Migrating to Cyberfusion

Own it like a project.

Migrations that go sideways usually lack one thing: clear ownership. Assign a project owner for decisions and planning, a technical lead for the checks, an operations manager for contracts, DNS, and notice periods, and a client contact for communication. Smaller team? One person can wear multiple hats - just make sure every hat has a name on it.

Sort out DNS first.

Who controls your DNS? Where do the records live? Do you have the credentials, or does a former colleague? It sounds trivial until you're staring at a login screen at 11 PM with nobody who knows the password. DNS access is the first thing we ask about for a reason.

Keep the old environment around a while.

Everything migrated? Don't cancel the old environment right away. If something does come up later, we still have access to the old configuration and data.

Know exactly what you're migrating.

Which applications are live? What external dependencies exist? How are cronjobs, firewall rules, and caching configured? What has accumulated over the years that nobody documented? The more complete the picture upfront, the fewer surprises during the migration.

One thing at a time.

Resist the urge to combine a migration with major application updates. Each is complex enough on its own. The exception: database versions like MariaDB sometimes require an upgrade as part of the migration, but version differences are typically minor and rarely cause issues. Everything else can wait until you've landed.

The invisible migration.

Schedule migrations outside peak hours, test thoroughly before any DNS change, coordinate tightly with everyone involved. When it's done right, the only thing your clients should notice is that their site got faster.

Questions are coming. Be ready.

Why the switch? Will there be downtime? What changes? Have a short, honest answer for each. It should match existing agreements and contracts. People don't need you to justify the decision - they need to understand it.

Two or three updates. No more, no less.

Start communicating well before the technical work begins. Two to three updates is usually the right balance - enough to keep people informed, not so many that they stop reading.

Give clients time to act.

Some clients have to do things on their end - update DNS, change settings, brief their team. Tell them what's needed and give them the time. Surprise migrations don't make friends; good, timely communication does. Better still: it strengthens client relationships.

It's an upgrade, not a disruption.

Faster load times, stronger security, features that weren't there before - that's the story. Tell your clients. A migration presented as an investment, rather than a hassle, is also a logical moment to revisit your terms and pricing.

Want to let your customers understand the advantages? Share our hosted-by page →