A domain may go offline for 12 to 72 hours following the submission of a change request to the new registrar due to DNS server transfers between the old and new web hosts, depending on the technical details involved.

Up to a day may pass before your website is fully operational again due to the necessity of transferring website files, restoring crucial databases, and getting each software installation and subdomain configuration back up and running.

When moving a website to a new host server, there are, nevertheless, some pretty amazing tips to help you avoid disaster.

Note: The site administrator can work on configuring a new web hosting plan before DNS is changed and transferred to the new host with relative ease if they have a basic understanding of cPanel, IP addresses, and more complex FTP login procedures.

Ultimately, the mission is accomplished if the typical customer remains oblivious to any changes occurring behind the scenes!

Are You Ready to Move to New Hosting Provider? Let’s Get Started!

1. Migrate First and DON’T Cancel Your Old Hosting Account

The most frequent error made by website administrators who are either new to switching servers or web hosting in general is that they almost never get in touch with their previous host to let them know that they are switching to a new company’s servers.

While promptly notifying the previous web host of any changes is undoubtedly a good idea, doing so prior to a smooth transition can cause not only downtime but also the complete loss of files and database information from the time a cancellation is requested.

Don’t Cancel First

When a customer’s call ends, web hosting companies typically cancel a plan almost instantly, without waiting for the current month’s service to expire or the subscription fee to expire. Considering that the customer receives a prompt and prorated refund of any outstanding fees, this is regarded as being in their best interest.

It also implies that the organization will essentially destroy all data uploaded to the server while they were employed by the company. Frequently, there won’t be a chance to get these files back and transfer them to the shared hosting plan or server of the new web host in time.

That is the kind of outage from which recovery is very difficult, since it may result in the loss of all content and subscriber data, as well as in financial losses and, for certain websites, customer payment information.

Transfer Your Files First

Transfer all files once a new hosting plan has been obtained, then terminate the old company’s current hosting plan. For a few days, you should be able to access the website on the new company’s servers, just to make sure that nothing got lost in the transfer.

The previous hosting plan should only be terminated after everything has been confirmed to have been transferred correctly.

2. Download Backup Files

Access compressed backups of database data and website files by logging into your Control Panel.

Customers switching to a new web host should make sure that the new and old hosting providers use the same web-based administration technology for sheer convenience of use. Usually, PleskPanel, a somewhat less well-liked website control panel, and cPanel are the options available.

The simplest method to guarantee that data can be quickly backed up and restored is to align the technologies used by both hosts.

Locate the backup files

Find the “Backup” settings and control panel pages after you have successfully logged into the Control Panel interface. This includes tools for backing up both the root folder of the website and any subdomains.

The tools on this page will also help web hosting clients backup their MySQL or MSSQL databases so they can restore them to a new server.

Within this grouping, look for the “Download Backups” option. Click on it to open the corresponding cPanel administration page.

Download your backup files

The Control Panel will list the different types of backups that are available on this page. They should download the available full-site backup file so that it can be uploaded to an alternate host at a later time.

Additionally, backup files unique to each website subdomain will exist. Although the complete website backup will have all of that data, these are usually optional, but you can download them just in case.

Customers can download a compressed backup of each MSSQL or MySQL database separately from a different section of the backup downloads page. Downloading each database in its compressed format is recommended.

Later on, these will be uploaded to the new server in order to generate database names that match.

Keep focus!

Make sure not to decompress any of the backup files that you downloaded during this process. This is so that when the customer uploads the file, the new server will finish the process.

Make sure Safari is not configured to launch purportedly “safe” file extensions automatically for Mac users after they download them. By doing this, you can make sure the file stays uncompressed and prepared for a speedy restoration.

After all of the compressed backup files have been safely stored, log out of the previous host’s Control Panel installation and navigate to the new host’s popular website management program.

3. Transfer Your Files

Start uploading the backup files that have been compressed to the new server.

Almost all web hosting providers will send an email with the IP address and domain name servers for the new hosting plan as soon as they receive the first month’s payment.

