Kernel Deploy
One-time
Clean baseline.
Documented.
Production-ready.
New server setup or full site migration — with a plan, sanity checks at every step, and documentation you can hand to the next person without a briefing call.
Starting price
$395+
One-time · Scope-dependent
Final quote after reviewing current infrastructure and data volume. VAT included.
Setup or migration planWritten before any action is taken. You see the steps before we start.
Service configuration baselineWeb server, PHP, database — configured for the workload, not defaults.
SSL / HTTPS baselineCertificate installed, HTTPS enforced, redirects validated before cutover.
Sanity checksSite loads correctly, no broken assets, forms work, no mixed content errors.
Handover documentationWhat's running, how it's configured, and what was changed from the source.
Scope varies by infrastructureData volume, existing stack complexity, and number of sites affect the final price.
What's Included
Every deployment.
Every deployment.
Same baseline.
Whether it's a fresh server or a migration from an existing host, every Kernel Deploy engagement delivers the same documented, verified output.
01
Setup / Migration Plan
A written plan produced before any action is taken. Covers the sequence of steps, dependencies, DNS cutover timing, and rollback conditions. You review and approve before we start.
02
Service Configuration Baseline
Web server, PHP version, database settings configured to match the workload — not left at install defaults. Memory limits, execution timeouts, and upload sizes set correctly from day one.
03
SSL / HTTPS Baseline
SSL certificate installed and validated before DNS cutover. HTTPS enforced with www/non-www redirect consistency confirmed. No mixed content warnings on go-live day.
04
Post-Deploy Sanity Checks
Site loads, assets resolve, forms submit, admin access works, error logs clean. Checked on the new environment before DNS is pointed — not after. Issues found here, not by a visitor.
05
DNS Cutover Coordination
TTL lowered ahead of cutover. DNS change timed to minimise propagation window. Old environment kept live during propagation so no visitor sees a broken state mid-switch.
06
Handover Documentation
What's installed, version numbers, configuration decisions, and what changed from the source environment. Short enough to read, complete enough to hand off.
Two Scenarios
Fresh setup or migration —
Fresh setup or migration —
same process discipline.
The deliverables are identical. The sequence and risk profile differ. Here's how each scenario runs.
Audit
Source environment review
Current hosting, panel, PHP version, plugins, database size, and any known issues catalogued. We need to understand what we're moving before we move it.
Plan
Migration plan written & approved
Step-by-step sequence documented. DNS TTL reduction scheduled. Rollback conditions defined. You review before we proceed.
Transfer
Files & database transferred
Full site transferred to the new environment. wp-config updated, search-replace run on database URLs, file permissions corrected. Site tested on the new host before DNS is touched.
SSL
SSL installed on new environment
Certificate issued and validated on the new host before cutover. HTTPS enforced. No gap in SSL coverage during the switch.
Verify
Sanity checks on new environment
Front-end, admin, forms, media, and error logs checked via hosts file override — before DNS propagates publicly. Issues resolved here.
Cutover
DNS cutover + propagation monitoring
DNS updated at the planned time. Old environment kept live during propagation. Monitored until propagation confirms globally. Old environment decommissioned after confirmed.
Done
Handover documentation delivered
Configuration summary, what changed from the source, and what to watch. Delivered with the all-clear confirmation.
Migration risks — how we handle them
-
Data loss during transfer Source backed up before we touch anything. Transfer validated with file count and database record checks before cutover.
-
Downtime during DNS switch TTL lowered 24–48h before cutover. Old environment stays live during propagation. Overlap window means no visitor sees a gap.
-
Broken URLs / hardcoded paths Database search-replace run after transfer. wp-config updated. Redirects validated. Mixed content checked.
-
SSL gap at cutover Certificate issued on the new host before DNS is pointed. HTTPS is live on new environment before cutover — no gap.
-
Something breaks post-cutover Rollback condition defined in the plan. Old environment available for revert within the propagation window if needed.
Scope
Requirements confirmed
Server specs, panel (cPanel / Plesk), target stack, and expected workload reviewed. Any pre-existing configuration documented before we start adding to it.
