About this migration stuff

[s2ccaitlyn]

I'm a bit confused, which is normal for me. It says that if you have a databse run site which is updated a lot you should choose the manual migration.

My sites are run from several databases, and updated almost every day. I wouldn't know where to begin with this stuff. If I make updates to where the site is now will the visitors see them? Will I have to basicly do two updates, one to this old place where my visitors will still be going and one to where they move the sites for test? Once they start migrating my sites that is.

It shouldn't be my responsibility to make sure this all happens. I made a contract with powweb. They sold out. The new company bought powweb, also bought the contracts. It's their responsibility to make sure this all works. I shouldn't have to worry about whether I need to migrat manually or let them do. Whether I'm not going to be able to do updates for a while, or if my visitors will even be able to find my sites.

I'm very confused by all this and it's irritating. Can someone do a better job of explaining this all to me, then the "pros" have done?

[IanS]

I'm a bit confused, which is normal for me. It says that if you have a databse run site which is updated a lot you should choose the manual migration.

My sites are run from several databases, and updated almost every day. I wouldn't know where to begin with this stuff. If I make updates to where the site is now will the visitors see them? Will I have to basicly do two updates, one to this old place where my visitors will still be going and one to where they move the sites for test? Once they start migrating my sites that is.

It shouldn't be my responsibility to make sure this all happens. I made a contract with powweb. They sold out. The new company bought powweb, also bought the contracts. It's their responsibility to make sure this all works. I shouldn't have to worry about whether I need to migrat manually or let them do. Whether I'm not going to be able to do updates for a while, or if my visitors will even be able to find my sites.

I'm very confused by all this and it's irritating. Can someone do a better job of explaining this all to me, then the "pros" have done?I don't know if I can do a better job that those that have tried so far but I'll add my 2 cents as an attempt.

Think of the problem as one of moving hosts. You didn't opt for it, but it's going to happen. At some point you will choose to close your existing site for a short time (so that no new additions to the database are made) and move everything over to the new host. You will place a notice on the front page of your old host telling them about the move to your new one and people will either see this or not. If they do they can't go any further, if the don't (then they didn't see the notice) they can proceed and order etc..

[erayleonard]

Hi there,

The Custom Path is there for customers who desire to control the migration. Most customers don't even touch their sites. If your sites ares dynamic, we suggest but not require the custom path. Either way we will work as hard as we can to get your sites working on the new platform.

Thanks,

Eric from Endurance

[s2ccaitlyn]

Ok, so it would be more like a short down time, with no changes or updates, to switch hosts (in a sense). I'm still confused, but I will do my best to follow along with everyone else.

Will we be given furthur more detailed instruction on what to change if we should choose manual?

[erayleonard]

Hi Caitlynn,

Yes. We'll be giving some more details on the transition.powweb.com Web site. There's a high-level description up there now and that will be a better source of information for you once we get closer to the migration.

Thanks,

Eric from Endurance

[cafeRg]

Hi Eric

can you give us an example of what takes place, a brief outline, in a custom migration based on previous migrations? I know theres something forthcoming but i am just saying a brief outline as an example.

also assuming it would take less than couple hours to move a site like mine (appx 100 daily post on 4 mySQLs) ..would it be possible to just stop all posting while the migration of a particular domian takes place by announcing to my members that between such and such time posting will be closed (say a 6 hour window) ..or how long should a "posting closed" window be..?

i am also assuming it would be the daily posting that could present a problem? what other reasons or issues could there be during migration?

hope all that makes sense.

Thanks.

[stevel]

The problem is that even when "the switch" is thrown, there will be a period of several days where some users will see the old site and some the new due to DNS propagation. If PowWeb runs your DNS, this period SHOULD be relatively short for the majority of users, as the "time to live" has been set short. But many sites have DNS managed elsewhere (I do) and also many ISPs ignore TTL and cache DNS for many days.