This IP address can be used to access the individual FTP account and Control Panel administration interface prior to changes being made, as well as to view the website’s content before DNS propagation occurs.

Login to Your Control Panel

Find your activation email and login to your control panel. Each hosting provider have their own settings.

After logging into the Control Panel iteration on the new server, find the backup tools that were mentioned in Step 2 and proceed to the Backup Downloads page. Find the file-upload box related to the full-site backup on the page.

This will frequently be referred to as a “Backup Restore” function. To start the upload process, select the full-site backup file that was downloaded from the previous web hosting provider.

The webpage will reload when the file has finished uploading, and as each file is placed in its proper location, line-by-line information specific to that file will be shown. The procedure ends when this second page stops loading. Find the “back” button on the browser to go back to the previous page and carry out the database restoration procedure essentially in the same way.

After all the data has been moved, some settings need to be changed in order to start the smooth transition process from behind the scenes.

4. Check Your Database

It should be noted that details regarding the usernames, passwords, and permissions connected to every MSSQL or MySQL database are not included in the database backup files.

You will need to input this data into the Control Panel Databases interface.

Check connection string

After adding all necessary users, passwords, and permissions, log into the FTP account using the website’s IP address to make any necessary changes to the system files.

This will guarantee that the software runs without a hitch after the domain name has been moved, displaying the files from the new host rather than those from the previous business. After that is finished, everything is set up and prepared to work flawlessly.

The information that instructs the domain which of the two hosting accounts’ files to show to the end user is all that has to be changed at this point.

5. Change Your Name Servers

Request the use of new domain name servers from the domain registrar.

Telling the domain name to display files and data from a different server than the one that is currently in use is the process’s final step. To accomplish this, sign in to the domain registrar’s (such as GoDaddy or NameCheap or etc) control panel for domain registration.

For the new host, these must be changed to the new name servers (which are also listed in the email). (If you are unable to locate this information, try visiting the host’s support page, looking through their documentation, or contacting a representative who can give you the server information.)

Most DNS record changes take effect in 12 to 24 hours, but some people have reported seeing results in as little as six. Customers will see the same content regardless of the hosted files that are displayed during this time, and both the new and old websites will operate as intended.

Just Wait for DNS Propagation

Remember that once the new host files become active, posting content before propagation is finished may cause lost content or data. Website owners should wait to make any changes to their site’s files, design, or content until they are certain that everything is finished and they are able to access the new host server, even though downtime won’t be a problem.

When it does, the website can be seamlessly transferred to a new web hosting company, and users won’t experience any downtime during the transfer.

Conclusion

You can terminate the previous hosting plan once you have tested the website and verified that all features are functioning as intended. That is the only step involved!

The attack surface has grown as more people use cloud computing, IoT devices, and internet services globally.

Furthermore, remote work is becoming more and more common, and you have no idea how secure your contractors’ and employees’ devices and networks are.

In the meantime, hackers are becoming more skilled and creative in their methods of breaking into systems, networks, and data. They even outlive technologies like firewalls and antivirus programs.

This is where your networks, data, devices, and remote workers can all benefit from enhanced protection offered by DNS filtering services like SafeDNS.

We will learn about DNS filtering and its advantages in this article.

Let’s get going!

What Is a DNS?

A domain name, like TopReviewHostingASP.NET, is matched to an IP address using the Domain Name System (DNS).

An identification string for a device in a network, an IP address is a lengthy and distinct set of digits and characters. It can be difficult to remember addresses like 192.0.2.1, 2001:db8:0:1:1234:0:567:8:1, etc.

DNS simplifies this process by linking a web domain name to its IP address, facilitating users’ access to websites across the internet.

It functions similarly to a phonebook or contact list on a smartphone, saving users from having to memorize complicated IP addresses. Rather than manually dialing each number, you can store your contact phone numbers on your smartphone and make calls just by tapping them.

Your device will initiate a DNS query as soon as you enter the domain name of a website into your browser. In order to match the requested domain name to an IP address by examining the cache or contacting additional DNS servers, it will forward this query to a unique web server known as a DNS resolver.

