and ask them to restore it. Or locate the “backup Manager” of your domain at the new Plesk and click “Upload Files to the Server Repository”, then browse your zip file and upload. After uploaded, you will see the backup file under “Server Repository” tab then click the file name, then choose restoration options and click “Restore”. The great thing here is your web site will be same as before without hard work.

After restoration, browse “NewServerIP/$sitepreview/yourdomain.com” and make sure that your web site is ok. Then login to your domain registrar i.e. www.WinWebDomains.com and change the name servers of your domain to point your new server. Approximately after 15 minutes, your web site traffic will be routed to your new windows web hosting provider.

Why Would You Want to Choose Windows Web Hosting?

Windows web hosting, at the very basic level, is web hosting that has been provided that will operate on the Windows platform.  This type of hosting software is provided by the Microsoft Corporation and it is widely known for its reliability, its user-friendly nature and its affordability.

When weighing the advantages of the Windows XP operating system, you will find that it is known for its ease of use.  You will be given very friendly, very familiar layouts and you will find that it is quite instinctive.   Administering to your site through the Windows server operating is quite simple, and you’ll find that the Windows NT platform is also known for its reliability.  Keep in mind, though that the dependability of any server or platform depends heavily on the technical knowledge that goes into it as well as its maintenance

The Windows XP platform is well known for its scalability and for the fact that it can be acquired for a fairly low price.  With just these resources, you can set up a completely functional internet server in the space of a few hours.

When you are considering windows web hosting service, you need to think about your sites own needs.  For the most part, interactive websites will run on active server pages which will allow scripts to be run on the server prior to the files being transmitted to the client, which are also known as ASPs, or PHP or the programming language known as PERL.

If you prefer ASP, you will find that windows web hosting service is going to be perfect for you.  Access, MS SQL, Windows Media and Virtual Basic scripts are some other Windows-only applications available, and you will get benefits beyond other operating systems in this regard.  You can get your material online and published very quickly.

If you are familiar with Microsoft Windows software, this is the package for you.  You can even get optimization of hard disk space and RAM, which will help remove computer lock-ups when you are loading up web applications.

Should you Choose Windows Web Hosting or UNIX?

Should you opt for Windows web hosting or choose a host that uses one of the many varieties of UNIX operating systems? You can decide by evaluating the differences and similarities between these two web hosting options.

Microsoft developed Windows Server, while UNIX was developed as an “open system.” The UNIX source code is publicly available and free for anyone who wants to use it. Some view UNIX’s open source origins and status as an advantage. It’s free, while Microsoft Windows Server involves a purchase. Thousands of individuals have contributed to the development of UNIX, and it is more frequently updated than Windows Server. On the other hand, UNIX is more complex as a result of being open source.

Windows web hosting supports nearly all Microsoft products. This includes Microsoft FrontPage, Visual Interdev and Microsoft Access. Windows Server also supports Active Server Pages (ASP). This is a popular scripting language that allows you to build dynamic, database-driven web pages.

If you’re planning to build your website yourself, it’s worth considering that most CGI programs (including many free Perl scripts) available online today were developed on UNIX. This means they usually install and operate better under UNIX.

In terms of reliability and security, there are many arguments between Windows web hosting and UNIX supporters. Some claim UNIX operating systems are more stable and faster. Windows is sometimes seen as more insecure due to the fact that it is such a widely used PC operating system. This gives people more time to explore and exploit its flaws. On the other hand, UNIX platforms are the most widely used server types, and it too has been hacked successfully over the years.

In terms of performance there’s not a huge difference between the two server options today. Consider that developers are always working to improve both Windows Server and UNIX. Neither is likely to far out-pace the other in terms of reliability, security or features in the near future. 

These are just a few of the differences and similarities between UNIX and Windows web hosting you may want to consider when deciding between the two operating systems. In many cases, the choice about which operating system a web server is using isn’t really important. It’s mainly consequential only if you require specific features offered only by one or the other, or if you plan to use specific technology that will function better or more appropriately on either UNIX or Windows Server.