What Happens to Your Data When You Cancel Your Account
When you cancel your dotCanada.com hosting account, it's important to understand what happens to your data. This article explains the data retention policy and steps you should take before cancellation to ensure you don't lose important information.
Data Removal Timeline
| Cancellation Type | Data Retention Period | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate Cancellation | 24-48 hours after cancellation approval | All data is permanently deleted from our servers |
| End of Billing Period | 24-48 hours after billing period ends | All data is permanently deleted from our servers |
| Account Termination (Non-payment) | 14 days after suspension | All data is permanently deleted from our servers |
Types of Data Affected
The following data will be permanently deleted when your account is canceled:
- Website Files: All HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, videos, and other files in your hosting space
- Databases: All MySQL databases and their contents
- Email Data: All email accounts, messages, attachments, and configurations
- Subdomains and Addon Domains: All subdomain and addon domain configurations
- Backups: Any automated or manual backups stored on our servers
- Statistics and Logs: All usage statistics, access logs, and error logs
- CMS Installations: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, or any other content management systems you've installed
Critical Warning: Once your data is deleted following account cancellation, it CANNOT be recovered under any circumstances. Our deletion process is permanent and irreversible.
Steps to Take Before Cancellation
To ensure you don't lose important data, complete these steps before canceling your account:
- Back Up Your Website Files:
- Log in to cPanel and use the Backup tool (Home > Files > Backup)
- Alternatively, download your files via FTP or File Manager
- Export Your Databases:
- Log in to phpMyAdmin through cPanel
- Select each database and click "Export"
- Choose "Custom" export method for more options or "Quick" for defaults
- Click "Go" to download the SQL file
- Back Up Your Emails:
- Configure your email client (Outlook, Thunderbird, etc.) to use IMAP
- Download all emails to your local computer
- Export your email settings, contacts, and rules
- Save CMS Content:
- If using WordPress, install a backup plugin like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy and create a full backup
- For other CMS platforms, use their respective backup tools
- Document Your Settings:
- Take screenshots or notes of important configurations, DNS settings, etc.
- Export DNS zone files if needed
Domain Names
If you registered a domain name through dotCanada.com:
- Domain registrations are separate from hosting services
- Canceling hosting does NOT automatically cancel your domain registration
- If you wish to keep your domain name, you can continue to manage it through our client area
- If you want to transfer your domain to another registrar, initiate the transfer before or after canceling your hosting
If you have any questions about data retention or need assistance backing up your data before cancellation, please contact our support team.