This process, called “domain resolving,” occurs when the DNS server responds to your device with the correct IP address. At last, the IP address-related server can be contacted by your device.

The requested website’s content will load as a result of this helping to establish the connection. Although it may seem like a long process, all of this happens in milliseconds, allowing you to access a website quickly.

What Is DNS Filtering?

DNS filtering is the process of using code to weed out unwanted or hazardous content and blocking or restricting malicious websites. It aids in protecting your assets, network, and data from online threats.

Furthermore, DNS filtering enables more thorough visibility into who has access to what kinds of data and improves access controls within an organization.

Numerous software programs with DNS filtering features are available today. These are referred to as DNS filtering services or solutions (SafeDNS, for example).

How Do Services for DNS Filtering Operate?

A specially configured DNS resolver functions as a filter for each DNS query that is sent to it. It refuses to answer the query and prevents users from accessing the requested websites if it finds a suspicious domain.

DNS resolvers keep track of a blocklist and use it to determine whether a user or domain name appears suspicious. The DNS resolver will block a domain name if it is on this list; if it is not, the domain name’s request to allow access to the site will be granted.

In addition to having this capability, domain filtering services can keep an allowlist updated so that only the domains included in it are allowed while all others are blocked. By turning on a DNS filtering service, you can evaluate all incoming and outgoing internet traffic and let only secure traffic through your network.

Between the requested web page and the IP address making the request, these services filter web traffic. The request will be filtered according to a number of categories, including social media, news channels, phishing schemes, malicious websites, and unsuitable websites. The ones that appear dangerous or suspicious will then be blocked.

For example, assume that your company’s network has a DNS filtering solution installed. When an employee clicks on a malicious link they received in the mail, the request is routed via your DNS filtering service to the DNS resolver, rather than the malicious website. If the malicious website is found on the DNS resolve’s blocklist, the request will be blocked, thwarting the attack.

Why Is DNS Filtering Necessary?

Cybersecurity attacks are a global concern for both individuals and businesses. Without the need for human intervention, hackers can initiate malicious campaigns by using network ransomware and advanced technologies. They try to get past the security measures in place at your company in order to steal data, hack your accounts, make financial threats, and other things.

As a result, you need to be ready for any kind of cyberattack at all times.

• Malware: Spyware, worms, ransomware, viruses, trojans, etc. could be among them. When malware takes advantage of a vulnerability to get past security measures, it can do so by downloading email attachments or clicking on dubious links.
• Phishing attacks: These often occur when malevolent actors pose as trustworthy sources and bombard users with numerous malicious emails. It can be whaling to stakeholders and staff, pharming to any user, and spear-phishing to businesses and individuals.
• Man-in-the-middle attacks: It happens when someone snoops on a transaction going on between two people in order to alter or steal data.
• Denial-of-Service attacks: In order to overwhelm bandwidth and resources, web traffic is flooded into networks, systems, and servers. It opens the door for additional cyberattacks.
• SQL injections: It happens when malicious code is introduced into a system or server using SQL language, forcing the server to divulge protected data.
• Zero-Day attacks: It involves taking advantage of a weakness that arises when security patches for a network or system are still pending release.

Additional forms of attacks include rootkits, IoT attacks, cross-site scripting, and password theft.

Thus, you need to always be ready with strong security tools to repel these lethal cyberattacks if you want to protect yourself from them. And one excellent method for doing so is DNS filtering.

How Does SafeDNS Assist?

For your company, using a DNS filtering solution like SafeDNS is beneficial. To ensure that you sleep soundly, it can defend your network, systems, and data from cyberattacks.

A cloud-based web filtering solution called SafeDNS can protect your family and company from online harassment and inappropriate content. With cutting-edge technologies, this web filtering has the extraordinary ability to block harmful websites and content. Let’s examine its characteristics to see how it can benefit you.

Features of SafeDNS

These are some of the features that set SafeDNS apart as a cutting-edge and worthwhile service for protecting your network and belongings.

