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Launch Checklist

Launch Checklist

  • Create a back up of site files and database - Example: archive.sitename.ext
  • Give client access to the archive site
  • Migrate redirects
  • If possible, keep IDs for entities that did not have path aliases (check users, taxonomy terms)

2 Months Before

  • Get access to DNS and domain name registration
  • Discuss and put in place a monthly site maintenance plan with client

1 Month Before

  • Ensure live server is ready
  • Run header analysis and correct issues, https://dri.es/headers
  • HTTP redirects to HTTPS
  • Configure cron
  • Upload favicon
  • Backups configured and can be retrieved
  • E-mail test to ensure sending from server works
  • Check DKAN, DMARC, SPF rules for if needed for new server
  • Obtain access to applicable analytics platforms (for example have ben.agaric@gmail.com and other team members added to Google Analytics)
  • Revisit goals and KPIs, ensure everything is in place to measure those (eg: analytics, survey drafted)
  • Implement plan for training and remaining documentation

2 Weeks Before

  • Prepare for instant domain switchover (same server, Cloudflare, or decrease TTL)
  • Ensure new domain is in trusted_host_patterns
  • Set appropriate file upload limits on the server (such as in php.ini)
  • Document anything remaining
  • Train client
  • Send client any documentation they will need to maintain site
  • Enable/configure analytics
  • Enable CSS and JS aggregation
  • Check that syslog is enabled and working, disable dblog
  • Ensure meta tags (page titles, descriptions, keywords) are set up on front page and key sections, copying over from any existing site as a start
  • Add a sitemap (e.g. Simple XML sitemap), especially if site had a site map previously

1 Week Before

  • Finalize launch date and time
  • Review site documentation with client
  • Ensure modules are using latest releases
  • Finalize blog post announcing site launch
  • Add site to uptime monitoring such as uptimerobot.com
  • Re-test

Day of Launch

  • Run incremental migration
  • SSL Certificate configured
  • Ensure no http auth gating or 'no robots' files are left from the testing phase
  • Switch 'on' domain (web server symlink, Cloudflare, or DNS)
  • Ensure e-mail addresses still work (and are not casualties of DNS changes)
  • Check through non-content paths (views, webforms, non-migrated content types) to ensure all are recreated on new site

Immediately After Launch

  • Check DKIM, DMARC, SPF rules for if needed for new server using select SPF on https://mxtoolbox.com/SuperTool.aspx
  • Ensure article photos are appearing correctly on social media.
  • Disable Queue thumbnail downloads under Publishing options at /admin/structure/media/manage/remote_video

A Few Days After Launch

  • Monitor analytics
  • Assess client satisfaction with site

Two weeks after launch

  • Celebrate launch

Month After Launch

  • Review Goals & KPIs
Edited by benjamin melançon