Sitefinity 5.2 allows you to quite easily move projects from server to server.
1. If you’re using an Access database, the DB is already stored in the folder structure of the project. You can copy the project folder to any server, and everything will work just fine. Content and users will always be available as part of the Access DB.
However, if you’re using a SQL Server database, things are a bit more complicated as the process involves a restoration of the working DB on the new server. Follow the steps and you will be up and running in no time.
1. To copy or move a SQL Server based Sitefinity project, you will need both a copy of the project folder structure and a backup file of the working database.
a. folder structure: navigate to the original Sitefinity project folder and copy it in its entirety. You can place the copy anywhere you want on the new server.
b. SQL database: start SQL Server Management Studio, connect to the original (working) SQL Server and create a backup file of the original (working) database as explained here.
2. You will need a new database to work with. Connect to the new (deployment) SQL Server and create a new database. Restore the file you obtained in the previous step as explained here.
3. Open the Sitefinity Project Manager and click on Import a Project. Select the copy of the original server on your new (deployment) server. If you right click on the imported project and select Browse, you should get a browser window asking you to log into the backend of the imported Sitefinity site. However, although this site will be the one running off of the new server, it will still be accessing the original database (assuming you have access to it of course, otherwise, you’ll just get an error informing you that there root node is invalid).
4. Navigate to the new (deployment) folder where the imported project resides. Enter the folder /App_Data/Sitefinity/Configuration. All configuration files are now being stored herein. They have been moved away from the web.config where they all used to be entered. Open the DataConfig.Config file. There is a <connectionStrings> section in there. You will need to update the <add connectionString> tag to point to the newly created Database, the one you created (and overwrote) in step number 2.
5. Back in the Sitefinity Project Manager, right click on the imported project and select Browse. Everything should now be working as expected.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW THE CREDENTIALS OF A USER WHO HAS ACCESS TO THE BACKEND ON THE ORIGINAL SERVER. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE NEW/DEPLOYED PROJECT’S BACKEND OTHERWISE. IF YOU NEED TO CREATE A USER TO ACCESS THE BACKEND ON THE NEW SERVER, YOU WILL HAVE TO DO SO BEFORE TAKING THE BACKUP OF THE ORIGINAL PROJECT’S DATABASE.
