Website and database migration
Files, database content, uploads, forms, scheduled jobs and application settings are copied and tested on the destination hosting before public DNS is changed.
Website & Domain Migration
Move your website, domain and email in the right order
WEBS Ltd plans and manages website and domain migrations with a clear understanding of hosting, DNS, email, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, redirects and SSL—so one change does not unexpectedly break another live service.
A joined-up migration
A domain is rarely connected to just a website
Changing hosting, moving a website or transferring a domain can look like a single task. In practice, the same domain may also control business email, subdomains, third-party systems, verification records, payment callbacks and other services that are easy to overlook.
WEBS Ltd works across domains, DNS and website hosting, website development and business email. We establish what is live, who controls each part and which records must remain in place before planning the move. That practical dependency mapping is what makes a migration safer.
What can be moved
Website, domain, DNS and email handled as one system
A migration can cover one service or the whole setup. The important point is to understand the boundaries between them before deciding what moves, what stays and what changes at cutover.
Hosting and server changes
The new environment is prepared for the site’s runtime, storage, database, caching and security needs, with the existing host retained until the move is verified.
Domains, nameservers and DNS
Registrar transfers, nameserver changes and individual DNS updates are treated separately. A domain does not have to be transferred simply because its website or DNS hosting is moving.
Google Workspace or Microsoft 365
Existing MX, autodiscover and verification records are preserved unless email is intentionally moving. Where required, mailboxes, aliases, groups and routing are planned as their own migration workstream.
SPF, DKIM and DMARC
Sending services are identified before SPF is changed. DKIM selectors and DMARC policy are checked so website forms, Workspace, Microsoft 365 and approved third parties can continue to send correctly.
Redirects, SSL and tracking
HTTPS certificates, canonical URLs, redirects, analytics and search tooling are checked around launch. If URLs or the domain change, redirect mapping becomes part of the migration rather than an afterthought.
Where migrations go wrong
The risky part is usually the dependency nobody recorded
Repointing an A record may be straightforward. Replacing nameservers without reproducing every existing record can stop email, disconnect a subdomain or remove a verification record. Transferring a domain during the same window adds another variable without necessarily helping the website move.
We separate the moving parts, reduce DNS time-to-live where appropriate, take usable backups and define the order of change. The old service is not cancelled until the new one has been tested from the public internet and the agreed monitoring period is complete.
Commonly missed items
- Contact forms still sending through the old server
- SPF records replaced instead of carefully combined
- DKIM selectors or DMARC records omitted from a new zone
- Subdomains used by portals, apps or remote access
- Hard-coded URLs, licence keys and payment callbacks
- Old URL paths that need permanent redirects
Migration sequence
A controlled move with clear checkpoints
The exact plan depends on the systems involved, but a safe migration normally follows these stages.
Discover
Audit ownership, access, hosting, DNS records, email routing, subdomains and connected services.
Prepare
Build the destination, copy data, reproduce required configuration and lower DNS TTLs where useful.
Test privately
Check pages, forms, logins, checkout, email delivery, certificates and integrations before cutover.
Cut over
Take a final data copy if needed, make the agreed DNS changes and watch both website and mail behaviour.
Verify
Test through public DNS, confirm HTTPS and redirects, check mail authentication and monitor real traffic.
Close safely
Retain the old service for an agreed period, document the new setup and only then cancel what is obsolete.
Related expertise
Support before, during and after the move
Some migrations expose an ageing website, unreliable hosting or an email setup that needs separate work. WEBS Ltd can deal with those connected requirements without losing sight of the live migration.
Common questions
Website and domain migration FAQs
Will moving my website interrupt email?
It should not if the email service is identified and its DNS records are preserved. Website hosting and email hosting are often separate. Problems arise when nameservers are changed and the new DNS zone is missing MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC or verification records used by the existing mail service.
Do I need to transfer the domain to move the website?
No. The registrar, DNS hosting and website hosting are separate roles. The website can usually be moved by changing the relevant DNS records while the domain stays with its current registrar. A transfer can be completed separately if there is a good operational reason for it.
Can the move be completed with no downtime?
Many website moves can be completed with little or no noticeable interruption when the destination is tested first and both environments overlap. Dynamic sites may need a short content freeze or final database synchronisation. We explain that requirement before the cutover rather than promising an unrealistic blanket guarantee.
What if the domain name and website URLs are changing?
That needs a URL-level redirect plan, not just a domain redirect. Important old pages should point to their closest new equivalents using permanent redirects. Canonicals, internal links, analytics and search platform settings also need to be reviewed after launch.
Can you move email between Google Workspace and Microsoft 365?
WEBS Ltd can help scope and manage business email migrations, including users, aliases, groups, data transfer, DNS cutover and authentication. Email migrations are planned separately from the website move so the data and user-change requirements are properly understood.
Ready to talk?
Planning a website, hosting or domain move?
Tell us what is changing and what must stay live. We can review the current setup, identify dependencies and plan the migration in the right sequence.