To deploy your storefront to a dedicated production server please follow these steps:
Step 1: Prepare the Development Multifront for Deployment
Multifront now requires that you compile your application in Visual Studio before it can be run on a server (see Development Installation).
| • | Before deploying the storefront to production you should have completely customized, configured and tested the storefront in your development environment (see Development Installation). |
| • | At a minimum you will need to configure your Production URL in the Admin under the Store management section. This will allow the storefront to recognize your production URL when it is accessed. |
| • | Compile your storefront in development using the "Publish" option in Visual Studio. |
| • | Back up your development database. |
| • | Upload the compiled storefront and database to your production server(s) using FTP and move the compiled web site to its final destination. |
Step 2: Prepare Multifront for Deployment
Create a new Website or Virtual Directory
| • | Open Internet Information Services using the Microsoft Management Console. |
| • | Configure a new virtual directory or website in IIS. |
| • | In the Directory setting enter the path to the "WebApp" folder for the compiled storefront. Click Next. |
| • | Make sure that the Access Permissions are set to "Read" and "Run scripts (such as ASP)". Click Next. |
| • | Click Finish in the Virtual Directory or Website Creation Wizard. |
Configure the Website or Virtual Directory
| • | Edit the "Properties" for your Website or Virtual Directory. |
| • | Click on the "ASP.NET" tab of the property page. |
| • | Under "ASP.NET version" select "2.x.xxx". A screen shot of what this property page should look like in IIS 6 is below. |
| • | You may need to apply a patch for .Net 2.0 in order for menus to display correctly in IE 8. For more information see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/962351. |
Step 3: Configure Permissions
Configure permissions based on your operating system as follows:
Windows 2003 or 2008 Server
The Network Service account should have
| • | Read permissions at the "WebApp" folder level |
| • | Read + Write + Modify permissions at the "WebApp/Data" and "License" folder level |
Step 4: Install the Multifront Database
| • | Restore the database that you uploaded to your server. |
| • | Add a SQL User with DBO access to this new database. You can alternatively use Windows authentication if you prefer. |
Step 5: Configure Web.Config Connection String
| • | Open the web.config file in your website under the root folder |
| • | Edit the connection string to point to your new database. Change the data source, initial catalog, user id and password to the new settings. The connection string looks like this: |
<connectionStrings>
<add name="ZNodeECommerceDB" connectionString="Data Source=LOCALHOST\SQLEXPRESS;
Initial Catalog=znode_multifront;user id=znodeuser;password=p@ssw0rd" />
</connectionStrings>
| • | If your SQL Server is configured to use Windows Authentication only then you should change the connection string to use Integrated security instead. |
Step 6: Test the Site Configuration
| • | Open the storefront by going to http://<your-storefront>/default.aspx.(replace "<your-storefront>" with the domain name of your store). You will be prompted to activate a valid storefront license. After you activate a valid license you can browse the store. |
| • | You can open the diagnostics page by going to http://<your-storefront>/diagnostics.aspx . |
| • | On the diagnostics page you will clearly see if you are connecting to the database and if you have the correct permissions set on your directories. If you see an error about the SMTP service not being set up correctly don't worry. You can set this up later in the SiteAdmin. |
Step 7: Configure the Site for Production
| • | Refer to the Multifront PCI Config Guidelines for important information on configuring the storefront and your server for use in a production environment. |
See Also