SDL Web DTAP infrastructure
This concept provides an overview of the SDL Web Development, Test, Acceptance and Production infrastructure (DTAP).
When implementing SDL Web, to manage the development process and clearly separate the project implementation phases it is recommended to use a Development, Test, Acceptance and Production infrastructure (DTAP). DTAP enables different users to manage different types of content on different Content Manager servers: the creation and management of content is distributed over several machines to prevent different types of content from getting in each other's way. You then use Content Porter to port data from one SDL Web environment to another.
The following diagram shows the DTAP infrastructure for SDL Web including its users and intercommunication:
- Development Server
- Developers develop code solely on the development machine to create all the Building Blocks content authors require in order to create content for Web sites, for example Schemas and Templates. They may also create other reusable data that is not code but that is not managed by content authors, such as a Multimedia Component that contains the company logo, or a Component that contains a standard disclaimer, but essentially the machine does not contain actual content. When developers have finished creating their code, Content Porter is used to export the code to produce a set of intermediate files.
- Test Server
- Testers import the intermediate files produced by developers to the test machine where they test the code against test data (technical testing). Test data may be selectively taken from the production server, produced manually or generated randomly.
- Acceptance Server
- When tested, you import code (using the intermediate files) to an acceptance machine using Content Porter where it is subject to real use. The intermediate files are the same ones imported to the test machine. The acceptance machine contains real data and contains as perfect a copy of the actual production machine content as possible. Authors and editors use this machine to evaluate new code (functional testing).
- Production Server
- When accepted, you import code to the production machine, again using the exact same intermediate files. After verifying that the system works with the new code, authors and editors use this machine to create actual content for the Web site. The acceptance and production machines are functionally identical.