Content Deployment – Step By Step Tutorial
I was looking around and realized that I couldn't find an easy set of instructions to set up Content Deployment in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server.
In this post, I'll show you how to set up content deployment from a staging site collection to a production site collection. For simplicity, I will host both site collections on the same server.
For a background on content deployment, see: https://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint/archive/2006/05/02/588140.aspx
Create Production Site Collection
When setting up a content deployment path, the site collections must be in separate content databases so that the unique identifiers (GUIDs) do not conflict. The easiest way to ensure that the production site collection is in a different content database is to create it in a new web application.
Open Central Administration:
Under Application Management:
Select Create or extend Web application:
Select Create a new Web Application:
Choose an easy to remember port number, such as 12345:
Type in a user name and credentials to create a new app pool:
Type in a descriptive database name such as MOSS_PRODUCTION:
Leave all other settings at the default and click OK, then wait for the Web application to be created:
Click Create Site Collection:
Ensure that your new Web Application is selected:
Type in any name for the Title (it will be overwritten later):
Select "Blank Site" as the template. This step is IMPORTANT, because Blank Site is the only template that you can import any other template into:
Type in the names for the site collection owners:
Click OK.
Allow Incoming Content Deployment Jobs on the Production Site
Select Operation:
Select Content deployment settings:
Select Accept incoming content deployment jobs:
Select Do not require encryption and click OK:
Create Content Deployment Path from Staging to Production
Select Content deployment paths and jobs:
Click New Path:
Type a descriptive name for the path. Select the web application and site collection for the staging site. Then type in the URL of the Central Administration web site of the production site. Since we are putting both of our sites on the same server farm, the URL is the farm that we are on now.
Click Connect:
Once you see "Connection succeeded", select the web application and site collection that you created for production. You can also choose to deploy user names and security if you want the new site to have the same users and permissions.
Click OK.
Create Content Deployment Job
Click New Job:
Type a name, and then select the path you created:
Keep all other default values, and click OK.
Run Content Deployment Job
From the context menu on the job, select Run Now:
Refresh the page, and then click on the text Running:
Watch the status of the job:
When the status changes to Succeeded, you can click on the URL to the production site to verify that the content was deployed.
Run Quick Deploy Job
Select Quick Deploy Settings from the Quick Deploy context menu:
Select Allow Quick Deploy jobs along this path, and set the schedule to check every 10 minutes, then click OK:
Visit the staging site and edit a page:
Make some changes:
Publish the page:
Show the page editing toolbar:
From the Tools menu, select Quick Deploy:
The changes will be picked up and deployed to production within 10 minute:
References
Content Deployment Post by Tyler Butler:
https://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint/archive/2006/05/02/588140.aspx
MOSS SDK on Content Deployment:
https://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms549024.aspx
TechNet on Plan Content Deployment:
https://technet2.microsoft.com/Office/f/?en-us/library/edcdacca-8013-460e-95a0-d2b83b6cc7ef1033.mspx
TechNet on Design Content Deployment Topology:
https://technet2.microsoft.com/Office/f/?en-us/library/1d6d6040-6cbb-4685-a40e-1e9086d426831033.mspx
Comments
Anonymous
February 26, 2007
Great post, Jackie. There is also some documentation of this process (albeit without the pretty pictures) over on Technet as well. http://technet2.microsoft.com/Office/f/?en-us/library/edcdacca-8013-460e-95a0-d2b83b6cc7ef1033.mspx There's some topological overview as well: http://technet2.microsoft.com/Office/f/?en-us/library/1d6d6040-6cbb-4685-a40e-1e9086d426831033.mspx Cheers, TylerAnonymous
March 14, 2007
Having trouble deploying content. I'm using a single server, trying to make a job work with a path between two site collections in the same web application and getting only errors saying Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED)) at...Anonymous
March 26, 2007
Hi! I'm having the same problem. I'm trying to shared content between two site collections on the same machine( Intranet and Internet) but the job gives me timeout and nothing if passed :( Any ideias? Thanks in advance! Nelson SantosAnonymous
May 02, 2007
Hi, While creating paths, we are not able to see the web application which is in a seprate server farm. it is should web application which are only in same server farm? what should we do to deploy our content from staging to production enviorment? This will be a great help. Thanks Deepak AggarwalAnonymous
May 03, 2007
Hey Jackie, How fast do you normally see the state go from preparing to running and have you seen the DST issue happen after or before the preparing? Im on my second try to just move our top level site which is like 2 pages at most and SP is just reporting preparing. Regards, Eric Ramseur Software Engineer, Gridpoint Inc.,Anonymous
