Supporting Multi-Site Configurations

Ektron’s multi-site support feature lets you set up and manage several Web sites under one CMS. (The multi-site support feature does not support multiple databases.) You can manage content in the additional site the same way you work with content in the root site. You log into a root site then begin editing content in the additional site. Regardless of which site you are using, you can use the common library to insert hyperlinks, images, files, and quicklinks.

IMPORTANT: Place any file (such as an XSLT file) that needs to be shared among sites in a multi-site environment in a virtual folder. See Also: Step 3: Create Virtual Folders in IIS
Also, you cannot create a hyperlink within content, a collection, menu, and so on to a form that resides in another site.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites:

  • All sites reside on the same server
  • For each new site, you have a license key that supports multi-site. To purchase additional licenses, contact Ektron sales.
Advantages

Advantages of multi-site configurations:

  • The URL can indicate the nature of the site to visitors
    • www.example.com
    • support.example.com
    • forums.example.com
  • All sites can share a single database
    • common content, but appear within their own site and templates
    • the library of images and files. These files can be stored once; authors can insert them into content from any site.

In the Workarea, sites appear in Ektron’s folder structure, and their icon is a globe. A folder to which a production domain is assigned is a domain folder. Links to content in a domain folder are activated via linkit.aspx, which redirects to the appropriate domain name and uses the appropriate template for the folder or content.

There are 2 ways to install multi-site support. (The automatic setup is easy to use and minimizes issues.)

Automatic multi-site setup

Automatic Multi-Site Setup

IMPORTANT: Before creating a multi-site configuration, you must have installed an Ektron Web site. All installed folders must remain in that site. The original site cannot have virtual folders.

1. Create the new site in IIS

Step 1: Create the New Site in IIS

Follow these steps to create each new site in IIS.

  1. For IIS 7 or 7.5, see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323972.
  2. Right-click the site, choose Edit Permissions then the Security tab. and On the Web Site Home Directory screen, browse to the new site’s folder.
  3. On the Web Site Access Permission screen, make sure that Read and Write are checked. You are notified that you have completed the new site.
  4. Make the new site an application. To do this, right click the site, and select Properties. Then, click the Home Directory tab. If you see nothing in the Application name field (under Application Settings), click Create then OK.

2. Run the multi-site setup wizard

Step 2: Run the Multi-Site Setup Wizard

  1. Double click C:\Program Files\Ektron\CMS400v8x\Utilities\MultiSiteInstall\Multisite.exe.
  2. Use the pulldown to select the site you created in Step 1.

  3. Select your host.

  4. Enter a path to the new site.

  5. Identify your main Web site; that is, the site to which this multi-site is being added.

  6. When prompted to add a multi-site key, click Yes.
  7. Enter a license key for the new site. This step copies the new site's license keys to the database.
  8. Enter information about the new site's database.
  9. Follow the remaining screens in the wizard.
3. Assign multi-site capabilities in Ektron

Step 3: Assign Multi-Site Capabilities in Ektron

Prerequisite:  You completed Step 1: Create the New Site in IIS and Step 2: Run the Multi-Site Setup Wizard

  1. Log in the Ektron Workarea.
  2. Click Content.
  3. Click the site root folder.

    NOTE: Site folders must reside within the site root folder.

  4. On the View Contents of Folder screen, create a new top-level site folder for each site by choosing New > Site.
  5. Assign site folder properties as you did for the root folder. The Multi-site Configuration fields appear on the lower section of the screen.

  6. In the Staging Domain field, insert your staging domain.
  7. In the Production Domain field, insert your production domain.
  8. Click Add Folder. Within Ektron, new sites are indicated by a globe icon.

Manual multi-site setup

Manual Multi-Site Setup

Ektron provides a utility (Multisite.exe) that automatically completes Steps 1 and 2 for you. If you run this utility, you only need to complete Step 3: Assign Multi-Site Capabilities in Ektron. The utility is located C:\Program Files\Ektron\CMS400v8x\Utilities\MultiSiteInstall.

1. Create new folders in the file system

Step 1: Create New Folders in the File System

IMPORTANT: Before creating a multi-site configuration, you must have installed an Ektron Web site. All installed folders must remain in that site. The original site cannot have virtual folders.

  1. Using Windows Explorer, navigate to the C:\Inetpub\wwwroot folder.
  2. Create a new folder for each site.

  3. Copy the following Ektron files and folders from the original site to the new, multi-site folder.
    • all individual files (not subdirectories)
    • all .config files in all directories under the site root
    • these subdirectories:
      • bin
      • WorkArea
      • widgets
      • App_Code
      • AssetManagement
      • App_GlobalResources
  4. Within each new site folder, open the web.config file and update the ek_sitePath and WSPath elements with your Ektron site path.

