Deploy an existing CMS site

This topic describes the first-time onboarding deployment of an existing CMS website to the Integration environment as part of the Optimizely Digital Experience Platform. 

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When is this applicable?

This is an onboarding scenario for an existing site which you want to move to a cloud-based environment for the first time, for further development and maintenance there. In this case, you already have a database with content, and you will need to get that restored to the correct application, which will be done by Optimizely.

Before you start

This topic uses Visual Studio with the Optimizely extensions to publish profiles. However, you can also use other deployment methods.

• See DXP requirements for recommended software versions, tools, and services when deploying.
• See Get started with DXP for deployment information.

1. Create the output files

To deploy from your local development environment, export the database as a .bacpac file and upload it to the DXP integration environment’s storage account. Optimizely support will import it for you.

You can also upload the BLOBs directly (unpacked) to your DXP integration environment’s storage account.

Also, you can deploy the code using Visual Studio or the deployment tool of your choice to the DXP integration environment.

Application

1. In Visual Studio:

   1. Right-click on your project and select the Publish tab.
   2. Select Custom. 
   3. Enter a name for the publish profile.
   4. Click OK. 

   

2. On the Connection tab:

   1. Select File system as the Publish method
   2. Select a target location for the files
   3. Click Next.

   

3. On the Settings tab:

   1. Select Release for publishing Configuration.
   2. Click Publish.

   

4. Locate the application files in the target folder you selected in step 3, and zip them using a zip tool of your choice. 

Database

1. In MS SQL Server Studio:

   1. Connect to the database to use.
   2. Select and right-click on the database.
   3. Select Tasks > Export Data-tier Application...

   

2. In the Export Settings tab:

   1. Select Save to local disk
   2. Select a target location for the files
   3. Enter a name for the bacpac file
   4. Click Next.

   

3. After the export, verify the results and click Close.

   

Media/BLOB

1. In Visual Studio, right-click on your project and select Open folder in File Explorer.

2. Locate the blobs folder under App_Data, and zip the content of the blobs folder using a zip tool of your choice.

   

2. Upload the output files

When you have created the output files, you can deploy the code yourself. For the bacpac and media/BLOB files, contact customer support and follow the instructions provided. You will receive the keys to upload the bacpac and media/BLOB files to the upload container on the storage account, and Optimizely will finalize the deployment.