For this option, you will have to register a new domain (cost: $12-$15/year) and migrate all of your content to a new Web host (cost: varies greatly but estimate $2/month to $25/month). Depending on the host, you may have to keep your first domain until it expires, as well.

Since you'll be setting up a new domain, there will be certain amount of clean-up that needs to be done on your sites in order to make them work on the new address. Some hosts will help with this; some may not.

This is a good option if you're not interested in keeping your site up and paying for it, but you might want to put your site back up at some point in the future.

If you have a WordPress site (or sites) you'd like to keep, you might consider this option. You can export all your content from your existing site, setup an account on WordPress.com, and then import that content on a free site there. You won't have all the plugins and options, and you'll have a wordpress.com URL, but it's FREE!

If you don't want to keep your domain or your content, you can remove everything you've created.

If your domain is set to renew during the 6-month grace period after graduation, we will renew it unless you tell us not to. After that period, if you haven't transferred your domain, it will automatically lapse.

Keeping Some of Your Content

The easiest thing to do if you don't want to keep all of your content is to remove what you don't want prior to migrating.

NOTE: Please backup your entire site and download the backup prior to making any changes! You can access a tool to generate and download a backup of your entire account by logging into UMW Domains and going to Manage Your Account -> Migration Information.

• If there are installs you've done through Installatron, you can simply go to Installatron and click "uninstall" for those you want to remove.
• If you manually installed something, you can go to the File Manager in cPanel and remove files and you can go to the MySQL Databases manager to remove databases.
• If you have files you've uploaded manually that you simply want to remove, you can go to File Manger and get rid of them.
• If you set up any subdomains, remember to remove them before migrating as well.

UMW has two negotiated deals with Web hosts that you may wish to consider.

Reclaim Hosting

Reclaim Hosting is the provider for UMW's DoOO project. For $30/year they will provide domain registration and hosting; currently, Reclaim is offering all UMW graduates a one-time 20% discount, as well. They will also handle the migration of your content, and if you wish to change domains they'll assist with fixing your sites so they work on the new domain.

HostGator

HostGator provides a 60% discount on your first Web hosting purchase. The domain registration is not discounted. If you choose this option, you should purchase the longest period of hosting you can to maximize the discount. Since HostGator also uses cPanel they will handle the migration of your content for you from our servers. HostGator provides some instructions about migrating sites from one domain to another, but you will need to purchase a second domain to do this. They do not fix your sites after changing to a new domain for free.

Other Options

If you wish, you can research other Web hosts to use.

HostGator Plans

HostGator offers 2 different hosting plans. The Hatchling Plan is a hosting plan for a single domain, comparable to existing UMW accounts, and will be suitable for most UMW students. For users that wish to host multiple domains and expand their account the Baby Plan is appropriate.

1. Sign up for the Hatchling Plan (starts at $29.19/year)
2. Sign up for the Baby Plan (starts at $41.79/year)

Keeping Your Current Domain with HostGator

During signup with HostGator, you'll choose the tab labeled "I Already Own This Domain" and then the kind of hosting you want and the term (1 month to 36 months) of hosting you want to purchase.

After you've purchased your hosting, you'll need to transfer your domain and your content.

Currently, HostGator offers a free domain transfer for new accounts. After you've set up hosting, fill out this form.

Prior to filling out the form, you'll need to visit the DoOO site to unlock your domain and request an EPP code. You can do both of these things by logging into UMW Domains and going to Manage Your Account -> Migration Information.

Transferring Your Content to HostGator

1. IP/Hostname: To obtain this, go to your DoOO cPanel dashboard. Click the link on the right for "Server Information." Find the numerical address listed as "104.243.44.2" This is what you need to enter.
2. cPanel URL: This URL will be the same as your IP/Hostname with "/cpanel" appended to the end.
3. Previous Hosting Company: You will likely have to choose "Other" from the drop-down.
4. Control Panel: You should choose "cPanel."
5. It is unlikely your site has an SSL certificate (you would likely know if it did).
6. Account Username/Password: You can find this information by logging into UMW Domains and going to Manage Your Account -> Migration Information. Your cPanel username and password is listed at the bottom of the page.

Getting a New Domain with HostGator

If you decide to go with HostGator but you'd like to switch to a different domain name, we suggest you go about this by following these steps:

1. Purchase the Baby plan with your existing domain (see instructions above for how to migrate your existing domain).
2. Purchase your new domain through HostGator.
3. Add your new domain to your account as an "addon" domain and migrate your site(s) to the new domain.
4. Make the new domain your primary domain.
5. Do not renew your first domain when it expires.

