Experimenting with a New Host

[pinch]

I use ASP.net hosting for one of my websites and would like to experiment with a new host. I will need to keep the existing site online during this process but I want to completely prove-it-out on the new host before deciding to move.

Is there any other way to do this besides buying a new domain name (mysitename-test.com, or mysitename.org) and using that domain to try things out on my the new host? The only drawback I can see to this is 1) buying the domain costs money and 2) the potential for Google seeing the test site as duplicate content.

I think I should be able to block robots on the test site, so really the only issue is paying money for a site that will only be used for testing purposes?

[dklynn]

pinch,

If you stayed on the current host, you could do this via a subdomain. However, using a new host, you're stuck using another domain name.

Regards,

DK

[ewin]

Do you have to test this on a domain? Either way, you should be able to test on a subdomain or if you can't create a subdomain, even test it via IP.

[logic_earth]

Create a subdomain on your main domain, set it up to point at the name servers for the new host. If you cannot do this, you have a lousy domain register. Ah how I enjoy Azure, 90 day free trial, pay-as-you-go, internal test URLs, and so much more.

[pinch]

So by using a subdomain pointed at the new host's nameservers, would I still be able to try out components provided by the new host, like 3rd party add-ons?

[logic_earth]

I don't see why not.

[sahostking]

You could also request a temporary domain url to help you to check everything before migration?

[dklynn]

sahostking has a good point. I don't use anyone's "free domain name" but that should give you a "dummy" domain name for a master account with all your hosted accounts in addon domains under the master. They can be addressed either as a subdomain of the "dummy" or directly (bypassing the code of the master domain).

Regards,

DK