Using Domain Access for multiple sites

Many enterprise IT organizations are looking to manage a wide range of web properties with a single content management instance. Drupal provides three options for multi-site management. One of the better options is the Domain Access Module.

Benefits of the Drupal Domain Access Module

• Maintain multiple Drupal sites with one install of Drupal on one server
• Using Domain Access, there is one master web site and any number of sub-site domains.
• Each sub-site domain can have its own navigation structure and visual design or it can inherit the navigation structure and the visual design from the master.
• Content can be shared (or affiliated) from the master with all or some of the subdomains. This allows content editors to edit content on the master and automatically push it out to the sub-sites.
• Not all of the sub-sites need to share the content. Each sub-site can be customized to use (or not) content from the master.
• Content management permissions to edit or to publish content can be restricted so that users are allowed to edit content on just a sub-site.

Examples of the Drupal Domain Access Module

• Content editors and writers can edit master content in one centralized location and have this populate across some or all of the sub-sites
• Allows for easy updating of contact information or footer navigation
• Financial services and banking organizations can update disclaimer information easily
• Allows a brand to maintain a presence in its sub-brands through the use of persistent top header or other design element.
• Organizations can maintain one calendar of events and push these events to sub-site domains. On the sub-site domain, the calendar could either show all events or just events related to this sub-site domain.

Practical Applications of the Drupal Domain Access Module

Colleges and universities can deploy a master Drupal instance and then use the Domain Access module to create sub-site domains for departments or programs allowing all sites to have integrated brand and marketing messages. With the distributed permissions, each department has access to editing and maintaining its departmental content.