Reclaim Hosting Basics

Through a special partnership with our hosting provider, Reclaim Hosting, students are eligible to have their domain and content automatically migrated to a full hosting account at Reclaim Hosting at a 20% discount (for a total of $24). This is a one-time offer; annual renewal of the account will be full-price (currently $30/year).

Reclaim's basic plan includes 2GB of storage, unlimited addon domains, subdomains, bandwidth, and email addresses

Sign up for a Reclaim Hosting individual account (with 20% discount).

Keeping Your Current Domain with Reclaim and Migrating Your Content

Prior to starting, you'll need to visit the DoOO site to unlock your domain and request an EPP code (which will be emailed to your @mail.umw.edu address). You can do both of these things by logging into UMW Domains and going to Manage Your Account -> Migration Information.

During signup with Reclaim, you'll choose the tab labeled "Transfer your domain from another registrar". On the next screen, when prompted to enter an EPP code, enter the code that you received via email.

Once you're done, send an email to support@reclaimhosting.com and indicate your domain, that you've just signed up for an account , and that you're migrating from UMW's Domain of One's Own project.

Getting a New Domain with Reclaim and Migrating Your Content

During signup with Reclaim, you'll choose the tab labeled "Register a new domain." Choose your domain and simply complete the order.

After you've completed your order, send an email to support@reclaimhosting.comindicating that your a UMW graduate, what your new domain is, what your old domain is, and your desire for your content to be migrated to your new account with your new domain.

Choosing a Different Web Host

Generally, you should be looking for a hosting company that provides open-source LAMP Web hosting. If they use cPanel and will assist with migration, that's a big plus. You should also ask them if they'll help you fix any problems on your sites if you are planning on changing your domain name.

The cost of Web hosting can vary dramatically based upon the kind of hosting and the features of the account. It's a good idea to start with the smallest amount you think you'll need and then grow into a larger account rather than spending a lot for more features than you require.

You may find this recent article from PCMag about the best Web hosting services useful.

Migrating WordPress Sites (for free)

If you don't want to spend any money, and you only have a WordPress site (or sites) that you want to continue to use, your easiest and cheapest option is to migrate to a service like WordPress.com.

There are a few things you should keep in mind about moving to WordPress.com:

• You won't be able to install any plugin or theme; instead, you'll be restricted to the ones in the system.
• Unless you pay WordPress.com a fee (starting at $3/month), you won't be able to have your own URL; instead your URL will be something like something.wordpress.com.
• The backend interface at WordPress.com is different than what you're used to seeing on your own WordPress install on DoOO.
• Your site will display WordPress.com ads

Getting a WordPress.com Account

You'll need to sign up for a free WordPress.com site by going to wordpress.com/start.

You'll need to make a few choices about the kind of site you want, what theme you want to use, and the URL of your site. The first two can be easily changed later; the last cannot.

Migrate Your Site's Content to Your New WP.com Site

Follow these instructions to migrate content from your existing DoOO WP site to your new WP.com site. (NOTE: These instructions include a section on mapping a domain that is a feature only available if you have a paid WP.com site. You should skip this step if you're using the free account.)

Keep in mind that if you created any links in your old site to pages/posts on your own site and "hard-coded" the URLs, you will need to go back and edit those links to reflect your site's new URL.

Note that if you plan on migrating more than one site, you'll need to create multiple sites at WP.com. This is easy to do. Simply follow these instructions to create another site.

Backing Up Your DoOO Account for Later Use

If you're not sure whether you'll ever want to host anything from your account in the future and/or you don't have the money to purchase hosting now, one option is backup your entire DoOO account and hold onto it for possible future use.

Keep in mind that you'll have six months after graduating to actually migrate off the system; you can back it up and still decide to migrate within that timeframe if you change your mind.

To create a backup, login to umwdomains.com and go to Manage Your Account -> Migration Information. On the page that appears, click the Add Backup button. The backup process will begin; check back to the page later for a link to the file you can download. Simply click on the file and choose a location to save it to your computer.

This file contains a complete backup of all of your site's files and databases, however it won't be usable as a Web site until it is migrated to a new Web host. It is, however, in a standard package that should be easy to migrate to a open-source LAMP Web host.

Delete Your Domain and Content

If you do not wish to keep any of your content or renew your domain, send an email to dtlt@umw.edu including your name and domain name. We will remove your hosting account and turn off auto-renewal of your domain. At the next renewal date, your domain with then expire.