If you plan to move any production domains (hostnames/URLs) to a different site that is also hosted on Pantheon, here is the recommended workflow.
Step 1: Upgrade to a Paid Plan and Contact DNS Administrator
If you are moving a domain from one Pantheon site to another:
- You do not need to register for CalNet or fill out the Offsite Hosting form again
- You will need to fill out the Upgrade to Paid Plan form to choose a hosting plan for the new site
- When you are ready to launch the new site, you will need to email the campus DNS Administrator (dns@berkeley.edu) to ask them to update the domain in the campus DNS (Domain Name System) to point to the new site.
DNS Instructions for DNS Administrator
Domains on Pantheon should be A records. This is recommended due to Pantheon's platform configurations. However, CNAMEs should continue to work.
The DNS Administrator can either schedule DNS changes (with enough advance notice), or can make the changes at the next available opportunity.
A Record domains:
See Provide A Record Information on the Request a DNS Change for Offsite Hosting page for instructions on how to provide A record information to the DNS Administrator.
CNAME domains (old/deprecated):
Previously, CNAMEs were recommended for all domains on Pantheon, unless the domains had specific requirements. A records are now recommended for all domains on Pantheon, due to Pantheon's platform configurations.
CNAMEs should continue to work on Pantheon. If necessary, see Old (Deprecated) Information about CNAMEs on the Request a DNS Change for Offsite Hosting page for instructions on how to provide CNAME information to the DNS Administrator.
Step 2: Move Domain(s)
Once you have received confirmation that the new site has been upgraded to a paid plan, and once you have heard back from the DNS Administrator confirming the DNS changes, simply remove the domain(s) from the old site's dashboard and add to the new site's dashboard. The domain may need to re-provision HTTPS; if so, it will temporarily say "Provisioning" before switching back to "Launched."
Step 3: Stop Billing for Old Site
Once you have moved the domain(s) to the new dashboard, if you no longer need to use a paid plan on the old site, you will need to fill out the Stop Billing form to stop billing for your site. If you do not fill out these form, you will continue to be billed for the old site.
Note About Old Dashboard URLs
Once you move the domain from the old site to the new site, you can still access the old site dashboard and site content. However, due to browser caching, you might find that the old "live-EXAMPLE.pantheon.berkeley.edu" URL will still redirect to your production URL. You can still access the content from your old site by utilizing the "Database/Files" tab on the Pantheon dashboard. Clone your live content over Test or Dev, and then use the Test or Dev URLs to access your content.