Support for multiple web sites/domains/servers

Explanation of multiple web site support.

The LiveWhale contract restricts a single license to one single domain, with a single database (containing a single set of users and groups). However, LiveWhale can deliver content to any number of subdomains, regardless of whether they exist on the same physical server or not.

Configuration for multiple subdomains on a single server

This is a common scenario, where one LiveWhale installation powers several subdomains (www.domain.edu, admissions.domain.edu, etc.) from a single physical server.

First, the core LiveWhale files are installed to a single location, and templates on all sites point to the same location.

Second, the primary site holds the “livewhale” directory in the web root, and the other sites symlink this same directory in their web roots.

Configuration for multiple subdomains on multiple servers

When multiple subdomains exist across more than one physical server, there are two options. The easiest solution is to install LiveWhale on a master server and link to the same CMS files from each slave server using an NFS volume. However, in most cases this is not desirable for performance reasons, or because a shared volume is unavailable.

For this reason, the core LiveWhale files can be installed on multiple servers, and be configured to point to the same database server (or a replicated database server/cluster). It is important to note that the “livewhale” directory in the web root will automatically sync content across all servers, simply by virtue of sharing the same database source. (Please see the “data syncing support” section below for more information.)

Database and FTP support for multiple web sites

When configuring multiple subdomains in the master LiveWhale configuration, database and FTP settings are supplied on a host-by-host basis.

Unless an additional subdomain points to a slave database replicated from a master source, every host will share the same database info.

In the case of FTP, settings may different from host to host. At the very least, each host will require a different path to the web root for that site.

How to configure users and groups for multiple web sites

A typical approach to user management when dealing with multiple web sites involves setting up a group representing a set of users responsible for one site’s content, for each site. Since each group produces its own isolated content, it is well suited for divisions by web site.

With this approach, news items can be shared across web sites simply by sharing them across groups. Any type of data can be published across all subdomains, or just one, again simply by using the group argument in a widget to distinguish between pools of data or to search across all of them.

Load balancing support

Load balancing for a single host can be achieved by installing the CMS on multiple servers and pointing each one to the same FTP and database server.

Data syncing support

As mentioned in the section on multiple-subdomains-on-multiple-servers, a resource (image, pdf, etc.) uploaded to any node in the cluster of LiveWhale-powered sites will immediately be synced to every other one. Support for this functionality takes place automatically any time a LiveWhale site with its own “livewhale” directory is added to the pool (i.e. when a newly added site does not share the same livewhale dir via symlink.)