Configuring the multisite system

Technically speaking, a multisite version of the product can be implemented in two configuration modes:

• Multiple site in one domain. (Old name: First Option Multiple Site.) The product and all sites work under the management of one copy of the Apache web server.
• Multiple site in different domains. (Old name: Second Option Multiple Site.) Each site works under the management of a separate copy of the Apache web server or a separate virtual web server.

From the point of view of the software product, both options are equal. The choice of either of the multiple site option depends on the goals set by the developer.

The multiple site in one domain is recommended:

• If you need to create sites in different languages or, for example, the regional sites of the same company;
• If a common domain name is planned to be used for both sites;
• If you use virtual hosting which does not permit creating several virtual web servers with a shared access to files.

In this case, URLs will be represented as:

http://example.com/s1 (http://example1.com/s1)
http://example.com/s2 (http://example.com/s)

or as:

http://example.com/ (http://example1.com/)
http://example.com/s2 (http://example.com/s2)

The multiple site in different domains is recommended:

• If the sites to be created have different subject-matter or if sites with unique URLs are to be created;
• If you use the allocated server or can set up separate web servers on a shared hosting.

The use of multiple site in different domains also permits to exclude from site URLs spare subcatalogs /s1/ or /s2/ and start forming URL addresses directly from the catalog "/". I.e. site addresses will look as follows:

http://www.example.com/
http://www.example.de/
http://www.second.example.com

The software product installation package is delivered with a configuration for multiple sites in one domain. Additional setup is needed in order to use multiple sites in different domains.

Both configurations will be reviewed using the example of the creation of a multiple site system consisting of two sites:

• www.site1.com - company’s corporate website
• www.site2.com - company’s E-store