Is it common to move a data center during working hours? Unfortunately, it was an unpleasant surprise when I woke up this morning. The hosting site that we have used for years had decided to move the data center - and they were doing it today, at 8am.

As a result, projects that were running on the servers were unavailable for over 12 hours - despite the website stating that servers would only be disconnected from 2pm to 8pm. It seems like they forgot to mention the move on May 6th or 10th.

This raises some questions - how often does this happen? Is it considered normal? For company representatives, how do you inform your clients about such events? How much notice is given before a move? Are promised timeframes adhered to?

If any business owners are reading this, it would be helpful to share your experiences with others in the industry.

Agreed, that's acceptable.

Additionally, it's crucial to have the move scheduled for a weekday morning to avoid potential problems that could arise during the process. There may be a need to coordinate with data center personnel or purchase something urgently, which would not be possible over the weekend or at night.

To ensure a successful move, it's important to follow these guidelines and make sure to adhere to any notifications and warnings from the hosting company. Even if you're using a cheap hosting plan, don't expect everything to be transparent, as even major hosting companies like Google don't handle such issues.

If your website's availability is a top priority, consider creating a backup copy yourself and including it in another data center while the move is taking place.

It appears that the hosting company in question provided ample warning two weeks in advance and even offered special conditions for those with critical work needs (although with a change of IP address). However, for those who prefer a hands-off approach, there's no need to do anything besides wait for the move to be completed.

Provided there aren't any unforeseen events like law enforcement or natural disasters, typically there will be a notice given two weeks, 10 days, 7 days, 3 days, 2 days, and the day prior.
If it is a planned relocation, then the communication will be available in your personal account.

A lack of user concern from your hoster (in the case of using free, testing, MyBB or Hostinger), warrants seeking out an executive hoster or upgrading to a paid plan. Nevertheless, even on paid reseller plans with Hostinger, half of the websites have been easily removed.

Back in the day, our company relocated servers to a new data center that we built. This was done on a weekday, but during the night. The decision to move during the week was understandable as there were spare days for preparation and completion of work that followed the transfer. Furthermore, there were limitations surrounding weekend moves that made it impossible in this case.

To inform our customers of the relocation, we sent notifications via email, personal accounts, forums, and social media groups. In my opinion, this is typically enough for most cases. However, in the future, we may also consider sending SMS messages and letters prior to and after the relocation. Additionally, we personally contacted all VIP clients ahead of time to inform them of the planned work.

In the industry, it is considered best practice to provide ample notice to clients, typically several months in advance, before undertaking a data center relocation. This allows clients to prepare for the move, make necessary adjustments to their systems, and plan for any potential downtime. It is also common practice to schedule data center moves during off-peak hours, such as weekends or late nights, to minimize the impact on business operations and ensure minimal disruption for clients.

The lack of proper communication and adherence to the stated timeframes in your case is highly unusual and concerning. Reputable hosting providers and data center operators understand the importance of transparency and maintaining the trust of their clients. Failing to provide accurate information about such a significant event is a breach of that trust and can have severe consequences for the businesses relying on their services.

As an operations manager, I would ensure that our clients are informed well in advance, typically at least 6-8 weeks prior to the planned move. We would provide detailed information about the rationale for the move, the planned timeline, expected downtime periods, and contingency plans in case of any unforeseen issues. Additionally, we would have regular communication updates leading up to the move, ensuring that clients are kept informed at every step of the process.

During the actual move, our team would work around the clock to minimize downtime and ensure a smooth transition. We would closely monitor the process and provide regular status updates to our clients. In the event of any deviations from the planned timeline or unexpected issues, we would promptly communicate with our clients and take necessary actions to mitigate the impact.

In your situation, the hosting provider's failure to adequately inform you about the data center move and the significant deviation from the stated timeframes is unacceptable. As a client, you have every right to demand an explanation and potentially seek compensation for the disruption caused to your business operations.
While data center relocations are complex undertakings, proper planning, communication, and adherence to promised timeframes are essential to maintain the trust and confidence of clients. The experience you described falls well short of industry best practices and should be addressed with the hosting provider to prevent similar occurrences in the future.