How to switch hosting.
 

Ok, I have a pretty good understanding of the vbulletin software but this is my first time having a website and I dont know whats involved with switching hosts.Do I just transfer my files from the public html folder to the new one, but does that take care of sql database? Also any tips or suggestions or things I should look out for?

good question, i am considering this too.. sometime next month.

You will (besides transfering files) have to backup and restore you database. Check out vBulletin.com for some pretty good guidelines on doing so. Easiest is when you have SSH access to both old and new host.

I know one thing im looking at is versions of sql and php and im wondering the effects of different versions.

SSH access?

Yeah I wonder that too.. sql, php version will be newer on the new site.. will this create a problem?

Also, will I have to re-apply the patches and mods all over again?


corriewf - SSH access = telnet access.

Does the host you're migrating from have cpanel? If so it should be very easy to accomplish the switch. Using the backup feature of cpanel you can create a full site backup. Then load it into the root directory of the new server. From there they should be able to restore it for you. My cheapa$$ host did it free, so if you are paying anything at all, they should give you some decent support.

If your database is small enough you might be able to use the built-in cpanel remote FTP utility to transfer the full site backup to your new server. That worked for me. Otherwise you have to download and upload unless both sites support site-to-site FTP transfer. I never did get that working through CuteFTP, but I didn't have to cause the cpanel transfer worked. Good thing too because I was about 1.3 gigs at the time.

The only problems you are likely to run across are the server root path potentially changing. Perhaps they can even preserve your local username if you request it. Then you might need to change paths, and the db connection if it changes from localhost or something, but it should be pretty darn painless. There might be an issue with the PHP version as you say but I haven't run into that myself.

It took me about 1/2 hour and I was a first timer. Since then I have done it several times.

Good luck,

Matt

a good hosting company will do the transfer for free ... and it should take a few minutes

you will not have any problems when moving / copying database and/or files to new account

I do agree with princeton :) I've been moving my new clients onto my server for free while I am starting up.

It doesn't take too long, even with out SSH access. But it really speeds things up with it :)