Migration day checklist

What to verify before the switch, during it and in the week after.

Before

• TTL lowered to 300 seconds at least 24 hours ahead.
• The copy tested on the temporary address: home, an inner page, search, a form, the checkout.
• Email records written down, whether or not email is moving.
• Somebody available for two hours after the switch.

During

• Final sync of files and database.
• DNS changed, and the change confirmed against an authoritative nameserver.
• Certificate confirmed active on the new host.
• A test order or test form submission placed end to end.

After

• Search Console and analytics still receiving data.
• Redirects from old URLs working, if the structure changed.
• Scheduled jobs running on the new host.
• TTL raised back to 3600 once traffic has settled.
• Old hosting cancelled — after two weeks, not on the day.