1. AI-Powered Technology for Filtering

With its categorization database, SafeDNS uses machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze and process data gathered from web crawlers and its cloud web filtering service.

This is a straightforward, thorough, and precise automatic proprietary web categorization system. By doing this, you can avoid having to recategorize or becoming a target of an attack, saving you time. It has the ability to detect and block bots, process over one billion DNS requests daily, and classify about 400,000 requests daily.

2. Parental Control

These days, kids can use the internet just like everyone else. They study, play video games, and do other things on the internet.

Right now, you have to make sure they aren’t exposed to any harmful content that they shouldn’t be.

In response, SafeDNS offers web filtering and parental control tools to protect your kids from seeing offensive, inappropriate, and explicit content. You’ll be able to relax knowing that your kids are consuming appropriate material.

3. DNS-Layer Filtering

A thorough method of internet filtering that can prevent users from accessing undesirable websites is web filtering at the DNS layer. It offers you the best protection possible by blocking both HTTP and HTTPS websites. Because DNS is used by 90% of malware to spread threats, DNS filtering is advantageous.

4. Class-Based Selection

You can use SafeDNS to control which types of content to allow or prohibit. You can select which of their more than 60 categories you or your staff members should view and which ones they shouldn’t.

5. Sorting Out Quality Indicators

Making sure you are receiving the most protection possible requires high-quality filtering. Each day, the SafeDNS team checks and enhances the quality of the filtering. In order for the filter to cover as many websites as possible and provide you with the best protection possible, they constantly add new web sources that spread malware and other harmful intent.

6. Filtering Customization

You have options for intelligent customization that make filtering simple and personalized to your tastes. For every filtering policy, you can alter allowlists or blocklists, an ad blocker, web usage time limits, and page blocking.

7. Outstanding Quality

Tests performed by outside parties have repeatedly demonstrated the excellent quality of SafeDNS’s web filter. Every day, its database is updated to include new threats and enhance detection power.

Five Parental Control Product Awards for SafeDNS have come from evaluations and testing conducted by AV-Comparatives, a renowned testing facility. Australian third parties evaluated it as well, listing SafeDNS as one of the top DNS providers for blocking dangerous websites and filtering content.

8. High Acuracy

High web filtering accuracy is provided by SafeDNS to ensure that it can identify all threats and hazards and give you a secure online experience.

Based on tests carried out in 2020, SafeDNS achieves an almost flawless score of 98.5% of all requests for adult content blocked. For the previous five years, SafeDNS’s tests revealed no false positives, sparing you from overblocking problems.

9. Botnet and Malware Protection

Proactive cloud security from SafeDNS effectively blocks malware, ransomware, phishing, botnets, and cryptocurrency mining. It assists in preventing data theft by cybercriminals and the transformation of your computers into fully controlled zombie machines, thereby expanding botnets. Additionally, it has the ability to block malicious websites and content even before it is uploaded to your computer.

10. Superb Content Selection

All websites that contain violence, pornography, racism, hate speech, alcohol, weapons, gambling, drugs, or other content that could make the internet dangerous can be blocked by SafeDNS.

You can select from a variety of categories and block different kinds of content. Their database, which is continually growing thanks to SafeDNS’s efforts, contains data from more than 109 million websites divided into 61 categories.

Additionally, SafeDNS has the ability to block a variety of online ads, including pop-ups, banners, audio and video ads, context-based ads, and more. It will assist in protecting you against cybercriminals who use ad networks to distribute malicious payloads that infect computers.

Why Is SafeDNS the Better Option?

The following are some advantages of SafeDNS for residences, companies, and groups.

1. Using Nothing at All Costs

You don’t need to buy any additional hardware or software for the server or client PCs because SafeDNS is cloud-based. All you have to do is set up this service and register with SafeDNS. After that, you can use its site interface to configure the filtering settings that you want, and SafeDNS will take care of the rest, making your online experience safer. All you need to get the service is a SafeDNS subscription.

2. More Dependable and Quick Internet

For most ISPs, DNS availability is a serious problem. However, you won’t have to worry about it if you use SafeDNS. Their DNS servers are accessible from all over the world, including Australia, the Far East, and the Americas.

