The Auros Blog

How to wrap our EPiServer gift

It’s fair to say that EPiServer is our enterprise solution for CMS. So we’ve created a tool which we can use to ease the pain as shown below. Here’s the rubbing hands together bit for me… It’s only part of the package but adds to the delights.

So, one of the most challenging migration projects to date was to prove to be our biggest test, and converting over 1300 pages and as many images and files, was no easy task. By leveraging the capabilities of EPiServer and through the use of the our EPiServer Migration Tool we simplified the task and provided an extensible solution to this and all future migration problems. The output of the tool is a nicely wrapped EPiServer Export package which we can use through the EPiServer admin import. What the tool achieves:

• Mapping - The tool allows us to easily create a mapping from the CMC template names and content to the pre-existing EPiServer page types and properties.
• Link Resolution - Internal links are identified and resolved.
• Asset Management - Assets are any files, image, documents, that exists as content. These are organised into an appropriate page folder in EPiServer. Only assets in use are migrated which helps to cleanse the website of redundant content.
• Custom Plugin - All custom plugins are identified and if a replacement section is required will use this to resolve the plugin to any new feature. This helps to improve migration and reduce any post clean up tasks.
• Reference points - CMC page id references are contained on every imported page through a property and custom tab. This then means that any post processing and validation tasks can be easily performed.
• SEO data – Description and keywords.
• Meta data migration – The hide from menu and no search meta data is migrated to appropriate page properties.
• Link pages – Resolve all link pages.
• Export Package File – The tool generates an EPiServer export package for import through the EPiServer admin tool.
• Full report of content Issues – Information, warning, and errors for any pages found to have content migration issues are identified and reported in a log file. Issues are also identified on the pages for visual verification as shown below.

One to ease the Boxing Day hang-over

There will always be more to do, and this is where the tool or Auros services can help. Well, clearly as a software developer there are no limits, well apart from time and money, as my boss reminds me. So, there’s a trade-off between all singing all dancing and the last 10%. We can do this, but more than likely it will come down to the content owners to tidy up the last bits and pieces, as clearly they own the content. But what Auros do as an additional service is to provide the customer with a comprehensive prioritised report of areas we know need attention.   So there you have it. These are more or less the salient points, but there’s some great stuff here and we’ve proved it works! Just see our efforts by following the link to Virgin Media Business. We’ve also got a strategy proposal which we can mould to our client’s, so give us a call.

If you want to get in touch for more info or some code snippets then email, tweet, or use the comment form below.