How is this different from managed hosting?

Managed hosting runs your environment on an ongoing basis. Server migration is the one-off project of moving safely to a new host/server/cloud with zero or minimal downtime and a rollback plan.

Can you really achieve zero downtime?

For most sites, yes or very close — via parity, staged sync, lowered DNS TTLs and a timed cutover. We state the realistic downtime window per environment up front.

What if something fails during cutover?

There is a tested rollback path. Because DNS TTLs are lowered and the old environment is kept intact until verification passes, reverting is fast and safe.

Do you handle the database and cron jobs?

Yes. Databases, scheduled jobs, environment config and dependencies are part of the audit and runbook — those omissions cause most failed moves.

Will SEO be affected by the move?

A like-for-like host move shouldn't affect SEO. If URLs, platform or domain are also changing, pair this with our SEO migration services.

Server Migration Services UK - JW Digital

Change Hosts Without Your Site Going Dark

“Moving a website or application to a new host, server or cloud provider is the moment most outages and data loss happen — botched DNS cutovers, half-copied databases, missed cron jobs, no way back. JW Digital runs server migration as a controlled project: environment parity, staged data synchronisation, a rehearsed and reversible DNS cutover, and post-move verification. This is distinct from managed website hosting (running your hosting ongoing) and dedicated server management (operating a server) — it is the move itself, done safely.” — Janusz Wozniak

The Move Is the Risk — So We Engineer the Move

Parity, staged sync, reversible cutover, verification

Most migration disasters share the same roots: the new environment isn't truly equivalent, data is copied once and drifts before cutover, DNS is switched with no rollback, and nobody verified the site actually works after. We treat the migration as its own engineering task with a runbook — so the switch is rehearsed, reversible and verified. Once moved, our managed hosting and backup/monitoring services keep it healthy; this engagement is purely the safe transition.

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Parity & Staged Sync

The target environment is matched to the source and data is synchronised in stages with a final delta, so nothing is lost or stale at cutover.

Reversible, Verified Cutover

A rehearsed DNS cutover with a tested rollback path and post-move verification, so downtime is minimised and a problem never traps you on the new host.

Why it matters

Why Migrations Go Wrong Without a Runbook

An ad-hoc move is an outage waiting to happen

75%
of users judge a company’s credibility by its website
60%
of all web traffic comes from mobile devices
3x
higher conversion rate with modern responsive design
90%
of buyers visit a company’s website before contacting them

The bottom line

Hosting moves done on the fly fail in predictable ways: a database copied hours before cutover loses the latest orders, DNS propagates unevenly so some users hit the old box, a missing cron or environment variable silently breaks a feature, and there's no rehearsed way back. A planned migration removes that exposure. Parity is checked first, data is synced right up to the switch, the cutover is timed and reversible, and the site is verified working before the old environment is retired. The cost of planning is trivial against the cost of a botched move.

Plan a MigrationFree 30-min consultation · No obligation

What's Included

What's Included in Server Migration

From environment audit to verified decommission

Environment Audit

Full inventory of services, data, cron, config and dependencies on the source.

Migration Runbook

A step-by-step plan with timings, owners and a defined rollback.

Parity Build & Validation

Target environment provisioned to match and validated before cutover.

Staged Data Synchronisation

Data migrated and kept current with a final delta so nothing recent is lost.

Reversible DNS Cutover

Timed, low-TTL cutover with a tested rollback path.

Verification & Decommission

Post-move checks and a safe retirement of the old environment.

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Our Process

Our Server Migration Process

Audit, build parity, sync, cut over, verify

Audit & Migration Plan
We inventory the current environment — services, data, cron, config, dependencies — and produce a migration runbook.
Target Environment & Parity
The new host/server is provisioned and brought to parity, then validated against the source before any cutover.
Staged Data Sync
Data is migrated and kept in sync with a final delta at cutover so nothing recent is lost.
Rehearsed DNS Cutover
A timed cutover with lowered TTLs and a tested rollback path to minimise and de-risk downtime.
Verification & Decommission
Post-move functional and performance verification, then a safe decommission of the old environment.

Our Pricing

Server Migration Pricing

Migration cost scales with environment complexity and data volume. After the move, managed website hosting and website backup & monitoring keep it healthy; for content/platform-level SEO preservation see SEO migration services.

Website Cost Calculator

Free to Use

Estimate your project cost in just a few clicks

Environment audit and runbook
Parity build and validation
Staged data sync with final delta
Reversible cutover and verification

Get a Quote

Once you have a rough estimate, you can use it as a starting point for your project planning. If you need something more tailored, JW Digital can then provide a bespoke quote based on your exact goals and requirements.

Free tools

Free Tools for Website Owners

Use these free tools to audit your website's speed, structure, and metadata before deciding what your hosting and build setup should look like.

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Free

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Website Grader

Instant website score across page speed, mobile friendliness, meta tags and structured data.

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Change Hosts Without Your Site Going Dark

The Move Is the Risk — So We Engineer the Move

Parity, staged sync, reversible cutover, verification

What's Included in Server Migration

From environment audit to verified decommission

Environment Audit

Full inventory of services, data, cron, config and dependencies on the source.

Migration Runbook

A step-by-step plan with timings, owners and a defined rollback.

Parity Build & Validation

Target environment provisioned to match and validated before cutover.

Staged Data Synchronisation

Data migrated and kept current with a final delta so nothing recent is lost.

Reversible DNS Cutover

Timed, low-TTL cutover with a tested rollback path.

Verification & Decommission

Post-move checks and a safe retirement of the old environment.

Server Migration Pricing

Website Cost Calculator

Free to Use

Estimate your project cost in just a few clicks

Environment audit and runbook
Parity build and validation
Staged data sync with final delta
Reversible cutover and verification

Get a Quote

Recent Projects We Host

Explore some of the websites and applications we build and host for UK businesses across managed hosting, VPS, cloud, and security services.

Browse a selection of our recent web design and development projects for businesses across a range of industries, including healthcare, construction, hospitality, trade services, recruitment, and professional services. Each project is designed to balance performance, usability, branding, and SEO foundations.

Recent Projects We Host

Explore some of the websites and applications we build and host for UK businesses across managed hosting, VPS, cloud, and security services.

Change Hosts Without Your Site Going Dark