domain transfer - downtime

Hi,

I want to transfer my domain to my new hosting company, but due to the popularness of my page, i cant afford any down time.

I use the addon feature to create a new home for my existing domain. I have tried it with one of my other domains and it took roughly 3-4days untill the domain name was resolved and active.

I need to do this without downtime, or ... the user gets sent to a temporary website, or the old one.

anyone have any advise? would appreciate it greatly.

thank you.

If it's a static website, simply setup your new hosting account, set the site up on the new server, get it all running good, then update the DNS servers on the whois record.

If it's a dynamic database-driven website, do the same as above, but before you update the DNS, take down the old site, and replace it with a "Down for maintenance/moving servers" notice. That won't give you ZERO downtime, but it means that as new users propagate, they'll find the new site, and you won't lose any data entered into the old site due to people not having thier DNS updated yet (cuz they won't be able to enter it into the old site).

Ask your host to lower your TTL to 300 at least 48 hours prior to move or ask them to point the site to the new host once you have uploaded your data to the new host. Either will result in zero downtime. The former has the advantage of ensuring all requests for your site check DNS every 5mins for new information.

Nevertheless as long as you keep both hosting accounts active during the transfer there will be no downtime. Traffic will go to the old host or the new. Of course this method offers the least amount of control and are usually the result of uncooperative former hosts but it does prevent downtime during the transfer.

you could also change the config file on your old site to connect to the DB on then new server - this way, you could pretty much accomplish zero downtime

hi thanks for all the replies guys...

re: this,

I have both hostings accounts active and running, i have created a addon folder, addonfolder.mydomain.com and uploaded all the file. I changed the DNS from my other domain and it isnt up still (4days past).

its sounds really complicated, but i will try to make my host provider to understand this.

mmm 4 days is an awfully long time... most take only a few hours... have you checked whois?