The best you can do for a dynamic site is to somehow set the old site saying that it is closed and the forum is changing IP. If users are lucky, a reboot of their system will now find the new IP. You can give a new hostname of the form username.powweb.com, which will go to the new IP, but you don't want search engines following that and you'll have problems with cookies and links internal to your site if they come from scripts.

It's really just like changing hosts, as Ian said.

[snormandin]

Maybe this will help some: http://www.serena1.com/internet_info.html

[cafeRg]

Maybe this will help some: http://www.serena1.com/internet_info.html

thanks snormandin ..yes it did ..its a nice article. but how Endurance intends to move us and what this custom path is. I know exact info is forthcoming but an outline would be nice.

as far as updating say my boards i am on hold, also the uneasy feeling of losing data/poems/music/art creative people, like in music, art, lit can be a very sensitive situation. it is ..not.. enough to say to them ..well you need to back your stuff up. they tend to take it personal when others mess with thier work.

i am very experienced working in the creative arena, i have worked both on the corporate level and ma pa level with artist- art -literature -music. This is why being prepared and understanding the process better is so much of a concern with me.

[erayleonard]

Hi Cafe,

Here's how it works essentially:

Over the next few weeks, we'll be moving all the files for all existing customers onto the new platform and running a set of scripts that will prepare each site for the migration. At that same time, we are developing a new powweb.com Web site that when launched will mark the beginning of new accounts being hosted on the new platform.

When that site launches, each customer will see a new page prior to entering OPS called the "Migration Kiosk". The migration kiosk is where you'll be updated on the status of your Web site's migration as well as choose the Custom(also called Manual) Migration path. As previously mentioned, the Custom/Manual path means that you are responsible for the reviewing,testing and flipping DNS of the site to the new platform.

Assuming you have chosen the Custom/Manual Path, we will have moved all of your site's files onto the new platform and have a set of tool that allow you to compare the site on the new platform to the site on the legacy platform as well as get the most recently-updated files. There is also a quality assurance test that ensures that the site does pass before it actually moves. This helps ensure that people don't flip broken sites. Once you have reviewed your sites and everything looks okay, you can press the "Flip DNS" button and it will switch the DNS from the old system to the new system. This will take about 1 hour to propagate. It is this 1 hour timeframe which can cause some problems for sites that are database driven. One way around it is to put up a temporary offline page right before you flip that will ensure that the data is not out of synch.

If your site does not pass the quality tests, you can work with support on getting them fixed. We will also provide information in the Migration Kiosk as to exactly why your site did not pass (it can be for a number of different reasons, far too many to explain in this medium).

That sums up the Custom/Manual path. Most customers won't have to worry about this as they'll be in the Automated path which is far less time consuming.

I hope that answers your questions.

Eric

[atlana]

hm, i dont know if i like that "being bought out by competition X" - and yes, Endurance does the same thing as POWWEB does - which in my eyes is "the economic enemy" ;)

but beside that - i read their other owned companies, like FATCOW.COM or BIZLAND.COM - they all provide less for more $$$. So, i dont think that the 7.77/month deal will *stay* as it has been since the 3+ years i've been with powweb.

In my 36 years of life-experiences, a bought-out/merger has always been to the disadvantage of the customer. Best example are the TelCo's, namely cingular (no i dont hate cingular, but it hits me every month on my Bill how screwed-up their systems are now - but i'm not going to change, since i've *unlimited* internet for only 20bucks/month [got lucky], and i blow hundreds of MBs through my Qtek9000 PhonePocketPC per month - and every billing cycle i've to call two times to have cingular fix my billing correctly)

In the past, i *always* recommended POWWEB over any other shared hoster/provider to friends and my corporate clients as being an independent IT Consultant; *never* had any issues with them, and once they helped me a lot in a pinch of a credit-card screw-up in a middle of a divorce - not to mention the good thru-put stability/amount, thx to my affiliation to swrebellion.com and being a "hidden mirror" for their HOMEWORLD II WARLORDS game 200-300MB patches/mods.

