November 21, 2024
Migrating a Magento website to a new hosting provider can significantly impact your store’s performance. When you partner with the right Magento hosting provider, you unlock improvements in speed, security, and scalability. This guide covers each essential step to ensure a smooth transition. Many hosting providers also offer free migration services to make the process even easier.
Magento migration is the process of moving your Magento website from one hosting provider to another. This transition can be complex, requiring careful planning and execution to ensure your store remains accessible and fully functional throughout the migration process.
Whether you’re seeking to upgrade your hosting, switch to a more reliable hosting provider, or take advantage of enhanced features, understanding the Magento migration process is essential for a smooth transition.
By preparing properly and choosing the right hosting environment, you can minimize downtime and avoid potential disruptions to your business. Migrating your Magento website is ensuring your business continues to thrive on a new hosting platform that supports your growth and performance needs.
Whether you’re seeking to upgrade your hosting, switch to a more reliable hosting provider, or take advantage of enhanced features, understanding the Magento migration process is essential for a smooth transition.
By preparing properly and choosing the right hosting environment, you can minimize downtime and avoid potential disruptions to your business. Migrating your Magento website is ensuring your business continues to thrive on a new hosting platform that supports your growth and performance needs.
First of all, performance is about consistency. A dedicated Magento hosting platform uses caching mechanisms and content delivery networks (CDNs) to serve New York shoppers as swiftly as Tokyo visitors. When your hosting supports Magento, your store stops fighting infrastructure limitations and starts growing.
Many store owners postpone moving their Magento sites until a crisis hits—a Black Friday crash or security breach. However, frequent downtime with your current host or hosting company can severely impact your store’s availability, resulting in lost sales and damaging your brand reputation. Users on shared hosting plans may experience more frequent downtime and performance issues, which often prompts them to consider migrating to a more reliable solution. But downtime lost sales and eroded customer trust. When pages timeout during checkout, shoppers abandon your brand.
Proactive migration to a robust Magento hosting provider prevents these invisible revenue leaks. Think of it as insurance against reputation damage that no plugin can fix.
Many store owners postpone moving their Magento sites until a crisis hits—a Black Friday crash or security breach. However, frequent downtime with your current host or hosting company can severely impact your store’s availability, resulting in lost sales and damaging your brand reputation. Users on shared hosting plans may experience more frequent downtime and performance issues, which often prompts them to consider migrating to a more reliable solution. But downtime lost sales and eroded customer trust. When pages timeout during checkout, shoppers abandon your brand.
Proactive migration to a robust Magento hosting provider prevents these invisible revenue leaks. Think of it as insurance against reputation damage that no plugin can fix.
Upgrading to a high-performance hosting provider can solve issues like sluggish loading times, boosting user satisfaction and conversion rates. Enhanced RAM, CPU, and storage resources contribute to faster processing times.
Top-tier hosting providers offer advanced security measures, including firewalls, DDoS protection, and malware scanning. For online stores, safeguarding customer data is paramount, and migrating to a more secure environment mitigates data breach risks.
As your business grows, so does the demand for more resources. High-performance providers can support increased traffic and transaction volumes seamlessly, avoiding the slowdowns and crashes associated with resource limitations.
Migrating to a reliable hosting provider with high uptime guarantees ensures your store stays available to customers. Managed hosting solutions often include 24/7 support to help with any server-related issues.
When evaluating Magento hosting plans, the term “managed” varies wildly. Magento-specific management includes: optimizing php.ini for your product catalog size, configuring Varnish cache rules for your theme, and patching zero-day vulnerabilities before they hit Magento security bulletins. Generic hosts might update PHP; expert Magento hosting providers audit your env.php for cache collisions after updates. Always ask: “Show me a ticket where you fixed a Magento FPC issue.”
It is crucial to select a new Magento host that is specifically optimized for performance and reliability, as this can significantly impact your store's success and help avoid migration issues.
Consider the following factors when selecting hosting for Magento:
It is crucial to select a new Magento host that is specifically optimized for performance and reliability, as this can significantly impact your store's success and help avoid migration issues.
Consider the following factors when selecting hosting for Magento:
The host should support PHP 8.2 or higher, along with MySQL or MariaDB. Optimized hosting packages specifically for Magento, including features like SSD storage and CDN integration, improve load times. Learn more about Content Delivery Network.
Choose a provider with flexible scalability options, allowing you to upgrade resources without downtime.