Consequently, you can take advantage of a faster and more dependable internet connection wherever you are on the planet, regardless of your origins. Furthermore, SafeDNS’s servers adhere to the BGP protocol, which permits redundant and fast internet access.

3. Remote Work

The popularity of remote work has not decreased, particularly since the pandemic. As remote work allows employees, contractors, and freelancers to work from anywhere in the world, more and more businesses are adopting it.

They might, however, use their gadgets and potentially unsafe public wifi to access the internet. This may put the data in your organization at risk of security breaches. So, if you use SafeDNS, those risks will be reduced. No matter where your employees work from, your data will always be protected.

4. Protection Against IoT-Related Risks

IoT devices are being used in homes and businesses all over the world more and more. People use voice assistants, smartwatches, fitness trackers, and other devices that store personal data.

Cybercriminals now have more chances to steal data and do damage as a result. Installing cybersecurity apps like firewalls and antivirus is difficult on these devices because they have less storage and processing power.

However, since DNS filters filter content and cyberattacks at the DNS layer, you don’t need to worry about any of that.

5. Defense Against Cloud-Related Risks

Companies worldwide are migrating to the cloud in order to increase productivity, reduce costs, and enable scalability. It helps with remote work as well.

Nowhere is safe, though. Risks associated with clouds are growing. Insecure interfaces, unauthorized access, account hijacking, and security breaches are all frequently caused by incorrectly configured settings.

No matter where you are in the cloud, you can activate DNS filtering. Thus, safeguarding your devices and data against cloud-related threats has gotten easier.

6. Compliance

Over time, the risks to data privacy have increased due to the theft of personal information by hackers and fraudsters. For this reason, laws like the GDPR and HIPAA have established guidelines that all organizations need to follow.

You can prevent the compromise of customer and organizational data by using DNS filtering services like SafeDNS. You are therefore protected from fines and compliance risks.

7. Employee Productivity

By granting your workers, independent contractors, and freelancers access to DNS filtering, you can empower them. It will safeguard the data while maintaining the security of their network and devices. They can therefore stop worrying about the risks. They will be able to effectively utilize their time while working thanks to it.

8. Support

While utilizing a service, assistance might be required at any time. There may occasionally be technical issues, or you may not understand something, etc. Furthermore, in terms of security, lending a hand can be quite effective in certain situations.

Everybody looks for high-quality support from a provider, and SafeDNS provides it. Its team is friendly, competent, and professionally equipped to handle your questions and concerns. To solve your problems, you can contact them by phone, email, or by creating a ticket.

Applications for DNS Filters

1. Partners and Telecoms

DNS filtering’s tailored solution will safeguard the online security of your partners and clients. Your business outcomes and security return on investment will also be enhanced.

2. Businesses

Web filtering solutions can help businesses safeguard their organizational network against malware, phishing scams, and other threats. It will support boosting worker productivity and enforcing network-wide web usage guidelines.

3. Homes

DNS filtering can shield your family from dangers so you can provide your children with a secure online environment. They will only receive content that is safe to consume so they can develop and learn without running any risks.

4. Software and Hardware Vendors

DNS filters that enhance the functionality and value of your products include SafeDNS’s web categorization database. It will be useful to classify web searches according to the kind of content.

5. Education and Libraries

Provide all employees and students who are on campus—in universities, kindergartens, and high schools, for example—a safer browsing experience.

6. Non-Profits

SafeDNS is a tool that nonprofit organizations can use to filter objectionable and dangerous content from their networks. It will deter attackers and make your perimeter kid-friendly.

Conclusion

Although it is impossible to stop cybercriminals, you can safeguard your systems and data by implementing more secure technologies and tools.

SafeDNS, a DNS filtering solution, is a great way to accomplish that. It will protect you with cost-effectiveness, scalability, and dependability against malware, phishing, cloud-related risks, IoT-related risks, and more. This will increase the safety of using the internet for homes, businesses, and organizations.