Hi all,
I'm working towards moving our university site (the Vancouver branch of Washington State University) over to drupal. Right now, after months of trial and error on a development server, I'm close to getting started on what will be our new web server, with plans to build up sections of the site department by department. So here's my question:
It seems desirable to use a multisite setup so each department's content, users, etc, lives in its own space, and each department gets its own subdomain (ie business.vancouver.wsu.edu). Seems like it would be a mess to have all the nodes, blocks, views, etc, together in one big blob and keep track of who can do what to which. So I successfully followed the "more secure multisite" directions, thinking that's a smart way to go.
But then, before going through install.php, I wonder, how will I set up the database? Do I set up a different database for each department? Maybe a bunch of small databases would be an advantage speed-wise and for keeping content separate, but would make it a lot harder to share content if that's even necessary, and a whole lot more to worry about when backing up databases. Or do I use some fancy database trickery to use a shared database where I decide which tables apply to all sites and which ones do not? Or, am I going in the wrong direction entirely and should I run everything through Domain Access (which now has a D6 version)?
Part of me just says I should keep going in the direction I'm headed, set up different databases for each department, and make it work, but that also seems like it might be foolish. Maybe a true multisite setup is only meant for using with unrelated sites that you want to run on the same codebase, and a more consolidated approach (Domain Access) is the way to go in our case. So that's why I'm asking you all. How do you handle this on your sites? Any thoughts? I'd love to hear em! thanks!
Aaron
Comments
You can share some tables
Like in this article: http://www.practicalweb.co.uk/blog/08/08/07/drupal-multisite-shared-tables
or this one: http://groups.drupal.org/multisite, that's "standard" feature, i.e. to have common login to all of your sites.
I think he knows he can
I think he knows he can share tables, he's just wondering...should he?
I think that you should test out the shared tables if you are the fence for one simple reason. It is much, much easier to diverge your tables later (by creating copies of the tables and pushing them into a different database) then it will ever be to merge the tables back into a single database (which is a problem I am facing).
Dave
Should he?
Why not? That's the standard way, I tried a time ago and works just fine, why to create-maintain-support-etc. copies of tables if drupal itself supports to share them in a native way?
Resist the urge to merge
If the need to share content between sites, I'd strongly recommend using multisite with some FeedAPI mojo, or taking the plunge with the Domain Access (which, IIRC, requires a core patch -- not something to be undertaken lightly).
Because shared tables is a non-standard approach to running your site, your upgrade process will be more complex, leading to a site that is more difficult/time intensive to maintain over time.
Cheers,
Bill
FunnyMonkey
Tools for Teachers
FunnyMonkey
thanks
Thanks for all of your comments! I'm going to look more closely at Domain Access -- I don't believe it is necessary to patch core at this point, or at least I haven't run across a mention of that yet. Really appreciate the comments.
Aaron
Checkout a similar
Checkout a similar discussion at http://groups.drupal.org/node/11391, I also have a short aticle on my blog comparing some features.
But the thumb rule is:
Netlink Technologies Ltd
http://shyamala-drupal.blogspot.com/
Shyamala
Unimity Solutions
specifics?
"based on the no of multisites" - do you think OG is more or less suitable for larger numbers of sites?
"functionalities" - can you give some examples of what's possible/easier with one vs the other?
PS the site you link to doesn't look so great for someone with js turned off
"based on the no of
"based on the no of multisites" - do you think OG is more or less suitable for larger numbers of sites?
I think OG is more suitable for larger number of sites
"functionalities" - can you give some examples of what's possible/easier with one vs the other?
Supposing you share functionalities across websites that need maintenance, it would be better to use OG from maintenance perspective. If each site had unique features, like one was for classifieds, one for contest and one the main portal, we could go in for a multi site configuration. With multisite configuration and shared user tables one can have sessions across the the websites.
PS the site you link to doesn't look so great for someone with js turned off
Thanks for the input, will look into it.
Netlink Technologies Ltd
http://shyamala-drupal.blogspot.com/
Shyamala
Unimity Solutions