Look for hosts with built-in security layers: SSL certificates, firewall protection, and malware scanning. Learn more about Security guarantees.
With Magento’s complexities, 24/7 technical support is essential, particularly for real-time troubleshooting during high-traffic periods.
Migrating a Magento store is a delicate process. Here are the preliminary steps:
- Create a Full Backup. Before starting the migration, create a complete backup of your Magento shop, including all files and databases. Make sure to save these backup files to your local device for safekeeping and easy restoration if needed.
- Check System Requirements. Ensure your new hosting environment meets all Magento requirements.
- Update Magento. Make sure your Magento installation is up to date.
- Disable Cache. Disable the cache from the Magento dashboard to prevent issues during migration.
- Notify Users. Inform your customers and staff about the planned migration and possible downtime.
Review Hosting Environment Requirements
Check the PHP version, MySQL database support, and operating system. Opt for Linux, Apache, Nginx, MySQL, and PHP (LAMP) stacks as they provide stable environments for Magento.
Check Hosting Resources
Assess your current resource usage, including CPU, RAM, and storage, to ensure the new server can handle your store’s needs.
Update Magento and Extensions
Before migrating, make sure Magento and any extensions are up-to-date. Outdated versions can lead to compatibility issues.
Disable Caching
Clear your Magento cache and disable cache management in the backend to prevent potential issues during data migration.
The first step in any successful Magento migration is setting up your new hosting account. Start by selecting a hosting provider that specializes in Magento stores and offers the technical capabilities your online store requires, such as the correct PHP version, robust database support, and scalable hosting resources. A Magento-optimized hosting environment ensures your store runs efficiently and can handle future growth.
Once you’ve chosen your new hosting provider, configure your new hosting account according to Magento’s best practices. This includes setting the appropriate PHP settings, creating a new database, and ensuring your web server is properly configured. Taking the time to set up your new hosting account correctly lays the foundation for a smooth migration process and reliable store performance.
Once you’ve chosen your new hosting provider, configure your new hosting account according to Magento’s best practices. This includes setting the appropriate PHP settings, creating a new database, and ensuring your web server is properly configured. Taking the time to set up your new hosting account correctly lays the foundation for a smooth migration process and reliable store performance.
So, before migrating production Magento sites, use staging to:
Now let’s move to backing up your site:
- Simulate traffic spikes with loader.io
- Test extension compatibility with PHP 8.2 or higher
- Break things safely (e.g., what happens if Redis connection drops?) A sophisticated Magento hosting provider offers isolated, production-mirrored staging environments. This prevents “But it worked in dev!” disasters during cutover.
Now let’s move to backing up your site:
- Create a Full Backup
In phpMyAdmin, select your Magento database, then click on the export tab to export the database file. Save the exported database file to your local device for safekeeping. For a more robust approach, particularly if phpMyAdmin isn’t available, consider using SSH access and the mysqldump command to back up your database directly from the server.
- Clone Your Store
- Sync Database and Files
- Transfer Custom Configurations
Transferring Magento Files
Transferring your Magento files is a vital part of the migration process.
Begin by creating a backup of all the files from your old server, but exclude directories such as var/cache, var/session, and var/report to keep your backup files lean and efficient. Use FTP, SSH, or the file manager in your hosting control panel to move all the files to your new server.
After transferring, make sure to set the correct file permissions so your store can function properly in its new environment.
Don’t forget to update the database details in your app/etc/local.xml file to match your new database settings. This ensures you can connect to the new database and operate without interruption.
Begin by creating a backup of all the files from your old server, but exclude directories such as var/cache, var/session, and var/report to keep your backup files lean and efficient. Use FTP, SSH, or the file manager in your hosting control panel to move all the files to your new server.
After transferring, make sure to set the correct file permissions so your store can function properly in its new environment.
Don’t forget to update the database details in your app/etc/local.xml file to match your new database settings. This ensures you can connect to the new database and operate without interruption.
Updating Database Details
Once the files are in place, updating your database details is the next step.
Start by creating a database dump of your Magento database on the old server using phpMyAdmin or the mysqldump command.
Transfer this database dump to your new server and import it into the new database using phpMyAdmin or the mysql command-line tool.
After importing, update the database settings in your app/etc/local.xml file to reflect the new database name, username, and password.
If you’re migrating to an entirely new domain name or path, be sure to update the URLs in the core_config_data table so your store points to the correct location. This step ensures the migration is complete and your store is ready to function on the new hosting environment.
