Export and import web content libraries

IBM WCM provides two methods for exporting and importing web content libraries:

• An export or import that operates on one library
• Export or import that enables you to work with a separate copy of a library

With either method, we can export the contents of a web content library to disk and import this data into another web content server. If you're working with a copy of a library, we can also import that library into the same web content server multiple times, resulting in a new library after each import without affecting previous copies. Exporting and importing libraries enables you to make a backup copy of a web content library and can also be used to move data between servers. However, this function cannot be used to send updates, deletes and moves. It is only suitable for populating new items.

Before beginning, create an empty shared directory to hold the exported web content library. If moving data between servers, both systems must have write access to this directory. Review the following considerations before exporting or importing web content libraries:

Import libraries into different versions

We can import libraries from a different version of WCM so long as the version we are importing the library into is later than the version you exported the library from. For example:

• we can import a library exported from version 6.1.0.1 into version 7.0

• we cannot import a library exported from version 7.0 into version 6.1.0.1

IBM recommends upgrading to the latest version of each release before attempting to import libraries between versions. It is not possible to export libraries from releases before 6.0.

Export and import a web content library versus syndication.

This feature does not replace the syndication feature. Although this feature can be used to transfer data between servers, it is a manual process and is not meant to be used for regular updates between servers. Syndication is instead used to automatically keep two or more servers synchronized. Also, whereas syndication can be used to send updates, deletes and moves, the import feature is only suitable for populating new items.

Limitations of exporting and importing a web content library.

• Saved versions of items are not exported. Only the current version of each item is exported.

• Children are only exported and imported when the parent is successfully exported and imported.

• If an item exists on the target server with the same path, name and ID, then the item is overwritten.

• Library and item level access controls remain unchanged when a library is exported and imported. Run the member fixer tool on the imported library to fix references to missing users and groups.

• We cannot import an item if an item on the target server has the same ID but a different parent than the item being imported.

• Projects are not exported.

Disable JCR text search.

IBM recommends disabling JCR text search indexing on the WebSphere Portal server before exporting or importing large libraries to reduce the load on the database.

1. Log in to the WAS console and click...
   Resources > Resource Environment > Resource Environment Providers > WCM WCMConfigService > Custom properties

2. Change jcr.textsearch.enabled to false.

Restart the server after changing these settings. After completing exporting or importing the library enable JCR text search again. It can take some time to rebuild the indexes.

You can also disable by setting value in icm.properties.

Export and import large libraries

• When importing web content libraries, a temporary directory is used to store the library files during the upload process. If the size of the uploaded files exceeds the available disk space for the temporary directory, the import operation fails. When uploading large libraries, ensure there is sufficient disk space to accommodate the import.

  1. Log in to the WAS console and click...
     Resources | Resource Environment | Resource Environment Providers | JCR ConfigService PortalContent | Custom properties

  2. Make sure the location specified under jcr.binaryValueFileDir has sufficient disk space to accommodate the import.

• When exporting or importing large libraries, we may also need to adjust the following settings:

  1. Log in to the WAS console and click...
     Servers | Server Types | WebSphere application servers | portal_server | Container Services | Transaction Service

  2. Change the total transaction lifetime timeout and the maximum transaction timeout settings to 360 seconds.

Personalization components.

Personalization rules created within a Personalization component are exported and imported along with the web content library.

If we are using Personalization rules created directly in the Personalization portlet we need to export and import the rules to and from Personalization on the same servers as the web content using the same process as moving WebSphere Portal content from a staging system to a production system. Personalization export and import must be performed before exporting and importing web content.

JSP components

If we are using JSP components manually copy any related JSP files to and from the same servers we are exporting and importing to.

Parent: Web content administration tools

Related tasks: Reset the web content event log
Export and import a web content library
Export and import a web content library copy
Set service configuration properties