Hi folks,

I am getting ready to deploy a DNN website to production and I need some advice on what the best way to manage the deployment and manage the site from then on. Here's what I have:

- A local version of the website for developing skins, containers, content modules, etc.
- An intranet version that I clone (I use Evotiva DNNBackup) from my local version so that our content team can work on creating content.
- I also have a separate DNN install that I only use for custom module development (only 1 module at the moment).

My plan is to deploy a clone of the intranet version to the public server. But where I'm hung up is how to handle everything after the move to production.

Since DNN has so much of the website in the database, and the production site will be changed by content creators/editors, I'm a bit confused on how to work backwards, so to say, after the site is published. In particular, how to handle:

1.) DNN & extension upgrades
2.) Changes to skins, containers, content modules, etc.

Also, do I need to have all of these different versions? Could I just have one local site for testing/module development, and then the production version for all the new development/content creation?

Sorry if this seems really basic, but I'm just trying to get the hang of how things are best done with DNN.

Thanks in advance,
Gray

Gray,

These are all good questions and your asking them indicates that you do understand the intricacies.

If your site has users or user contributed content, there are other issues.

If possible, I would NOT do any changes to the production site directly. Rather, let your content editors have access to an intranet version. That way, you can control upgrades to the live site. As you are using Evotiva's backup product this should be a snap!

You have also keep your private dev site for testing module and extension upgrades, moving them to the intranet site when it is appropriate.

So, yes. DEV, STAGING, and PRODUCTION sites is one really good way to do this.