Start by creating a database dump of your Magento database on the old server using phpMyAdmin or the mysqldump command.
Transfer this database dump to your new server and import it into the new database using phpMyAdmin or the mysql command-line tool.
After importing, update the database settings in your app/etc/local.xml file to reflect the new database name, username, and password.
If you’re migrating to an entirely new domain name or path, be sure to update the URLs in the core_config_data table so your store points to the correct location. This step ensures the migration is complete and your store is ready to function on the new hosting environment.
- Run Compatibility Tests
- Review Database Connections
- Test Extensions and Integrations
- Resolve Common Migration Issues
Even updated extensions can sabotage migrations. Common culprits:
- Custom shipping modules that hardcode database IPs
- Legacy themes with overridden controllers not calling parent methods
- "Helper" scripts writing to /var with wrong permissions
- Before migrating, run n98-magerun2 sys:check to flag extension conflicts.
Your store’s live on the new host? The work’s just beginning.
Update your DNS settings to direct traffic to your new server—keep in mind that DNS propagation can take 24-48 hours.
Once the DNS changes are in effect, test your Magento store to confirm that all pages load correctly, the checkout process works smoothly, and there are no issues with your files and database. If you encounter any problems, review your logs, consult Magento documentation, or reach out for expert support from your hosting provider.
After your Magento store is live on the new hosting, continue to monitor its performance and keep regular backups of your Magento files and database. This approach ensures your store remains secure, stable, and ready to serve your customers without interruption.
Update your DNS settings to direct traffic to your new server—keep in mind that DNS propagation can take 24-48 hours.
Once the DNS changes are in effect, test your Magento store to confirm that all pages load correctly, the checkout process works smoothly, and there are no issues with your files and database. If you encounter any problems, review your logs, consult Magento documentation, or reach out for expert support from your hosting provider.
After your Magento store is live on the new hosting, continue to monitor its performance and keep regular backups of your Magento files and database. This approach ensures your store remains secure, stable, and ready to serve your customers without interruption.
- Configuring Cache and Indexing
- Optimizing Performance
- Updating DNS Records
DNS changes can unravel silently. Email delivery fails because MX records were overlooked. CDN assets break when CNAMEs point to old paths. Smart migration includes:
- Auditing all DNS records (SPF, TXT, subdomains)
- Using dig command to validate propagation
- Keeping old hosting active for 72h as fallback Expert Magento hosting providers monitor DNS globally via tools like GTM to catch regional failures before customers do.
- Resolving Issues with Magento Cache Files
The first 72 hours post-migration reveal hidden bugs. Monitor:
- Order confirmations. Are transactional emails triggering?
- Cron ghosts. Did scheduled jobs survive the move?
- Payment quirks. Does PayPal still capture auths? Set up canary orders—test purchases with fake coupons—to verify workflows. Reliable Magento hosting plans include New Relic integrations that alert when checkout conversion rates dip abnormally.
- Choose a Maintenance Window
- Use a Data Migration Tool
- Document Every Step
- Communicate with Your Customers
- Implement Security Protocols
Migrating your Magento website to Scalesta can greatly improve your store’s performance, security, and scalability—at no cost. Scalesta’s dedicated migration team handles the transition from start to finish, ensuring a seamless experience with minimal downtime.
How long does a Magento migration take?
A typical migration takes a few hours to a day, depending on the store's size and complexity. Testing and troubleshooting may extend this timeline.
Do I need to back up my store before migration?
Yes, a full backup is essential to protect your data if issues arise during migration.
What if my Magento version is outdated?
Consider updating before migrating, as older versions may have compatibility issues with modern hosting environments.
Can I perform Magento migration myself?
While possible, using a professional migration service minimizes risks and ensures data accuracy.
How will migration impact my SEO?
Properly configuring redirects, preserving URLs, and managing caching prevent significant SEO impacts during migration.
A typical migration takes a few hours to a day, depending on the store's size and complexity. Testing and troubleshooting may extend this timeline.
Do I need to back up my store before migration?
Yes, a full backup is essential to protect your data if issues arise during migration.
What if my Magento version is outdated?
Consider updating before migrating, as older versions may have compatibility issues with modern hosting environments.
Can I perform Magento migration myself?
While possible, using a professional migration service minimizes risks and ensures data accuracy.
How will migration impact my SEO?
Properly configuring redirects, preserving URLs, and managing caching prevent significant SEO impacts during migration.
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