Oct 2024 SoFri: Ryan Moore - DNN Migration Investigation

In this Southern Fried DNN User Group Meeting:

Speaker: Ryan Moore
Topic: Migration Investigation - Sleuthing & Troubleshooting A DNN Instance Migration

In this So Fri Meeting, Ryan Moore with Moore Creative will walk through the steps taken to help a colleague troubleshoot a new server move with the issues that they encountered. We will review many steps that can be taken to help assess the state of the server environment setup and the next steps necessary to get the migrated DNN instance running!

• test to get localhost running
• test to turn on IIS hosting basic requirements
• test after that to make sure website public browsing on 403-3.gif
• test asp.net without database using keepalive page
• test database connection with local desktop file
• confirming application pool permissions
• get local host running for DNN in database portal aliases
• checking web.config for drive-based records such as error and folders
• more!

--

Community Topics and Updates

• 🎉 David Poindexter announces a change in tonight's event lineup, rescheduling "Utilizing DNN CMS in 2024" to next month due to scheduling conflicts.
• 🗣️ Ryan Moore introduces his talk on "Migration Investigation - Sleuthing & Troubleshooting a DNN Instance Migration."
• 🎉 Advanced announcement: December year-end party for Southern Fried DNN featuring DNN Jeopardy hosted by Ryan Moore.
• 🏢 Invitation extended for in-person attendance at future events in Charlotte, NC.
• 🛠️ Announcement of DNN 9.3.4 release with bug fixes and enhancements; anticipation for DNN 10 release discussed.
• 🤝 Acknowledgment and appreciation of community contributions to DNN's open-source development. Example of the recent pull request and issue solved by Jeremy Farrance and the plus symbol in DNN 9.10x
• 📝 Encouragement for community engagement through forum subscriptions and updates on platform improvements.
• 💡 Discussion on the value of staying on DNN platform rather than migrating, addressing common misconceptions and benefits.
• 🌐 Announcement of upcoming DNN Summit 2025 in Las Vegas, encouraging registration for both virtual and in-person attendance.
• 📰 Reference to ongoing industry developments and WordPress community issues.
• 💬 Community engagement is encouraged for future Sofri meetings and DNN Summit presentations.
• 🌐 Join upcoming meetups to discuss utilizing DNN as a CMS in 2024 and explore its strengths and challenges.
• 💬 Highlighting the value of in-person interactions and conferences over virtual interactions for building relationships and business opportunities.
• 🌍 Mention of upcoming DNN Connect 2025 event, location yet to be confirmed.
• 🆕 Introduction of DNN Elements, web components aimed at replacing common components tied to React in DNN.

--

Migration Investigation - Sleuthing & Troubleshooting A DNN Instance Migration

Ryan presented with a PREZI presentation to share the story of a recent client interaction where he provided DNN Migration Support. You can view that PREZI presentation at the following link:
https://prezi.com/p/6zou-kumzy6y/?present=1
 

Presentation Notes:

• 🕵️‍♂️ Investigating issues with Local Host access and server migrations.
• 🖥️ Initial problems accessing Local Host due to server setup issues.
• 🔄 Troubleshooting steps included checking Hosts file and pinging localhost.
• 🌐 Server discovered to lack IIS installation and configuration.
• 🔧 Recommendation to check server setup and configurations before migration. Importance of thorough server preparation for web hosting functionalities.
• 🎯 First, ensure IIS is running by loading the 403-3.gif, a basic test file that indicates IIS readiness. 
• 🕵️‍♂️ If it is not then perhaps the server environment is not set up to serve websites or ASP.NET websites. Read the DNN environment setup instructions for more directions.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Next, confirm ASP.NET functionality by loading keepalive.aspx, a simple page returning the current date and time.
• 🗃️ Test database connectivity separately from DNN using a UDL file to isolate and troubleshoot connection string issues.
• 🔒 When setting up or migrating a DNN site, ensure correct folder permissions for the application pool to avoid file upload or module installation issues.
• 🌐 Update DNN portal alias settings to reflect new domain names to resolve issues with website loading after domain changes.
• 🛠️ Sometimes servers may not be prepared to handle SSL certificates correctly.
• 📧 SMTP issues can arise, requiring simple tests to verify email functionality.
• 🖥️ Tools like Outlook and alternative methods can test username and password validity effectively.
• 🎨 Prey is a favorite tool for dynamic presentations, offering smooth zoom effects and interactive elements.
• 📰 Examples of PREZI presentations as an alternative to simple PowerPoint slides include presentations like a dynamic newspaper for engaging sessions.

Watch the Southern Fried DNN User Group October 2024 Meeting:

About the SouthernFried DNN User Group

Even though our DNN user group is nestled in the Carolinas, we are really YOUR DNN User Group regardless of your Southern heritage or lack thereof. Everyone is invited to attend in person or to join us online! We always try to broadcast the meeting so everyone can participate. Register now for the online meeting details for those of you wanting to join online

• Southern Fried DNN > Blog
• Southern Fried DNN User Group - MeetUp