Support & operations · Website help · Redirects and site moves

The old domain expires before move checks finish

The new site works, but old bookmarks rely on a domain nobody plans to renew. Redirect continuity depends on ownership.

What to change

Redirects depend on the old hostname remaining under reliable control. Ask the organisation to decide how long that dependency is needed and who owns its renewal, credentials and routing settings. Record the decision alongside the move, with an alternate administrator able to find the configuration. The acceptance evidence should demonstrate continuing operational control rather than merely confirm that the new website loads today.

A worked example

Illustrative example

Illustrative test: Ask the replacement supplier to demonstrate access to the old-domain redirect settings.

How to check the result

The organisation understands and owns the dependencies behind the move.

A mistake to avoid

A completed redesign does not make the old domain operationally irrelevant.

Your action checklist

Use these checks to prepare a discussion with your team or supplier. Tick a check when you have recorded the decision or evidence, rather than when a feature has simply been promised.

Decisions to record

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Healthcare website maintenance with infrastructure, a status panel, tools and an operational checklist.
Monitor the useful journey, not just whether a server responds.
Healthcare backup and recovery illustrated by storage copies, an archive folder and a restoration route.
Test whether a backup can restore a usable service.
Healthcare digital support handover with an inventory, key, incident timeline and dependency map.
Keep responsibilities and recovery instructions available.

Further reading

These primary sources provide additional context for the project decisions above.

Related decisions

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