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Migration & Relaunch

Cutover

Cutover is the controlled point when a new website or system takes over in production.

Cutover is the controlled point when a new website or system takes over in production. A complete inventory, clear mappings, testing, and post-launch monitoring reduce content, SEO, and operational risk. The concept is closely related to DNS and Hypercare.

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DNS

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FAQ

Cutover

How can a cutover be rolled back in an emergency?
The old system stays operational until the new one is considered stable. A rollback then usually means pointing the DNS records back. Data created since the switch, such as form submissions or orders, is the hard part. It should therefore be agreed in advance which failure pattern triggers a rollback and who decides.
How do cutover and hypercare differ?
Cutover is a single moment, while hypercare is the phase that follows. At cutover, the switch happens; during hypercare, errors, redirects, indexing, and performance are watched closely and fixed. Together they make up the launch. Planning only the cutover leaves the weeks with the highest need for corrections unplanned.
What role does DNS play in a cutover?
Usually the DNS change is the actual switch: afterward, the domain record points to the new system. The TTL should be lowered beforehand so the change takes effect quickly. Even so, caches may hold the old state for a while, so both versions can be reachable for a short time.
When is the best time to schedule a cutover?
Low-traffic windows with the whole team on hand work best. Campaign launches, sales peaks, and holidays are poor choices, as is a Friday evening, since errors then go unnoticed over the weekend. The timing should follow the business rhythm rather than the project calendar.
What belongs in a cutover plan?
A cutover plan defines the time window, owners, and order of steps. It covers a content freeze, redirect mapping, the DNS switch, smoke tests, and communication channels. Criteria for aborting and rolling back are equally central. A plan without named decision makers turns into debate rather than action when something goes wrong.