Migrating a WordPress site should be a pretty straightforward job, right? Just zip your files, dump the DB, upload it somewhere else, import, done. Well, welcome to the twisted little corner of the hosting universe called Strato, where simplicity goes to die.
This guide walks you through the delightful chaos of moving your WordPress site to Strato, including email migration quirks with Microsoft Outlook. If you’re a seasoned web admin with a decent grip on PHP and MySQL, you’re in the right place. Just bring some patience and maybe a drink.
This article is not intended to offend anyone; rather, it reflects a personal,
experience-based perspective and should be understood as my individual opinion.
Step 1: Prep Your Source Site
Before touching anything on Strato, get your ducks in a row:
- Full backup of your current site
- Use a plugin like Duplicator, All-in-One WP Migration, or do it manually (zip files + [mysqldump]).
- Export your MySQL database via phpMyAdmin or CLI.
- Note your current domain settings
- Check where your DNS is currently managed, and be aware: Strato wants to be the boss of your domain. You can’t just point an A record to their server and call it a day.
Step 2: Set Up Your Strato Environment (if you can call it that)
- Book your hosting package (if not done already).
- Register or transfer your domain to Strato
- Important: You must transfer the domain to Strato. They do not play nicely with external DNS.
- Wait for DNS propagation
- The catch: You can’t view your new site until the domain fully points to Strato. No temp URLs. Yay!
- So this is a true leap of faith deployment. Previews are for cowards.
- Set up a MySQL database
- Go to the Strato Control Panel and create a new database.
- Save the DB name, user, password, and host (usually something like rdbms.strato.de).
- Upload your WordPress files
- Use FTP (yawn) or WebFTP (cringe) to upload your WordPress files.
- Import your database
- Use phpMyAdmin (provided by Strato) to import your .sql dump.
- Update wp-config.php
- Enter new DB credentials.
- Double-check the DB host. It’s rarely localhost on Strato.
Step 3: Handle the Domain Switch
Once the domain is active on Strato:
- Flush permalinks
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard (if it works!) and go to Settings > Permalinks > Save.
- Fix mixed content / hardcoded URLs
- Search & replace old domain with the new one using plugins like Better Search Replace or via SQL.
Step 4: Deal with the Email Mess
Moving the site is one thing. Moving your email? That’s where the real fun begins.
Strato insists on handling emails for any domain they host. So once you transfer your domain, your existing mail provider (e.g. Microsoft 365) will no longer be receiving mails unless you reconfigure everything perfectly.
Options:
- Stick with your old provider (e.g., Microsoft 365):
- You’ll need to recreate all relevant MX, SPF, DKIM, and possibly SRV records in Strato’s DNS interface.
- Spoiler alert: Their DNS panel is limited and slow.
- Use Strato’s Email System:
- You’ll need to set up new mailboxes and forwarders in the Strato Mail section.
- Then configure your email clients accordingly.
Microsoft Outlook Users: Read This Twice
- Before the move, archive all Outlook mail locally:
- File > Open & Export > Import/Export > Export to a .pst file.
- This ensures you keep old emails even if your old server vanishes or Outlook throws a tantrum.
- After the move, set up the new mailbox and re-import the archived mail if needed.
Final Tips & Bitter Truths
- Test your site after DNS switch. Strato doesn’t do staging. It’s all or nothing.
- Double-check SSL settings. Use Let’s Encrypt or buy a cert, but don’t expect automation.
- Don’t be surprised if PHP settings are locked down or require INI hacks.
- If something breaks, Strato support is… let’s say, enthusiastic but often unhelpful.
Conclusion
Migrating to Strato is less like a site move and more like a hazing ritual. If you made it through, congrats! You now have a working WordPress site on Strato and a newfound appreciation for modern cloud hosting.
Now go write a blog post about your experience—or send this one to your future self before you consider Strato again.
Written with love and a slightly fried brain by someone who lived the dream. Visit sebaf-it.com for more brutally honest tech wisdom.