More than just a Data Center built with best-of-class equipment, security and monitoring, OnRamp specializes in providing customized services all the way through the application layer.

Dedicated Server Award Winner - April 2008

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onramp colocation | transfer tips

After years of helping Colocation customers move in, we've learned a lesson or two.  We've gathered a few tips to build a good outline for planning your move into our facility.  Although each customer has unique needs, we've found that following these steps eliminate the most common problems that occur in such a move.  This, of course, is only a starting point for a complete move plan. Our staff of engineers are ready to help you build upon this plan to ensure that your move is seamless.

  1. Cancel your contract with your old provider.  Most providers require at least a written 30 day notice.
  2. Set the Time To Live (TTL) on any domain names that you are moving back to a small number (an hour for instance).  Most DNS servers respond with a TTL of up to a week when answering DNS queries.  That means that visitors to your site may not be able to see your new site at the new facility for as long as a week after you move, regardless of the new settings on your DNS server.  By setting the TTL back to one hour, and letting it stay that way for at least as long as the previous setting (i.e. if the previous setting was one week, wait one week after setting it back to one hour before moving), visitors will be directed to the new site within an hour at the worst.  Once you have moved, you can set the TTL back to one week in order to reduce load on the DNS server and to speed initial connections to your site.
  3. Contact OnRamp Access Engineering at 512-322-9200 to coordinate the time you are arriving with your servers.  Your engineer will confirm all special configuration needs prior to your moving so that they will be ready when you arrive.  Obtain IP numbers from engineering.  Specify which IP(s) you will use for your gateway(s).  Give the engineer information on any domains you want us to serve DNS for including all IP address mappings and reverse mappings you desire.
  4. If you are going to use our DNS servers, once engineering has configured our servers to your specifications (initially mirroring your current DNS configuration pointing at your old facility with a short Time to Live), contact each domain's registrar and change your registration to use our servers as primary and secondary DNS servers for that domain.
  5. We suggest running a HackerView network security scan on your servers prior to moving in order to get a "fresh start" in our colocation facility.  HackerView will test all of your IP numbered devices for over 1,000 vulnerabilities.  We suggest running it both through your current firewall configuration and with the firewall turned off in order to test host level security.  Try to install any needed patches prior to moving if possible.
  6. If you will be using our DNS services, prior to moving your servers, contact OnRamp Engineering to change the DNS to your new IP numbers.  Schedule the change to happen at the time you are shutting down the servers in the old facility.
  7. when you are ready to move, shut down your servers and change the DNS or have OnRamp change your DNS if appropriate.
  8. If possible, call us when you are on your way and we'll expedite your entry in to your space.  We have dollies, power drills and a variety of other resources, sometimes even a hand or two, to help you speed your installation.
  9. Once your equipment is installed, verify all connections.  Specifically, verify that your connection to our network is running as intended (100 Mbps, full-duplex for instance).
  10. Common problem areas for servers that have been moved are gateway and DNS server settings, subnet masks and firewall configuration issues.  The Data center's Customer Resource Center has a variety of adapters, pre-tested wires, tools, Internet connected computers and other resources that can help if you are having trouble.  In addition, our personnel can easily move your connection to different equipment in our Data Center if you want to ensure that you aren't having interoperability issues with our equipment.  Please ask for help.
  11. Once everything is running well, change the Time To Live on all DNS servers back to one week.
  12. Make sure to contact your old DNS provider to have them remove their DNS entries from their servers.