However reliable your web host has been in the past, there is always a chance that they will start to give you problems.

These problems may take various forms - increasing downtime, lack of response to support questions, lack of attention to requests for help with script installation or mySQL, server migrations which break your script paths, limited bandwidth or disk space offerings with only expensive plan upgrades being available, and so on. Actually, we have been affected by all these issues over the years.

Though a webmaster usually sticks it out and hopes for the best, often the only solution to hosting problems is to find a new, and better, host. Competition among hosting companies means you don't have to put up with inferior service, even on quite a modest hosting budget. With the proliferation of multi-hosting plans now available, you also have the option of moving all your sites which are individually hosted onto one cheaper plan.

So, you have finally decided to change your host, either because of persistent problems, or because you want a better, cheaper hosting deal, or one with more features. What do you have to think about?

Changing your hosting service has always been seen as a major headache, and it is, but you can minimize the work involved.

Basically, you need to rebuild your site on the new host. If you have followed a plan, and have all your files in one place, replicating the structure of your site, then things should be straightforward. It is often simpler to do a full download from the old host, to your hard disk, to make sure you have all the files you need, before you terminate the old hosting. You can then simply upload the whole site to the new host (in theory).

Most of the problems on the new host will be around getting scripts to work, reconfiguring any databases you have, re-enabling special features of your site, and so on. One issue which stopped us switching away from a poor host recently was our internal site engine, which we knew would have to be rebuilt completely on the new host. In the end, we simply dropped that feature from the site, as getting onto a new host quickly was more important. Make your site simpler, if you can.

Part of your plan to cope with future hosting problems and switching hosts should be to own the domain name independently of the hosting service. In other words, make sure you are the registrant of your own domain names. This is because retrieving a domain which a host registered for you may not be easy or fast. Since a host is losing your business, they have no motivation to be helpful, and the process can take weeks. Avoid these potential problems by registering your own domain names with a service like Godaddy.

Having switched hosts, other issues like reconfiguring the email setup have to be worked through, but shouldn't take too much time. If there are problems with that or with other setup issues on the new host, then is the time to check out how good the support is going to be. This is where you discover if you have made the right move!