Changing web hosts is always a pain.

Even if you just run a basic blog using WordPress or MovableType, you have to first copy all of your files, move your database(s), check to make sure your permissions are ok, check your account settings, edit your host file, test the new site out and then point the DNS servers to your new domain.

It’s a long, time-consuming process that can take hours for even the most basic transfer.

However, if you use WHM and Cpanel, you can take out a lot of the steps. WHM supports what it calls “Transfers” or “Account Copies” that allow you to move the entire contents of a CPanel account, including the files, databases and settings, over to the new server with just your username, password and old site’s IP address. Even better. if you have multiple accounts on another WHM set up, you can import multiple accounts at once.

But even if you don’t have root access to your CPanel account, (IE: No WHM access), you can still use CPanel to transfer your site from one server to another, the process is just a bit more manual.

Either way though, you get to cut out a lot of the painful steps that make moving hosts such a nightmare to begin with and it is a method well worth knowing and being aware of.

With WHM and Root Access

If you have root access and can log into your own WHM panel, there is a “Transfers” section in the left hand side of the screen. It provides several ways to move the account over including “Copy an account from another server”, “Copy an account from another server with account password” and “Copy multiple accounts/packages from another server”.

The simplest way is the second option as it only requires you to provide the IP address of the server, the domain name, the username and the password to make it work. However, to do this you need to know the actual CPanel password for that account, something you might not have if you are just an administrator. In those cases, you will have to use the first option. To do that, you will need to know the root login at the other server, the account name you wish to transfer and SSH access.

If you need to move multiple files, the third option is preferable and will have the same requirements as the first but you will not need to know the account name(s) you are transferring.

Once you put in your information, WHM should do the rest, essentially logging in as you at the old server and begin moving the files, databases and settings over. Be warned though that this process can take a very long time, many hours or even days depending on how much data you want to move, so be patient with this process.

Once it is done, you have to test out the new server and make sure it is working, basically picking up at the phase where you edit the hosts file and ensure that the new site works as well as the old.

However, if the transfer has gone smoothly, you should be able to access all of the sites without any issue.

If you Don’t Have WHM Access

If you can’t access your server’s WHM panel, you need to create a full backup in your CPanel. You can do this by logging into your CPanel and using the Backup Wizard.

You can do this by one of two means, the easiest is to just have CPanel connect to your new server via FTP (you will need to have an account with your new host already and the FTP credentials). But if you can’t do that, you can just download it and upload it yourself later, bearing in mind that this can be a huge file, many gigs in size.

The key is to place the backup file in the home directory of your new server. Then all you have to do is tell your new host to restore from that backup and you should be up and running. You can also do this yourself if you have WHM access on your new server (e.g. Moving from a shared host a VPS) by finding the “Backups” section in the left-hand column and clicking on “Restore a Full Backup/cpmove file”.

Once again, the process might take a while and you will want to test the new server once it is complete. However, it removes a lot of the more painful and annoying steps.

An Even Better Solution

But as easy as these two methods are, there is an even better way to move to a new host, let your host do the transfer for you.

Many hosts, including Servint, which hosts this site, and Hostgator, will do transfer for free as part of a new account sign up. All you have to do is have a site that qualifies, meaning that it has a correct version of CPanel. and provide them with your log in information. They will do the lifting for you, using these tools to get you started.

Just sign up, file a transfer request and wait for confirmation of completion, it is that easy.

Caveats and Warnings

Obviously these systems are not perfect. There are errors from time to time and there can be conflicts between different versions of WHM/CPanel. You should never begin this process without good backups and you should never change your DNS settings without first checking to make sure the new host works. Be sure to take all reasonable precautions before moving forward to avoid any issues down the road.

Bottom Line

There was a time not that long ago that moving to a new host or a new server was a nightmare. Now, the process is more simple than ever thanks to WHM/CPanel. What was once an error-prone and tiring process that was often filled with frustrations can now be a “set and forget” operation as your servers do most of the heavy lifting.

In short, it’s a lot easier to get your site from A to B now.

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