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Website Redesign
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Part 4: Cutover to the new site OK, so you're all done. Have you tested your entire new site? TEST-TEST-TEST! Make sure everything works! Now how to put the new site up? The easiest way is to just make the root directory of your developmental site your new Web root. It just takes a change to your configuration files and restarting the server—just a matter of a few seconds and the site is in place. If you are on a hosted virtual server it's just a matter of asking the ISP or presence provider to point the server at your new Web root. Sometimes this may not be possible; for example, you may have users with Web directories on your server that count on the location of certain of your Web root files and directories, such as the /images directory. In this instance you should copy over all new files and directories (i.e. those that do not duplicate existing directories or pages) to your existing Web root. Then make the developmental site root your Web root briefly—just long enough to copy over the remaining files and directories to the exisiting Web root. Then cut the server back over to the original Web root. Ta-da! You're done. Ooops: one more thing! TEST AGAIN! Make sure it all works.
Well, there it is. All the lessons I wish I'd known before putting a
newly-redesigned site in place. Hope this helps. We welcome your comments;
please direct them to
trygstad@webmastersources.com.
About the author Ray Trygstad is an IT professional, Webmaster, and college professor. He is the Principal of Webmaster Sources LLC, the parent company of this site, and is a member of the World Wide Web Virtual Library, the Association of Internet Professionals, and the Internet Society. |
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Last Updated
March 09, 2000