Drupal Training 10: Deployments and Backups

Deployments

Effective deployment processes in Drupal are crucial for ensuring smooth transitions from development environments to production. These processes involve a series of steps and best practices that developers should follow to deploy changes safely and efficiently.

Key Steps in the Drupal Deployment Process

1. Code Management: Begin with a version control system like Git to manage code changes. Keep codebases clean and well-organized to facilitate easier deployments.
2. Environment Setup: Set up different environments for development, staging, and production. This separation allows for safe testing and verification of changes before they reach the live site.
3. Configuration Management: Utilise Drupal’s configuration management system to export and import site configurations. This ensures that configuration changes can be safely moved across environments.
4. Database Handling: Manage database updates carefully. Utilise Drupal's hook_update_N functions to manage schema changes automatically during deployments.
5. Automated Testing: Implement automated testing procedures to identify errors and issues before deploying to production. This can include unit tests, functional tests, and regression testing.
6. Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): Embrace CI/CD practices to automate the testing and deployment pipeline. This reduces human error and speeds up the delivery process.
7. Backup and Rollback: Ensure backups are taken before deploying any new changes. Have a clear rollback plan for reverting to a previous state if necessary.

Best Practices for Successful Deployments

• Regularly synchronise between different environments to identify potential issues early.
• Document the deployment process meticulously to ensure that it can be followed by any team member.
• Ensure security best practices are followed, such as using SSH keys and secure access protocols.
• Communicate with your team about upcoming deployments to ensure everyone is aligned and prepared for any potential downtime or updates.
• Deploy often. Lots of small deployments are easier to manage than single, large deployments.

Backups

Creating a robust backup strategy for a Drupal website is crucial for maintaining data integrity and ensuring quick recovery during emergencies. An effective backup approach involves regular backup of both your website's content and configuration.

Why Backup?

Backups are essential for minimizing data loss risks and ensuring your website can be restored in the event of a system failure, attack, or accidental data deletion. Regular backups help preserve your site's work and protect the information of your users.

Components of a Drupal Backup Strategy

1. Content Backup

Content includes all the text, images, files, and media your website hosts. Regularly backing up content ensures you can restore your site's updated state quickly.

2. Configuration Backup

Configuration backups encompass settings, structure, and modules that ensure your site functions as intended. These backups can be done using the Configuration Management module in Drupal, which allows you to export and import site configuration changes efficiently.

Backup Frequency

• Daily Backups: Consider automating backups to occur daily, ensuring minimal loss of new data.
• Weekly Archives: Store weekly full-site archives to keep a historical record of your site's evolution.

Storing Your Backups Safely

• Off-site Storage: Keep a copy of your backups in a location separate from your website's server to protect against physical disasters.
• Secure Storage: Use encrypted connections and password protection for your backup repositories.

Testing Your Backups

Regularly test your backup and restore processes to ensure data recovery is effective and timely. Implementing a test environment similar to your production site can be beneficial for this process, allowing you to validate backups without affecting your live site.

Filed Under:

1. LocalGov Drupal
2. Drupal
3. Drupal Training