Email advice to clients when change hosting server (Full Version)

All Forums >> [Web Development] >> Server Issues



Message

spinningjennie -> Email advice to clients when change hosting server (11/18/2007 22:01:58)

I’m about to move a website to a new server, along with its various email addresses. I’m not experienced at doing this.

I’m concerned that an email address may find that they lose some emails sent to them, in the process of the pointing of their domain url to the new name servers. Am I worrying for nothing?

(Perhaps there are emails sitting on the old server that haven’t yet been downloaded to their computer at the time the new DNS setups get activated.)

Also, is the following email procedure advice OK?

I thought I’d email the person their new email user name and password, and explain that we’re moving their website and emails to a new server, so that once they receive this email they should change their user name and password in their email setups to those I’ve just provided. Note that before I send the person this email I would change the DNS (Domain Name Server) settings for their domain so that their website will point to the new server.

Thanks for any suggestions!

spinningjennie



coreybryant -> RE: Email advice to clients when change hosting server (11/19/2007 10:27:28)

I would not tell them once they receive this email - the passwords should be changed. I would set up a time, and since this is the holiday weekend for some, it might be a great time.

Always move the servers in the middle of the night for most of your clients. Let them know what time the change will take place and explain to them how DNS works some and how it might take a few days to have their machine connect to the new server. I have usually referenced to people moving into a new house. They inform the post office, but it takes a few days before they get mail at their new address. Don't forget to put a little blurb in their about how some ISPs might even cache the records more / less.

Now assuming that you do not need to change the name servers, maybe consider updating the DNS records to check every hour (or less), instead of every four (or whatever you have now). You can usually run a script against the server to change all at once.

Once this is done, give them an URL preferably to the old mail server and tell them that they can check that if they think some old mail went there. Fortunately, DNS updates are a lot quicker and for the most part easier than they were a few years ago.



spinningjennie -> RE: Email advice to clients when change hosting server (11/19/2007 20:31:38)

Thanks for your ideas CoreyBryant. I'm afraid that I'm not experienced enough to understand some of your points:

1.
quote:

I would not tell them once they receive this email - the passwords should be changed.


At what point in time is the client best to change their email setups to possibly new user name and password? Before or after I make the DNS changes?

2.
quote:

Always move the servers in the middle of the night for most of your clients.


Dare I say it but since I'm usually asleep in the middle of the night, this wouldn't be easy. What is the reason for moving servers in the middle of the night? (Note that these are very simple websites)

3.
quote:

Now assuming that you do not need to change the name servers, maybe consider updating the DNS records to check every hour (or less), instead of every four (or whatever you have now). You can usually run a script against the server to change all at once.


i) I will need to change the name servers at some point, so I'm not sure what you mean when you say 'assuming you do not need to change the name servers'.

ii) I don't know what you mean by 'consider updating the DNS records to check every hour (or less)'

iii)Nor do I understand the process of 'run a script against the server to change all at once'

4.
quote:

Once this is done, give them an URL preferably to the old mail server


When you refer to 'this is done' I would appreciate it if you could you please explain more simply what 'this' is?

It seems from what you say that there is in fact a risk that emails could be sitting on the old server, so that it is a good idea to tell them how they can access emails via webmail on the old server. And I should give the user good time to access such emails before our old server ceases operation.

Thanks again.
spinningjennie



Tailslide -> RE: Email advice to clients when change hosting server (11/20/2007 3:07:03)

It's easier to change over hosting overnight and preferably over the weekend to minimise the likelihood of emails arriving and getting left behind on the old server or the client wanting to send an email.

Give them a cut-off time for accessing old emails on the web server via webmail to make it easier.

If the client is using Outlook etc then give them the new email password/username so that they can set up a new account in their email client. Once it's actually working they can delete the old one. That way hopefully you shouldn't miss any.

If they're only using webmail then there's no point in giving them the details until the DNS changes have taken place.



spinningjennie -> RE: Email advice to clients when change hosting server (11/20/2007 7:17:00)

Thanks Tail for the advice which makes sound sense to me.

Q. How do I or the client know at what point the DNS changes are recognised by the various ISPs and 'working' so that it is safe to remove the old email user name and password from the Outlook etc setups?

Do they just wait, say 48 hours, and hope for the best?

Thanks again for easing my mind.
spinningjennie



coreybryant -> RE: Email advice to clients when change hosting server (11/21/2007 9:53:29)


quote:

ORIGINAL: spinningjennie

At what point in time is the client best to change their email setups to possibly new user name and password? Before or after I make the DNS changes?
When are you moving the servers? Maybe during the night? Then tel them when you are moving them and explain to them how some ISPs might cache the records but for the most part, it might only tke a couple of hours. Give them at least a couple of days notice.

