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Hosting Setup Checklist |
| Last Edited - 09/4/2012 9:02am PDT | |
| Category Path - Shopping Cart Software Components > Administration Area > Hosting | |
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| Modular Merchant accounts that are subscribed to the SILVER plan (or higher) include an optional hosting account. A hosting account allows your store to be hosted under your domain or subdomain at no additional cost.
examples of hosting options
By default, all Modular Merchant stores begin in our "starter area", with a URL similar to this format:
http://stores.modularmarket.com/account_name/ A hosting account provides the option of either hosting your store under a domain name: http://www.mywebsite.com/store/ Or under a subdomain: http://store.mywebsite.com The three hosting options listed above are also explained in detail here: http://www.modularmerchant.com/hosting_options.php The various sections of the Hosting Setup Checklist are explained in detail below.
Activate/Upgrade Your Account
If the account is in trial mode and not yet activated, then Step 1 will display a request to Activate Your Account. After the account has been activated, SILVER (or higher) plans will be able to continue to Step 2. If the account is subscribed to the BRONZE account plan, then Step 1 will display request to Upgrade Your Account. Contact Modular Merchant to have the account upgraded to the SILVER plan (or higher). The recommended point of contact is with the support ticket system at [Support > Start a New Support Ticket]. If the account is subscribed to the SILVER (or higher) plan, then Step 1 will be marked as completed, and will dislay the message: Upgrade Your Account - [ Completed ]. The account is now eligible for a hosting account installation, and may continue to Step 2.
Step 2. Configure Your Hosting Plan
Once the account has been activated at the SILVER level (or higher), the hosting account settings can be inputted. Hosted Domain Enter the domain or subdomain that Modular Merchant will host. example An example of a domain: www.website.com An example of a subdomain: store.mywebsite.com Software Installation Where should we install your Modular Merchant store? If you would like the store to appear immediately when people arrive at your domain, select as the "Home" page of the domain above. If you have additional sections of your website, other than the online store, that you'd like people to go to when they arrive at your website, then the shopping cart software can be installed in a subdirectory. To do this, select in a subdirectory named... and input the name of the desired subdirectory, such as store. Select how your SSL Certificate will be managed There are 3 available options for the SSL certificate for your website. Each is explained below.
Review Your Hosting Plan This section displays where the URL of your store will be. If any changes are needed, edit them above. Notes / Special Instructions If you have any special requests for the hosting account, enter them here. For example, if this field could be used to request a specific date you'd like the hosting account to be installed.
3. Obtain Hosting Hardware & Software Licenses
This step is performed by Modular Merchant technicians. No input by the store Admins is necessary. This step will automatically be updated when it has been completed by Modular Merchant.
4. Schedule Store Downtime
This step will be normally be skipped, unless requested in the special instructions in Step 2. If requested in the special instructions, Modular Merchant will update this step with a date & time. If this Step 4 is used, then Step 5 will also be used.
5. Approve Store Downtime Schedule
This step will normally be skipped, unless requested in the special instructions in Step 2. If it is being used, then it will include a button to submit when you approve the scheduled downtime.
6. Install Your Hosting Account
This step is performed by Modular Merchant technicians. No input by store Admins is necessary. During this step, Modular Merchant technicians will install your website & store hosting files and database on one of our web servers and assign a dedicated IP address to it. Modular Merchant will also set up a Plesk control panel, which controls various website functions such as SSL certificates and email accounts.
7. Update Your DNS Settings
Once the hosting account has been installed, your administration area and storefront will be available on its own dedicated IP address. The hosting account is now ready for you to point your domain name or subdomain to it at any time.
if hosted under a domain name
If your website is being hosted on a domain, point it to:
Primary DNS: ns.rackspace.com Secondary DNS: ns2.rackspace.com This step is normally done with the registrar that manages your domain name. In most cases, there should be a web based control panel available where this record can be made. Contact the registrar for any assistance that may be needed.
if hosted under a subdomain
If your website is being hosted on a subdomain, point it to the IP address listed in this section. This step is normally done with the current web host of the primary domain.
After you have pointed the website, click the I have updated my DNS settings button. This tells the shopping cart software to be on the lookout for the DNS change.
8. DNS Propagation
This step can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours. The propagation process is automated, and requires no input. Once the website has propagated, the store will automatically move itself from only being accessible by its IP address to become accessible by the domain or subdomain. After propagation has occurred, you will automatically be connected to the version of the store hosted under the domain/subdomain address the next time you log in to your store's Administration Area.
9. SSL Certificate Purchase
Clients who are managing their own third-party SSL certificate should install it at this point. Afterwards, the Hosting Setup Checklist is done! It will remain on step 9 permanently. If you would like to buy a fully-managed SSL certificate through Modular Merchant, select it here. Note: Step 9 will be automatically skipped if either a Standard or Professional SSL certificate was selected during step 2.
10. SSL Certificate Installation
Modular Merchant is now in the process of installing an SSL certificate for your hosting account. No input by store Admins is needed.
11. SSL Certification Approval
Modular Merchant is seeking approval from the issuer of the SSL certificate to install it to your website. No input by Admins is needed.
12. SSL Certificate Installation
Modular Merchant has successfully installed the SSL certificate.
13. DONE!
Your Hosting Setup Checklist is complete!
Advanced Options: Reset Hosting Configuration
If you need to reset your hosting options, you can clear your settings and start over by clicking the Reset my Hosting Account settings button. Please be aware that resetting your hosting options after certain steps have been completed will incur additional charges: If Step 6, Install Your Hosting Account, has been completed, resetting settings will incur a $45 charge to cover the cost of rebuilding the hosting account. If purchasing an SSL Certificate from Modular Merchant, and Step 9, SSL Certificate Purchase, has been completed, resetting settings will incur a charge to cover the cost of purchasing, configuring and installing a new SSL security certificate for the new domain. This fee will be $69.99 for Standard SSLs and $129.99 for Professional-Grade SSLs. |