Switching Hosts?

[Akakios]

Just curious....

If you were to switch hosts, how much of your content might you lose in the process or can it all be backed up in the move and be restored without losing any post counts or content of the forum?

I'm not complaining about my host, however I've had a few server errors ( I know little about server issues honestly) and my host cannot seem to give me an answer as to why it is occurring. I use a different host for content on my forum and I like their cPanel much better. I've thought of switching, but only if necessary.

Thanks in advance!

[Mike54]

Switching hosts isn't a problem. It's a matter of backing everything up and then copying the back-up over to the new server.

[Joeychgo]

Some hosts will even help you do the transfer. Ask your new host for help.

[Peggy]

yep. My current host moved everything over for me, free of charge.

[Akakios]

yep. My current host moved everything over for me, free of charge.

WOW really? What host are you using Peggy if you don't mind me asking? I assume you're happy with them right?

[Peggy]

I'm very happy with them. Knownhost (http://www.knownhost.com/affiliate/idevaffiliate.php?id=272). They have regular shared webhosting as well as VPS and dedicated.

But they aren't the only host that'll move your site for you. Many will.

[calchip]

If you're having intermittent weirdness, it would help to know what sort of errors you're getting. If your forum has been around for a while, you might just have some database corruption in your MySQL tables, which a knowledgable person can pretty easily fix with a rebuild. (doesn't take very long, typically.)

Of course, the errors can be from other things.. server issues, overloaded server, etc.

I manage a couple of pretty active VBulletin boards (200K to 300K messages each) and also run a "boutique" hosting company (small, with specialized services for small business, run out of a rock solid reliable data center) that hosts a couple of other VBulletin and other community-based sites. My experience is that a lot of the time, if the server you're on isn't overloaded and security patches are up-to-date, checking your database will often make weird intermittent problems go away.

[kotq8]

Thank you

[vBGuru]

Hi,
Migrating data is quite straight forward, and if you are unsure always ask your new host, most will do it for free since they want your business, so it's makes perfect sense for them to do it for you. Besides hosts will move your data far quicker than most individuals can, unless they have full access to SSH.

I was with KnownHost a number of years ago, I only lasted a week with them due to the requirements I wanted was not available at the time.

Now, I have also been with large hosting companies like LiquidWeb, but after nearly a year they done something to my VPS package without informing me, needless to say I moved on again.

These days, I use only URLJet (http://www.urljet.com), this is one company that is unlike any other when your running a vBulletin powered forum, eventhough lately there have been talk that they increase managing to IPB and XenForo. Quite simply put, you definately get what you pay for with them - unlike most hosts URLJet go further with vBulletin than your standard hosting companies. I have been with them nearly a year, never had a single issue with the VPS I have, I could have done the initial migration myself, but instead I asked them because I was busy at the time - no problem, they moved my forums with no issues.

Most hosting providers only provide you with limited support for scripts, with only a few actually supplying you with fully managed vBulletin hosting, they will install and even upgrade your forum free of charge, and even add modifications, if you combine all this with the amazing speed of their servers which do not run Apache, but LiteSpeed server software and hourly backups then you have a hosting company that looks after your vBulletin in everyway possible. I still make database backups, eventhough there are hourly backups done - I just find it quicker to move data around using SSH. They offer shared, VPS and dedicated should you need it.

P.S. - Sorry, if this looks like I am advertising, I am not - I have been meaning to join vBFAQ for over a year but always become side-tracked by other work! Story of my life.