You would give them the information before. If you sent it out after, and if you are hosting those emails chances are the customers would never get that email depending on what email server you are on.
quote:

ORIGINAL: spinningjennie

Dare I say it but since I'm usually asleep in the middle of the night, this wouldn't be easy. What is the reason for moving servers in the middle of the night? (Note that these are very simple websites)
I am as well but running a hosting business is a 24 hour job. You want to change things so that hopefully your customers will not see any problems. Changing something like this is somewhat of an easy task, it is just problematic because you are relying on so many things.
quote:

ORIGINAL: spinningjennie


i) I will need to change the name servers at some point, so I'm not sure what you mean when you say 'assuming you do not need to change the name servers'.

ii) I don't know what you mean by 'consider updating the DNS records to check every hour (or less)'

iii)Nor do I understand the process of 'run a script against the server to change all at once'
Well for example, if you name server is ns10.example.com, you don't need to change the name server but only update the IP address that ns10.example.com points to. Usually the only reason you need to change name servers is if you are going to a new company, etc.

Re: updating the DNS record, this it the TTL. A lot of providers will support it but some won't.

Running the script basically will mean that you can run something and change the TTL on the new server from 1 hour back to 4 hours.
quote:

ORIGINAL: spinningjennie

Q. How do I or the client know at what point the DNS changes are recognised by the various ISPs and 'working' so that it is safe to remove the old email user name and password from the Outlook etc setups?

Do they just wait, say 48 hours, and hope for the best?
You don't. This varies unfortunately.

Let's start from the beginning. Are you running this hosting company youself? Windows / *NIX? Do you have access to the name servers? Any reason changing the name servers?




spinningjennie -> RE: Email advice to clients when change hosting server (11/22/2007 6:10:19)

Thanks for your detailed reply CoreyBryant.

quote:

Are you running this hosting company youself? Windows / *NIX? Do you have access to the name servers? Any reason changing the name servers?


In effect, our company is providing the hosting service to a number of small websites, and using the hosting server of another hosting company in the United States. This hosting server is provided by a new company to what we’ve used in the past (cheaper and hopefully better), and it has new name servers. We have had to set up 'DNS Zones' for each website and specify the MX, A, CNAME records. The new DNS records are already specified in the DNS Zone.

Sounds like the process of preparing for the hosting server change may be as follows:

1. Decide the time and date for changing the DNS records for each domain (best during night and on weekend to reduce likelihood that emails sent to client are left behind on old server before downloading onto client’s computer, or that client has problems sending an email.

Q. I’m not sure whether the email sending server is the same as the email receiving server, so whether this latter point is in fact a concern???

2. Advice to client as follows:
i)At least 2 days before the time of changing the DNS records, advise client of that time and date.

ii)Explain to client that most ISPs will change to the new server within a couple of hours, but since some ISPs cache the DNS records, it may take longer (maybe 48 hours and occasionally longer). When the DNS records are cached by an ISP then a visitor to your website who is using that particular ISP may continue to view your website on the old server, until the DNS records are updated by their ISP.

iii) Provide client the new email user name and password. Explain to client that before the advised time of changing the DNS records that they should add an additional email user name and password to their email setups (in Outlook etc), if in fact the user password has changed from their original. Advise client that they may have email setups for 2 email ‘accounts’ but this ensures that they will receive the emails from both the new and old mail servers. Advise them that they should be OK to remove the old email account after one week. If they are concerned that they have missed any email messages on the old server then they can access webmail on the old server [at XXXXX url] up until [YYYYY date (the date when we are no longer paying for hosting on the old server)]

Q. Does client have to change Incoming Mail Server in the Outlook etc program as well, or just keep as it was before the change?

(iv) So client can publish new website information to the now new server:
provide them the new FTP details: User name, Password, FTP address

3.I then change the DNS records at the time and day advised to client. I do this by logging on to the domain registrar, and making the changes.

4.I then keep my fingers crossed!

NOTES:
I see that TTL (Time to Live) refers to the fact that all DNS records have a TTL property, specifying the amount of time other DNS servers and applications are allowed to cache the record. It might be getting a bit beyond my expertise to make changes to TTL at this point.

Thanks again CoreyBryant for the advice given to this novice, and for any feedback on the process outlined above by you or anyone else! In case it helps someone else, this link also provided interesting information General DNS Propagation Information
Regards,
spinningjennie



Page: [1]

Valid CSS!




Forum Software © ASPPlayground.NET Advanced Edition 2.4.5 ANSI
0.078125