May 23, 2007
One of the big pain points with SPS 2003 was the fact that once you went to production all subsequentAnonymous
May 25, 2007
its very important article thank you very mauchAnonymous
May 26, 2007
I like step by step guides with screenshots Content Deployment - Step By Step Tutorial http://blogs.msdn.com/jackiebo/archive/2007/02/26/content-deployment-step-by-step-tutorial.aspxAnonymous
May 28, 2007
A good third-party solution for deploying/replication content and apps is R-1 by Repliweb (www.repliweb.com). This solution automates the process of deployment and ties in workflow tools as well.Anonymous
May 30, 2007
The comment has been removedAnonymous
May 30, 2007
This looks nice, but what about features, solutions packages and such? Are they also deployed or do you have to do that bit yourself? Does this content deployment-service mean that we can now expect to see the same Unique IDs on Webs, Lists, ListItems, etc. on both the stage server and the production server?Anonymous
May 30, 2007
Hi JT, the problem you are facing is that you have both the site collection in the same Web App. create the destination site collection using a new web app(which will create a new content DB) and try. Also, please read this article carefully. Author, clearly mentions that Source and Destination site collections need to be from two different Web Application(meaning two different content databases). Hope that helps!Anonymous
June 04, 2007
Hi, I am trying to share some content between an intranet site and an internet website,which are in the same server but are different site collections and different web applications.Any ideas how I can do the shareing? Thanks, MRB.Anonymous
June 15, 2007
As promised... SharePoint for Developers poster http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=771aeb45-9d27-4d1f-acd1-9b950637d64e&displaylang=enAnonymous
June 18, 2007
hello, i just want to asking 1 question...what is the different between microsoft office project server 2007 and micrsoft office share point 2007?Anonymous
June 27, 2007
I like step by step guides with screenshots Content Deployment - Step By Step Tutorial http://blogs.msdnAnonymous
July 16, 2007
When I click Connect I get error html from the destination server with the text "File not found" in it.Anonymous
August 16, 2007
It is really not user friendly to have the Comment Notification link visible when I'm typing the post. I clicked the link before submitting and lost my post. The short version... Thank you for the screen shots. Not just "pretty", but save me minutes of translating text to UI; quickly put me in context; gave me confidence I understood post. Wish more bloggers took the time. Came across your post while searching for resolution to Status Preparing message, which seems frozen.Anonymous
August 28, 2007
FYI, Also would like to note. That do not name the destination site the exact same as the source site or the path creation will fail. "Source and destination Site collection cannot be the same".Anonymous
September 04, 2007
I would like to know if there is a way to generate a report or log of content changes using the stsadm command or another utility once a content deployment job runs...Anonymous
September 05, 2007
When ever i try to run the job it gives me this error--- The specified name is already in use. A list, survey, discussion board, or document library cannot have the same name as another list, survey, discussion board, or document library in this Web site. Use your browser's Back button, and type a new name. at Microsoft.SharePoint.Library.SPRequest.CreateListOnImport(String bstrUrl, Guid& pguidListId, String bstrTitle, String bstrDescription, Int32 lTemplateID, String bstrFeatureId, Guid guidRootFolderId, Int64 llFlags, Int32 iVersion, Int32 iAuthor, String bstrFields, String bstrContentTypes, String bstrImageUrl, String bstrEventSinkAssembly, String bstrEventSinkClass, String bstrEventSinkData, Guid guidDocTemplateId, String bstrViews, String bstrForms, Boolean bCompressedSchema) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ListSerializer.CreateList(SPWeb parentWeb, Dictionary`2 listMetaData, Boolean usingPublicSchema) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ListSerializer.SetObjectData(Object obj, SerializationInfo info, StreamingContext context, ISurrogateSelector selector) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.ParseObject(Type objectType, Boolean isChildObject) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.DeserializeObject(Type objectType, Boolean isChildObject, DeploymentObject envelope) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.XmlFormatter.Deserialize(Stream serializationStream) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ObjectSerializer.Deserialize(Stream serializationStream) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.ImportObjectManager.ProcessObject(XmlReader xmlReader) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.SPImport.DeserializeObjects() at Microsoft.SharePoint.Deployment.SPImport.Run() Can u plz help to resolve this issueAnonymous
September 12, 2007
2007 MOSS Resource Links (Microsoft Office SharePoint Server) Here is an assortment of various 2007 MicrosoftAnonymous
September 19, 2007