But, usually a big company can not do such "bending the rules"to ensure happy customers. Usually the bigger a company gets, the more ridgig/inflexible it becomes and drowning in more and more rules/policies/regulation. Been there done that, when i was working for Wal*Mart, and for Microsoft directly in Europe, or other major corps that paid my salary.

But, what burns me most, is...WHY the bought-out ? is powweb's financials looking that bad ? Or whats the reason ?

cheers
@

[Doc C]

Evidently, Endurance made an offer to PowWeb that was too good to pass up. It's the way things are now. The owners of PowWeb's first allegiance is to their familes and themselves. If it improves their lives, I say go for it.

I hear a lot of griping from a lot of corners about this move. Everyone expecting things to come crashing down with the *insert scary music* migration. If it doesn't, it's been a big waste of Mylanta. If it does, then I'm sure Endurance will do their best to make things right.

Just buckle up, hold on and keep your arms and legs inside the ride at all times.

[cafeRg]

yes it does Eric ..a lot ..both you and Snormandin pretty much sums it up... and makes it visibly clearer. Thank you!

i dont think i want to be responsible for the flip etc (the Custom/Manual path means that you are responsible for the reviewing,testing and flipping DNS of the site to the new platform.) ..i would much rather delegate that responsiblity to PowWeb ..then if something did go wrong, i could come back and scream at Tom and Extras ..lol ...j/k ..couldnt resist....

actually i am getting exciting about the change over ..as Junior would say, "Bring it on!"

[tbonekkt]

i could come back and scream at Tom and Extras ..lol ...j/k ..couldnt resist....I can take it, but beware - I can dish it out as well. :D

[erayleonard]

hm, i dont know if i like that "being bought out by competition X" - and yes, Endurance does the same thing as POWWEB does - which in my eyes is "the economic enemy" ;)

but beside that - i read their other owned companies, like FATCOW.COM or BIZLAND.COM - they all provide less for more $$$. So, i dont think that the 7.77/month deal will *stay* as it has been since the 3+ years i've been with powweb.

In my 36 years of life-experiences, a bought-out/merger has always been to the disadvantage of the customer. Best example are the TelCo's, namely cingular (no i dont hate cingular, but it hits me every month on my Bill how screwed-up their systems are now - but i'm not going to change, since i've *unlimited* internet for only 20bucks/month [got lucky], and i blow hundreds of MBs through my Qtek9000 PhonePocketPC per month - and every billing cycle i've to call two times to have cingular fix my billing correctly)

In the past, i *always* recommended POWWEB over any other shared hoster/provider to friends and my corporate clients as being an independent IT Consultant; *never* had any issues with them, and once they helped me a lot in a pinch of a credit-card screw-up in a middle of a divorce - not to mention the good thru-put stability/amount, thx to my affiliation to swrebellion.com and being a "hidden mirror" for their HOMEWORLD II WARLORDS game 200-300MB patches/mods.

But, usually a big company can not do such "bending the rules"to ensure happy customers. Usually the bigger a company gets, the more ridgig/inflexible it becomes and drowning in more and more rules/policies/regulation. Been there done that, when i was working for Wal*Mart, and for Microsoft directly in Europe, or other major corps that paid my salary.

But, what burns me most, is...WHY the bought-out ? is powweb's financials looking that bad ? Or whats the reason ?

cheers
@
Hi there,

I understand the fear of an acquisition, that's perfectly natural. You are right as well in that larger companies do have more policies and such that sometimes do make them slower to respond. However, Endurance is far from Walmart and Cingular and we can move very quickly when needed and can do exceptions when needed to make customers happy.

In response to the product offering, we have already increased the disk space and data transfer substantially without raising the price- for all powweb customers. Those other properties that you mentioned have different packages for a variety of different reasons so I wouldn't compare their value propositions to help project what we will be doing with powweb down the road.

In regards to the reason, Andrew and team had decided that the time was right to sell. It was their choice for a variety of different reasons ,but financially speaking Powweb was very viable and improving.


Eric