Almost ten years ago to the day, we wrote a blog post announcing the rollout of our then-new upgraded hosting environment. We called it "Expect Amazing Things." And, well, it delivered on that promise for almost a decade. That setup has hosted our clients' websites reliably through a global pandemic, multiple major CMS overhauls, the rise of Core Web Vitals, and the entire AI boom and saw a massive improvement in security, speed and uptime.
But ten years is a long time in technology. What was cutting-edge in 2015 is now, frankly, due for retirement. So we've spent the past several months building, testing, and rolling out something significantly better, and we're pleased to say every Storm IMC client website has now been successfully migrated across to the new and significantly upgraded hosting environment.
What's New (and Why You'll Notice the Difference)
The new server environment is a meaningful step up across every dimension that matters to a modern website or web app. In as plain a language (as these things allow for) here are the cliff notes:
It's Faster And More Performant: Newer hardware and a more modern hosting stack mean pages load quicker, which matters more than ever for SEO, user experience, and conversion rates.
It's More Secure: The new environment runs on CloudLinux 8, which isolates each account from the others on the server, so a problem with one website can't spill over and affect anyone else. Add updated firewalls, modern security patching, and tighter access controls, and your website is far better protected against the kinds of threats that simply didn't exist a decade ago.
It's Built For What's Next: Running the latest cPanel & WHM (v134) on a modern KVM virtualisation platform, the new environment is ready for everything from AI integrations and headless setups through to high-traffic campaigns.
cPanel Stays (Because Your Team Love It And So Do We): One of the most consistent pieces of feedback we've had over the past decade is how much clients value having cPanel. It's familiar, it's powerful, and it just works, so we've kept it as part of the new environment. If you've ever logged in to manage email accounts, check stats, or grab a backup, nothing changes on that front.
It's Still Proudly NZ Local: Like before, our servers live in New Zealand with NZ-based support. That means faster load times for your Kiwi visitors and real humans on the other end of the phone when something needs attention.
Why It Matters for Your Business
Website speed and reliability aren't "nice to haves" anymore, they're ranking factors, conversion factors, and trust factors. Google rewards faster sites, customers abandon slow ones, and a single security incident can undo years of brand-building. The new environment puts every client we host in a stronger position on all three fronts.
What Happens Next and What You Need to Do (Something, But Not A lot!)
Here's the important part:
Your Website Has Already Been Moved: The migration itself is done, quietly, in the background, with no disruption (bar a handful of SSL certificate issues I could count on one hand — apologies if you were one of them). You don't need to do anything yet.
We'll Personally Reach Out: In the next two weeks your Storm Account Manager will reach out to each client individually to walk through the final step: updating your DNS records so traffic points to the new server. It's a small change, but it needs to happen before we can decommission the old environment. Because every client's setup is slightly different, we'd rather give it the care and attention it deserves than send a blanket email, so your Account Manager will work through it with you directly, including any concerns you have.
Last Step: Once everyone's DNS is pointed across to the new set up, the 2015-era server gets to retire after a decade and we say thanks for a decade of hard work and salute all who sailed on her.
If you've got questions in the meantime about timing, what DNS changes involve, or anything else please don't hesitate to get in touch. Otherwise, keep an eye on your inbox over the next fortnight.
Here's to the next ten years of stress-free and reliable hosting!