I was having the problem of the deployment job getting stuck on 'Preparing'. It was not the Timer service. Was not the account. It turns out that you need to make sure that both servers have the same settings as far as SSL are concerned. If one is requireing it and the other is not it will just sit and spin. No log or error will be generated till it times out then you will be left wondering what happened. So make sure that both exporting server and importing server are on the same SSL Setting.Anonymous
September 19, 2007
I was having the problem of the deployment job getting stuck on 'Preparing'. It was not the Timer service. Was not the account. It turns out that you need to make sure that both servers have the same settings as far as SSL are concerned. If one is requireing it and the other is not it will just sit and spin. No log or error will be generated till it times out then you will be left wondering what happened. So make sure that both exporting server and importing server are on the same SSL Setting.Anonymous
October 03, 2007
The comment has been removedAnonymous
October 12, 2007
Content deployment is an excellent way to publish SharePoint content between farms. A few things to keepAnonymous
October 24, 2007
What about stage and production web application have different web config file and we don't want the stage one overwrite the production one?Anonymous
November 08, 2007
useful links for sharepoint 2007 customizationAnonymous
November 23, 2007
I've had a large number of emails from .NET developers who want more information about SharePoint Development.Anonymous
November 26, 2007
Hi I can't see the content deployment links on Central Admin Operations tab. Does anyone know why these would not appear? Data Configuration is the last section on the right hand column of links. Thanks AndyAnonymous
November 26, 2007
I don't see any graphics between the topics. They only show up as boxes with x's in them. Is there a way to see them?Anonymous
November 29, 2007
I have the same issue. the images don't exist anymore....Anonymous
November 29, 2007
the site http://jackiebo.officeisp.net that references all the images is down.....Anonymous
January 15, 2008
Hi Jacky, great post! Can you check you images used in this blog entry? I also can't see them.Anonymous
January 31, 2008
Content Deployment Jobs its a new feature that comes with Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, andAnonymous
February 15, 2008
Two great blog entries describing MOSS Content Deployment and how to configure it: http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint/archive/2006/05/02/588140.aspxAnonymous
February 15, 2008
Two great blog entries describing MOSS Content Deployment and how to configure it: http://blogs.msdnAnonymous
February 24, 2008
While trying to create a new path, I am getting the error : Client found response content type of 'text/html; charset=utf-8', but expected 'text/xml'. The request failed with the error message: Can somebody help please?Anonymous
March 07, 2008
For images, use the Way Back Machine: http://web.archive.org/web/20070716191414/http://blogs.msdn.com/jackiebo/archive/2007/02/26/content-deployment-step-by-step-tutorial.aspxAnonymous
March 12, 2008
I am getting same error message: While trying to create a new path, I am getting the error : Client found response content type of 'text/html; charset=utf-8', but expected 'text/xml'. The request failed with the error message: Can somebody help please?Anonymous
March 14, 2008
For the " Client found response content type of 'text/html; charset=utf-8', but expected 'text/xml'" error make sure that you are entering the port of the central administration Web application along with the host name in the textbox. I got that error because I didn;t append the port to the url and the server was actually trying to connect to my content web application at that point instead of central admin, which prompted the error.Anonymous
March 24, 2008
Thanks for a great article about content deployment!Anonymous
April 03, 2008
Great posting, much clearer than the MOSS adminitrator's companion!Anonymous
April 06, 2008
where are the photos ????????????????????????Anonymous
May 03, 2008
The images are not showing. Please make available ThanksAnonymous
June 03, 2008
this would be great if i could see the photos!Anonymous
July 29, 2008
The comment has been removedAnonymous
August 03, 2008
Any chance of getting the pictures fixed? I'd really like to see how this is done. Thanks!Anonymous
August 21, 2008
great post, can we see the images? Thanks!Anonymous
August 24, 2008
The images are not showing. Can you please fix? thanksAnonymous
September 11, 2008
The comment has been removedAnonymous
September 11, 2008
Pls fix your images or delete this blogAnonymous
October 06, 2008
Can you update your Web page so that we can see images ?Anonymous
October 20, 2008
Use the link tat FER posted to see the imagesAnonymous
December 16, 2008
It's great artical for site collection migration!!! Thanks for that! But I want particular contents of site to be migrated. For eaxample migrating Lists, Documents etc. So how to do that? Thanks in advance.....Anonymous
February 02, 2009
Farm Topology This article assumes you have two server farms: one internal farm in your corporate intranetAnonymous
February 18, 2009
Excellent article Jack. However the screen shot are not appearing for me. Are the images reference wrong path?Anonymous