    For example, if your Ektron site is in the Web site root, enter slash (/). If it is in a subdirectory of the Web site, enter the subdirectory name. For example, if the Web site root is C:\inetpub\wwwroot and you have a subdirectory called CMS400Min, enter CMS400Min as the site path.

2. Create new sites in IIS

Step 2: Create New Sites in IIS

Follow these steps to create each new site in IIS.

  1. Go to Start > Programs > Administrative Tools > Internet Services Manager.
  2. Right click the Web Sites folder and choose New > Web Site. A wizard screen appears.
  3. Click Next.
  4. Enter a name for the new site.
  5. On the IP Address and Port Settings screen, enter the IP address of your new Web site or the host header. Press Next.
  6. On the Web Site Home Directory screen, browse to the new site’s folder. You created it in Step 1: Create New Folders in the File System.
  7. On the Web Site Access Permission screen, make sure that Read and Write are checked. You are notified that you have completed the new site.
  8. Make the new site an application. To do this, right click the site, and select Properties. Then, click the Home Directory tab. Under Application Settings area, click the Create button then click OK.

  9. Set Execute permissions to Scripts only.
3. Create virtual folders in IIS

Step 3: Create Virtual Folders in IIS

In IIS, for each new Web site, create one new virtual folder for the following shared folders:

  • assets
  • privateassets
  • uploadedfiles
  • uploadedimages

These folders are created when you install Ektron. If you did a normal installation, they reside under the site directory. For example, C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\siteroot\uploadedimages.

To create virtual versions of these folders:

Creating virtual folders in IIS 6

Creating Virtual Folders in IIS 6

  1. In IIS, select the new site folder you created in Step 2: Create New Sites in IIS.

  2. Identify the corresponding subfolder in the root folder.
  3. Right click the mouse and choose New > Virtual Directory.

  4. Assign Read and Write permissions to the virtual directory.

  5. Follow this procedure for all folders: assets, privateassets, uploadedfiles, uploadedimages.
Creating virtual folders in IIS 7

Creating Virtual Folders in IIS 7

  1. In IIS, select the new site folder you created in Step 2: Create New Sites in IIS.
  2. Right click the mouse and choose Add Virtual Directory.

  3. Identify the corresponding subfolder in the root folder.

  4. Follow this procedure for all folders: assets, privateassets, uploadedfiles, uploadedimages.
4. Set file system permissions on new folders

Step 4: Set File System Permissions on New Folders

To do this:

  1. Using Windows Explorer, navigate to the new folder(s) you created in Step 1: Create New Folders in the File System.
  2. Right click the folder and click Properties.
  3. Click the Security tab.
  4. Click Advanced.
  5. Check Include Inheritable Permissions from this object's parent.

5. Install the aspnet_isapi.dll file

Step 5: Install the aspnet_isapi.dll File

Follow this procedure to install the aspnet_isapi.dll file for every new site.

Installing the aspnet_isapi.dll file in IIS 6

Installing the aspnet_isapi.dll File in IIS 6

  1. Open IIS.
  2. Navigate to an Ektron Web site.
  3. Right click the site and select Properties.
  4. On the Properties screen’s Home Directory tab, click the Configuration button.

  5. The Application Configuration screen appears.

  6. In the Wildcard application maps area, click Insert.
  7. The Application Extension Mapping screen appears.

  8. Browse to C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\aspnet_isapi.dll.
  9. Uncheck the Verify that file exists check box.
  10. Click OK.
Installing the aspnet_isapi.dll file in IIS 7

Installing the aspnet_isapi.dll File in IIS 7

  1. In the Connections window, select your application.

  2. Make sure that the Features view is selected.
  3. Double-click Handler Mappings.

  4. Click Add Wildcard Script Map.

  5. The Add Wildcard Script Map dialog appears.

  6. In the Executable field, browse to C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\aspnet_isapi.dll.
  7. Enter a name.
  8. Click OK.
6. Assign multi-site capabilities in Ektron

Step 6: Assign Multi-Site Capabilities in Ektron

Prerequisites: You completed Step 1: Create New Folders in the File SystemStep 2: Create New Sites in IIS, Step 3: Create Virtual Folders in IIS and Step 5: Install the aspnet_isapi.dll File

  1. In the Workarea, click Content.
  2. Click the site root folder.

    NOTE: Site folders must reside within the site root folder.

  3. Create a new top-level site folder for each site by choosing New > Site.
  4. Assign site folder properties as you did for the root folder. The Multi-site Configuration fields appear on the lower section of the screen.
  5. In the Production Domain field, insert your domain.
  6. Save the screen. In Ektron, new domains are indicated by a globe icon.