Publish Front Page before going live.

[austinpctech]

I have no UNIX/Linux background whatsoever but do have many years experience using shared hosting services and publishing websites with Front Page and so I do understand a little bit. I have just begun taking steps to move an existing site currently on a shared hosting server to a VPS server at a different hosting company. The new VPS hosting company is using Plesk for Linux (psa v8.0.1_build80060613.20 os_FedoraCore 4) and I am wading through it the best I can. I have been frustrated at my new hosting company's response when I've inquired about the possibility of publishing my site to their server first, configuring script file and directory permissions, and then fully testing the site prior to going live. Their response has been that I must change my DNS info first at the domain registrar, then publish my site to their server. For years I have done this with shared hosting servers simply using the new domain IP address to publish to, and so I ask myself why not now? Is this a Plesk limitation? Is it an incompatability between Front Page and Plesk. I notice that when in Plesk, if I click on the FP Webadmin icon, it logs me into Front Page Server Extensions Administration on the existing shared hosting server, rather than the local server as I would expect. This leads me to believe that maybe it is a problem or limitation within Plesk. Do you know?

It just seems to me that this is a very basic need of many people migrating a site from one place to another. And to be told there is no solution other than to face website downtime, as you work to bring it all back up, and for who knows how many days, just doesn't make sense. On the other hand, I guess I'm hoping that someone here knows better than my hosting company's tech support, and is aware of a solution addressing my concern.

Thanks for your helpful input.

 

[Who-m3]

Login to the Plesk Control Panel and utllize the Site Preview to verify your site before going live. This is the easiest way to verify everything is 100% operational before moving your DNS to the new server, and this allows you to identify and resolve any problems before making the move that CAN cause problems if problems exist...