Time for a short diversion from my usual subject of Microsoft Dynamics GP during the Christas holiday period; I ended up with more time off than I initially expected and had time to do some reading and also to fiddle around with WordPress.
I’ve been using WordPress for a few years now (this blog has been running on it since June 2011 for example) and I’ve been setting up a number of new sites for both myself and others. My hosting package is for unlimited domains and six websites which means running multiple WordPress blogs was a problem as each one needed a separate website.
The unlimited domains is good because it means that I can use an unlimited number of domains for pointing at content I host once I can sort out the limited websites problem.
I heard about WordpPress Multisite and started toying with the idea of using it, but didn’t really get beyond that point. I was then able to get a copy of Wordpress Multisite Administration by Tyler L. Longren from Packt Publishing:
The books tagline is A concise guide to set up, manage, and customize your blog network using WordPress multisite and it certainly delivers.
The opening chapter covers the basic installation of a single site WordPress installation, before moving onto a multisite installation and onfiguration along with a brief overview of the two types available; folder and subdomain.
Chapter 2 takes a look at theme and plugin installation and management which includes plugins to allow individual blogs in the network to be accessed using unique domains (one of my major requirements of using WordPress Multisite as well as creating a landing page for the network which includes the authors and post counts.
Chapter 3 covers user management and permissions starting with Super Administrator (a concept unique to WordPress Multisite).
Chapter 4 takes a look at protecting the WordPress network by securing files and folders.
Chapter 5 is especially useful to those like myself who already run several sites as it covers the migration of multiple existing WordPress blogs to the Multisite Network.
I haven’t yet migrated azurecurve over to the multisite as the migration tools available just does content and there are other items in tables (such as users) I will need to migrate over and will need to do this manually.
Chapter 6 covers Site Optimisation including the use of CDNs (Content Delivery Networks) and caching.
Chapter 7 is all about updating, troubleshooting and maintaining stability of the network.
The book is very useful and did allow me to avoid several pitfalls while creating the multisite network and it covers the topic in a good depth.
Having used this book as a guide while creating the network, I would very strongly recommend it to anyone else looking to create a WordPress Mutlisite network; as with amny other subjects, this information is available on the Internet, but in the book it is all compiled into one easy to read tome.
The code examples (for example the Landing Page) are available for download from Packt Publishing so you can easily use and adapt as required.
With a WordPress Multisite network create, configured and working I can now host as many WordPress sites as I need to without any problem; all I need to do is set the domain DNS to my IP, add a website pointer to IIS and then create the site and tell it which domain to use.
All easy to do with the network this book helped me create.
The book can be bought direct from Packt Publishing.
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