XP to XM Cloud Phase 6: Cutover and Go-Live

This phase typically takes 2-4 weeks and covers the final cutover from XP to XM Cloud, including go-live and post-launch stabilization.

Pre-Cutover Checklist

• Final content sync — Export from XP, import to XM Cloud (one last time)
• DNS records prepared — CNAME to Vercel or rendering host
• SSL certificates configured — HTTPS enabled on rendering host
• Monitoring configured — Vercel Analytics, Sitecore Cloud SDK telemetry
• Rollback plan documented — DNS rollback to XP if catastrophic failure

Cutover Day

Timeline:

1. Freeze XP content (6am) — Communicate to content editors, disable editing
2. Final content sync (7am-9am) — Export from XP, import to XM Cloud, validate
3. Switch DNS (10am) — Point domain to new rendering host
4. Verify live site (10am-11am) — Smoke tests, critical path testing
5. Monitor (11am-6pm) — Logs, errors, performance metrics

Post-Cutover

• Week 1: Hypercare — Daily check-ins, immediate bug fixes, content editor support
• Week 2-4: Stabilization — Monitor performance, gather content editor feedback, address issues
• Month 2-3: Optimization — Performance tuning (ISR strategies, image optimization), content editor training

Rollback Strategy

If catastrophic failure occurs:

1. DNS rollback — Switch DNS back to XP (fastest, 5-minute TTL)
2. Content rollback — XP content still intact (no data loss)
3. Communication — Notify stakeholders, set new cutover date

Risk Mitigation: Keep XP running in parallel for 2-4 weeks after cutover (safety net).