April 02, 2009
Hello, I have installed Sharepoint VHD, and did try out the above steps but got stuck when the gave source web application path and gave http://litwaredemo:port number/foldername as URL for destination Central Administration server. i get error saying "you have specified a URL that begins with http://. Communication to this URL will not be secure and can not be intercepted by malicous users." so i have https://litwaredemo:port number/foldername and clciked on Connect button. It says Either the URL for the destination web application is not valid, or you do not have permissions to the central administration site on the destination server farm. Error Details: The remote upload web requested failed. I want to know the reason why this happend. Waiting for your support Regards, DnyaneshwariAnonymous
May 03, 2009
@Denny, We got this error during content deployment as well: Content deployment job 'MyContentDeployment' failed.The exception thrown was 'System.InvalidOperationException' : 'Client found response content type of 'text/html', but expected 'text/xml'. The request failed with the error message [html ... ] There is a problem with the resource you are looking for, and it cannot be displayed. [ ... /html] It was occurring at the end of the export task. Turned out the Destination Central Administration Web App was broken. That's where this error is coming from - the end of the export task is the first time the Source farm tries to talk to the Destination farm.Anonymous
June 03, 2009
Hi Dnyaneshwari, I think I know what issue you are seeing is. Basically, you would have to go back to the Content Deployment Settings page (_admin/Deployment.aspx) and make sure you select the option "Encryption not required" on one of the radio buttons there. By default, it is set to require encryption (https). Once you select "Encryption not required", then you should be able to create a Path and just use "http://centraladminURLofDestination" and not "https://...". Hope this helps.Anonymous
June 10, 2009
Hi, I am unable to see the images on this tutorial :( Is there something wrong with my browser?!Anonymous
June 14, 2009
Hi All, Check this link for viewing images also. http://web.archive.org/web/20070716191414/http://blogs.msdn.com/jackiebo/archive/2007/02/26/content-deployment-step-by-step-tutorial.aspxAnonymous
June 23, 2009
hi I cannot see the pictures, please refresh them!Anonymous
June 23, 2009
buddy this is not working, although I get a connection test passed during the test run, the job fails during the actual full run. I am deploying to a site collectionAnonymous
July 05, 2009
Thanks a lot. This works fine for me in my siple case. Best regards, EvgenyAnonymous
July 05, 2009
Thanks a lot. This works fine for me in my simple case. Best regards, EvgenyAnonymous
September 09, 2009
I have a customer that is looking to be able to track changes between what is in stage and what is in production. Is there a web part that allows you to track changes to the content in a visual way with aids like Word, before it is approved to be moved to production. Is there a way to do this ?Anonymous
September 14, 2009
@Tony Sloggett : Had the same problem with access denied errors when trying to publish content from one site collection to another one in the same server. Changing the user of the Timer service of SharePoint fixed the problem. You saved my life man, thanx!Anonymous
September 21, 2009
The post helped a lot but it would be better if the images were visible.Anonymous
October 08, 2009
To deploy site from development to production server I have created deployment path. That's created successfully. But when I run the job to actually deploy the content it shown me Content deployment job 'Quick Deploy job for path 'External Server Deployment'' failed.The remote upload Web request failed. I have checked that no firewall restrictions are blocking me. Request goes to the remote server and also coming back with finish packet. So Please help me out.Anonymous
November 18, 2009
HI, We can do backup and restore also ryt? By creating a content database in production server ,so that there will be no conflicts of GUID... Coz i had done like this only to get the sitecollection from stagging to production.Anonymous
April 14, 2010
You should not be moving content from staging to production; content is added to production via the browser (typically), then moved to staging/dev as needed.Anonymous
December 18, 2010
very nice tutorial really useful for beginnersAnonymous
February 16, 2011
Hi Stefan, I have doubt in content deployment that, if we run the content deployment job, will it be deployed the search scopes from source to destination site? if it is yes, will it be overwritten the existed scopes in destination? Thanks, NareshAnonymous
February 08, 2012
One important thing i would like to share.... While creating the destination site collection (production site collection in this case), don't choose any template, not even 'Blank Site'. Because for import you need an empty site collection and Blank site template does not refer to an empty site collection and content deployment will fail. Instead choose <Select Template Later> in the Custom tab.Anonymous
March 22, 2012
the deploy user names and security information doesn't help carrying over permission changes via incremental job. is there a reason for it? Thanks