Dual-server configuration for Web Content Management

 

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Organizations that need a large Web site with heavy traffic or that have multiple users authoring content should implement a dual-server configuration. In a dual-server configuration authoring is conducted on one server, or server cluster, and content is delivery to a different server, or server cluster. Authors access and work on the authoring server while Web site users access the delivery server. This reduces the load on each server and allows you to locate your authoring environment behind a firewall.

This diagram illustrates a dual server environment for Web Content Management. Both the delivery and authoring server access the same LDAP and database server in order to access common users, users groups, and content. Using the same LDAP configuration is critical for Web Content Management. Web site users access the site through a Web server that direct the user to the delivery server. On the delivery server you can use either the Web Content Viewer, as illustrated in the diagram, a Web content servlet, or a pre-rendered site. New content is syndicated or published to the delivery server.

On the authoring server the following actions occur:

• Create drafts

• Approve drafts

• Test changes

• Publish changes

• Syndicate changes to the delivery server

On the delivery server the following actions occur:

• Host content

• Subscribe to content changes

Hardware and resource

• An authoring environment would normally be a clustered environment to cope with a large number of Web site creators and Web content authors.

• The delivery environment can be a:

  • Web content delivery server or cluster that subscribes to the authoring environment.

    Content can be delivered using...

    • Web Content Viewer portlet

    • Web content servlet

    • pre-rendered site

  • Local portal that subscribes to the authoring environment and delivers Web content using a Web Content Viewer.

  • Remote portal that uses a remote Web Content Viewer to display content from the authoring environment.

• A firewall is not depicted in this illustration, but could exist between the authoring and delivery server if desired.

Syndication options

There are two syndication options to consider:

Automatic one-way syndication

With this option, changes made in the authoring environment are automatically syndicated to the delivery environment. You would implement this option when you want changes to your content to constantly be updated on the live site.

Manual one-way syndication

With this option, changes made in the authoring environment are syndicated to the delivery environment in a single batch. You would implement this option when you only want to update your live site on set dates. The changes you make on your authoring server gradually accumulate until you are ready to go live with those changes.

Parent topic:

Server topologies

Related concepts

Single-server topology
Stand-alone server topology
Horizontal cluster topology
Vertical cluster topology
Combination of horizontal and vertical clusters
Multiple clusters
Single-server topology for Web Content Management
Staging-server topology for Web Content Management
Design servers
Web content authoring environments
Web content delivery environments