Test Websites on new HOST before Switching Servers

mehargags

Hi everyone,
something probably asked before, but I wanted to clarify my isolated case.
I'm migrating 3 high visit sites for a client from his current host to my servers. Since these sites don't afford to be offline, I'd need them to be migrated and well tested before I switch the DNS.

I wanted to check What is the best way you guyz do migrations, and TEST it. One way is to point your hosts file with www.domain.com to Force pointing a domain to the new IPs, but is that reliable enough? Also what if I need to load test it using serverbeer or any other service (pls suggest). Choosing the IP to test won't be reliable as the application uses SiteURLs specific to domain and one of it is a Wordpress site, which relies on domain name to be tested properly.

Kindly share your ideas on how to TEST it to DEATH before taking the big leap.

Also suggest some good (possibly free) services that can be relied upon.

Thanks..alot!!

BlazeMuis

Use a temp domain?

century1stop

First of all, are your new nameservers resolved yet? DNS servers running properly?

sepei

or "better" use a subdomain?

William

Set the domains in your local hosts file to the new IP. Does not require any DNS changes,

DalekOfSkaro

Why not just point the domains to the new IPs in your local hosts file?

Linux/OS X: /etc/hosts
Windows: C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts (or something similar, I haven't used windows in ages)...

century1stop

@William said:
Set the domains in your local hosts file to the new IP. Does not require any DNS changes,

oh yea, that's right, changing IPs will do since your DNS servers are already running.

for tests, keep both sites active and just point sub-domain to the new IP, see if it works, takes only seconds

mehargags

$William & @DalekOfSkaro Thats what I've been doing and already mentioned, to edit hosts file.

@century1stop I do not host DNS on any of my hosting servers, always use a another isolated DNS servers so they will remain the same. Switching for me is Just changing the IP in the A Record which is really instant!

ANY good TESTING Services as in 2015 update??

century1stop

mehargags said: ANY good TESTING Services as in 2015 update??

no idea, maybe I'll learn something new here....

JoeBiss

THIS

@DalekOfSkaro said:
Why not just point the domains to the new IPs in your local hosts file?

Linux/OS X: /etc/hosts
Windows: C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts (or something similar, I haven't used windows in ages)...

squibs

Yes and remember if it's windows, you'll likely have to run your text editor with admin privileges if you want to save a file in the windows directory. This is my usual deployment method - works great,