Thread

How does the Multiple Site Manager’s database perform vs. 3 separate EE installations with 3 separate databases?  The reason I ask is, if you are running 1 very popular site and 2 that are not so popular would it be better to just run separate installations? 

Also at any time, could you export the data for any one site so you could set up another installation if performance became an issue or if you needed to change servers for a particular site?

Charles

Wow this one must be a tough question. Usually Lisa answers questions in under 3 seconds! 😊

*grins* Aw, c’mon, it was 8pm then 4:30am!  Even I step away from the computer occasionally.. *grins*

Alright, as with any ExpressionEngine question, the performance issue is far more reliant on your server infrastructure - hardware, optimization, etc. than on ExpressionEngine itself.  Of course, if all 3 installations are on the same account they’ll be using the same resources, but if you have 3 accounts, each dedicated to their own ExpressionEngine installation, then they have their own dedicated resources.  But if you run those installations on a server setup not geared at dynamic applications, then they may not perform as well as a 20-Site MSM on a server tuned for dynamic sites.

Does that make sense?  The Multiple Site Manager in and of itself does not have an effect on performance.  Ultimately, you need to look at your Sites, the resources they need, if they’re related (and owned by a single person or company), and figure out how to manage them.  If they’re appropriate for the MSM: share a membership database, perhaps need some content cross-references, then by all means, use the Multiple Site Manager.

Have you seen the interview about Frieze, with Simon Collison? Check out out - some invaluable insights there!

As far as “spinning off a site” out of the Multiple Site Manager - there is no built-in method for that at this time, so you would need advanced knowledge of MySQL and ExpressionEngine’s database schema to do this manually, yourself. If it was just entries there are several ways to handle this without that knowledge, but if it’s the entire Site - preferences, entries, templates, etc - then it becomes more difficult.  Ultimately, the Multiple Site Manager is intended for related internet properties - not as a temporary way to handle un-related projects together.

Thanks Lisa, you are always very helpful indeed.

From what you’re saying MSM works best when you’re working with a series of sites that are co-branded but not for a plethora of random sites.

Expression engine has always been really fast for me especially after going through all the optimization tips in the wiki.  I’m glad you can at least get the weblog data from the database, that could come in handy.

One question about the members database, if I had three sites, the members wouldn’t have to register on the different sites?  And if I had the permissions separated by site the members could not use the same name on another site.  Correct?

Thanks again

Charles

That’s right, membership is always installation-wide, though permissions can be set per-Site. 

And no, the Multiple Site Manager is not intended for a random smattering of sites - it’s intended audience is related internet properties. For instance - ellislab.com is under the MSM, with expressionengine.com and codeigniter.com.  Same membership database which makes sense - but definitely related sites.

See 3 seconds!  😊 Thanks again Lisa.