Website Down
Server Upgrade Cause Outage
Upgrading servers is a necessary part of maintaining a website, but it can be a headache for website owners. Yesterday, our local hosting provider upgraded the server that hosts our website, which caused our site to be down for much of the day. In this blog post, we'll discuss the experience of working on the website during the upgrade, how we managed to get the site back up and running, and the last-minute checks we're doing to ensure everything is working smoothly.
What Happened?
On April 7, our hosting provider informed us that they would be upgrading the server that hosts our website. This upgrade was necessary to improve the performance and security of our website.
The upgrade was scheduled to take place during the early morning hours of May 3. However, there were some unforeseen complications that caused the upgrade to take longer than expected. As a result, the website was down for much of May 3.
The Experience of Working on the Website During the Upgrade
When we first realized that our website was down due to the server upgrade, we were initially frustrated. We knew that we had visitors who were trying to access our site, and we didn't want them to be greeted with an error message. However, we were also sympathetic to our hosting provider's need to upgrade their infrastructure. We knew that the upgrade was necessary to improve the performance and security of our site.
As we worked to bring the site back up, we encountered a few hiccups. Some of our files had been moved to a new location on the server, which caused some of our pages to break. We also had to update some of our plugins to ensure that they were compatible with the new server configuration. However, we were able to quickly address these issues and get the site back up and running.
Last-Minute Checks
Now that the site is back up and running, we're doing some last-minute checks to ensure that everything is working smoothly. We're testing all of the site's functionality, including forms, links, and e-commerce functionality. We're also monitoring the site's performance to ensure that it's running quickly and efficiently.
We're also taking this opportunity to review our disaster recovery plan. While we were able to quickly address the issues we encountered during the upgrade, we want to make sure that we're better prepared for any future disruptions. We're reviewing our backup procedures and testing our ability to quickly restore the site from a backup in the event of a major outage.
Conclusion
Upgrading servers is a necessary part of maintaining a website, but it can be a stressful experience for website owners. However, with the right approach, it's possible to navigate these upgrades with minimal disruption to your site's visitors. By working closely with your hosting provider, testing your site's functionality, and reviewing your disaster recovery plan, you can ensure that your site stays up and running even during the most challenging times.