Configure
Web server & PHP configured
LiteSpeed or Apache configured with correct worker settings, PHP version set, memory and execution limits tuned. Not a click-install — a deliberate baseline.
Secure
Security baseline applied
If Kernel Stack Setup has already run: Imunify and CloudLinux are verified active. If not: basic hardening applied within scope — unnecessary services disabled, permissions tightened.
SSL
SSL installed & HTTPS enforced
Certificate issued, validated, and HTTPS enforced before any content is deployed. Redirect rules confirmed consistent.
Verify
Environment sanity check
Test WordPress or app install confirmed working. PHP version verified. Error logging confirmed active. Admin access tested.
Done
Handover documentation delivered
What's installed, every configuration decision made, and the state of the environment. Ready for the first site to deploy on.
Fresh setup — what to bring
-
Server access Root or sudo SSH access, or WHM/cPanel root credentials. We'll confirm what's needed based on your panel.
-
Domain / DNS access Access to your DNS registrar or nameserver. Required for SSL validation and final record updates.
-
Intended stack Which panel (cPanel, Plesk, or none), expected PHP version, and whether LiteSpeed is already licensed or needs to be sourced.
-
Security layer intent If CloudLinux and Imunify are in scope, confirm licenses are on the account before we start. If not yet, Stack Setup handles that.
-
Ongoing ops plan After setup, ongoing managed hosting runs via Kernel Host. Worth scoping together so the environment is built to the right spec from the start.
Rushed vs Planned
Migrations break things.
Migrations break things.
Planned ones don't have to.
The risk isn't moving the site. It's moving it without a plan, without verifying the new environment, and without coordinating DNS timing correctly.
Unplanned migration
-
✗
DNS pointed before new environment is verifiedVisitors hit the new host before it's confirmed working. Errors are live before anyone notices.
-
✗
SSL not ready at cutoverSite loads over HTTP for a window. Browser warnings, search engine flags, form submissions over plain HTTP.
-
✗
Hardcoded URLs still pointing to old hostMedia broken, redirects looping, admin AJAX failing — found by a visitor, not caught before go-live.
-
✗
No rollback path definedSomething breaks. Old environment already decommissioned. No documented way back. Recovery improvised under pressure.
-
✗
No documentationNew environment is live. Nobody wrote down what changed. The next incident starts from zero.
vs
Kernel Deploy
-
✓
New environment verified before DNS movesFull sanity check via hosts file override — front-end, admin, forms, error logs — before any visitor is affected.
-
✓
SSL live before cutoverCertificate issued and HTTPS validated on the new host before DNS is pointed. No SSL gap.
-
✓
URL and redirect check includedDatabase search-replace, wp-config update, redirect audit, and mixed content check all done before go-live.
-
✓
Rollback condition in the planOld environment stays live during propagation. Rollback path defined in writing before we start.
-
✓
Handover docs delivered on completionConfiguration state, what changed, and what to watch — delivered with the all-clear.
Scope
What's covered.
What's covered.
What affects the quote.
Kernel Deploy scope is fixed around the baseline deliverables. Final price depends on your current infrastructure — not a moving target.
Included in every engagement
- Written setup or migration plan
- Web server + PHP configuration baseline
- SSL installation + HTTPS enforcement
- Post-deploy sanity checks
- DNS cutover coordination (migrations)
- Rollback condition defined in plan
- Handover documentation
Affects quote / scoped separately
- Number of sites being migrated
- Database size and complexity
- Existing stack complexity (custom configs)
- Security layer setup (→ Kernel Stack Setup)
- Performance tuning (→ Kernel Boost)
- Ongoing managed hosting (→ Kernel Host)
- WordPress maintenance (→ Kernel Care)
Tell us your current setup. Panel, hosting provider, number of sites, and approximate database size is enough to give you an accurate starting quote.
Move cleanly.
Land on a solid baseline.
Tell us your current hosting provider, panel, and number of sites. We'll confirm scope and what the engagement looks like before any commitment.
One-time engagement · Scope confirmed before work begins · Price varies by infrastructure