Transferring Client domain name and web hosting

Hello

I'm a web designer new to the world of reseller hosting. I have a pretty big client of mine who would like to transfer both there domain name and hosting services over to me. This client is extemely reliant and dependant upon there email working properly. I'm worried that during the transfer that there email will be interrupted. Are there any steps i can take to minimize and interruptions to there mail? Can anyone give me steps to the best way to go about the transfer of both services... what should i do first.... change name servers then transfer domain or transfer domain then change name servers??? I'm just not sure what the proper way of doing this....

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
 
Howdy to the big world of reseller hosting! I'm also a designer/developer who offers hosting as a value add.

Here's how I've handled domain transfers:

1) Create the new account and site here. Get it all working and tested. Make sure all the email addresses are set up here. I typically suggest using a new password on email accounts here.

2) Change DNS

3) Tell the client that during the DNS changeover, there's the chance that some mail will go to the old server and some will go to the new one. They'll know they're connected to the new server when their old password doesn't work. They should then change it in their mail client.

4) Even after their DNS changes, the folks sending them mail might still connect to the old server. So, for a few days, maybe a week, they should also use webmail at both their old and new servers to be sure nothing gets lost in the shuffle.

5) About a week later, once you're sure everything is going to the new server, shut off the old one.

Nothing should get lost with this sort of transfer plan.

Tim
 
Thanks so much for you answer. That exaclty what i was looking for. Its really important that this transfer goes smoothly with this client. Is there any problems associated with the acutal transfer of the domain name from one registrar to another or is it mainly just with the changing of the dns information.

Also if I understand correclty as long as the email addresses are setup on the new server absolutely no mail will get lost its just a matter of what server the mail actually gets too...

Thanks again!
 
wakextreme said:
Is there any problems associated with the acutal transfer of the domain name from one registrar to another or is it mainly just with the changing of the dns information.

Well, there shouldn't be any issues. But, if you can, I'd suggest changing the registrar separately from changing the DNS info. Like, I'd change registrar first then wait until all that goes through (give it a week or so) and then change the DNS info. (Or vice versa)

wakextreme said:
Also if I understand correclty as long as the email addresses are setup on the new server absolutely no mail will get lost its just a matter of what server the mail actually gets too...

Yes, exactly.

Tim
 
Ok so my client has decided to use there own internal mail server to handle there email. Just wanted to see if want i want to do will work properly. If i setup there hosting account and website on our servers and also setup a new mx record with a prioriyt of 5 I should be able to tell my client to continue to chek there email with there current settings adn also setup there outlook to pull mail from there internal mail server. If im thinking right as soon as the dns changes the mail will be sent to internal mail server and then should recieve an error from there old email settings. At this point they just need to check by webmail there old server incase some mail would continue to go there as well.

Let me know if that makes sense and im thinking about that properly.

Thanks
 
Also do i need to setup all th email accounts for this client on the server if they are using thre own exchange server or not? Or will it jsut forward all email and not matter if i have email accounts setup or not. If i dont' have accounts setup what will happen if there mail server goes down and the mail comes to the relay server instead...

Thanks
 
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