The Staged Migration Approach: Zero Downtime
A direct cut-over migration — turn off shared hosting, turn on VPS — creates unavoidable downtime during DNS propagation (30 minutes to 48 hours). A staged migration approach eliminates this by running both environments in parallel until the new VPS is verified, then switching DNS. Visitors experience no interruption.
The Complete Migration Process
Step 1 — Provision and Configure the New VPS (2–4 Hours)
Set up the VPS with: web server (Nginx or Apache), PHP (latest stable version), MySQL or MariaDB database server, and SSL certificate. For WordPress sites: install WordPress, configure the database, and set up caching (Redis or file-based). This environment should mirror the shared hosting setup as closely as possible.
Step 2 — Copy Files and Database (1–2 Hours)
Export the website database from shared hosting using phpMyAdmin or a MySQL dump. Copy all website files (WordPress core, plugins, themes, uploads) via FTP or direct file download. Import the database to the new VPS. Update the WordPress config file to point to the new database credentials.
Step 3 — Test on New VPS Before DNS Change
Edit your local hosts file to point your domain to the new VPS IP — your computer accesses the new server while the rest of the world still uses shared hosting. Test everything thoroughly: all pages load correctly, contact forms work, images display, admin access works, all plugins function.
This is the critical step that enables zero-downtime migration — nothing changes for visitors until you are confident the new server works perfectly.
Step 4 — Reduce DNS TTL (24 Hours Before Switch)
DNS records have a Time-to-Live (TTL) that determines how long DNS caches are kept across the internet. Lower the TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes) at least 24 hours before you plan to switch. When you change the DNS record, the new IP propagates within 5 minutes rather than 24–48 hours.
Step 5 — Switch DNS
Update the A record for your domain to point to the new VPS IP address. With a low TTL, propagation completes within minutes globally. The website is now served from the new VPS for all visitors.
Step 6 — Keep Shared Hosting for 48 Hours
Retain the shared hosting account for 48 hours after DNS switch as a fallback. If any issue is discovered, you can revert DNS back to shared hosting within minutes. After 48 hours of smooth operation on the new VPS, the shared hosting can be safely decommissioned.
Common Issues to Check Before Switching DNS
| Check | What to Verify |
|---|---|
| Homepage loads correctly | All elements visible, no broken images, correct content |
| Contact form works | Submit a test enquiry and verify receipt |
| Admin login works | WordPress admin accessible with existing credentials |
| SSL certificate valid | HTTPS shows green padlock, no certificate errors |
| All plugins functioning | Check critical plugins (SEO, caching, forms, e-commerce) |
| Email working | Contact form submissions send successfully |
| Mobile version correct | Test on mobile device or browser mobile mode |
Frequently Asked Questions
M A Global Network's team can assist with website migrations from shared hosting to VPS as part of onboarding. Contact the team with details about your current website (hosting provider, website type — WordPress, custom PHP, etc.) and target setup. Most standard WordPress migrations are handled by the team as part of VPS provisioning.
With TTL reduced to 300 seconds in advance: most visitors see the new server within 5–10 minutes of the DNS change. Some visitors with older cached DNS may continue seeing the old shared hosting server for up to 48 hours. Since both servers run the same website content, these visitors see correct content from the old server — there is no visible "downtime" for them either.
Move to VPS — Zero Downtime, Better Performance
M A Global Network assists with website migrations to VPS as part of onboarding. Contact us to discuss your setup.