Multiple websites share one database / administration

Meoff · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 9:20 am

I've been on a buying binge, registering several .asia domain names related to Thailand, where I am living. (bangkok.asia,phuket.asia,samui.asia, etc).

I'm wanting to know if there is a way to run multiple websites from one database, so that the content would be the same on each site, with slight changes to each theme color scheme, header logo, etc, but using the same theme as a starting point, probably fisubice.

A family of related websites with only one administration would be a wonderful thing!

I've tried searching for this answer, and didn't find anything. Also, I wasn't sure where to put this question, and since I'm asking about multiple themes working at the same time, this seemed to be as good a place as any. If I should have posted somewhere else, accept my apology and feel free to move it.

Thanks in advance for any insight on this!!

jakec · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 11:17 am

I guess you could point the sites to the same database and then adjust the colours of the themes etc within the Theme directory on each site.

Does that make sense?

Meoff · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 12:23 pm

Sure... makes sense.

Would it really be that easy?

Doulos · Involved Joined: Jun 06, 2005 Posts: 370

If you point your sites to the same db, and allow those IP address' and/or domains to contact your MYSQL server (by adding the IP/domain to the access list in cpanel) it is no different than an onsite website connecting to the db. Of course, this assumes you have identical files on all servers. All local content should be customizable within the themes as jakec said. Although, don't listen to me, I am a noob.

fkelly · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:11 pm

I just have a "gut" feeling that there could be some unintended consequences of doing this.

For instance anything that is contained within the MYSQL tables will be same for all your sites. Take a look at then config table for instance, you will have the same site name and slogan. Your preferences too will be the same. Your default theme. Whether you are multi-lingual or not. Your groups. Your authors (who your admins are and what they have privileges to). Even your blocks will be the same and be in the same position. If that (and more) is all fine with you then go for it. However, I'm fairly sure you'll find other gotchas as well.

Dawg · Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 9:16 pm

I have done it and to a point it works. What i did was use a different prefix for the users and the rest of the data (Look in the config) All the users were the same just the data site to site changed.

It worked.....but I quit and went back to individual sites becasue the maintance was going to be too much of a night mare. Any upgrades at all required a complete check. this had to be altered...that had to be altered. It was going to be more than I wanted. I runa network of sites and the way I do it is keep one single code base for all sites. The all run on the same code, same themes, same everything just differnet databases. I also set some $vars in the config files for wording that needed to be changed site to site.

When I do an upgrade now.....I change my Codebase....and then upload to all sites....and away it goes.

Dawg

kguske · Site Admin Joined: Jun 04, 2004 Posts: 4853

This could also cause problems with search engines - essentially this would be duplicate content, which is frowned upon.

Meoff · Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:25 pm

All valid points raised, especially about the content of each being identical. I've imagined the username confusions and consequences of emails generated by the system coming from the "host" name instead of the "mirror" name, etc

So- thanks to all for the wisdom. Especially Dawg- I'm convinced... will be multiple installations - all new and cleanly installed.

I'm not even gonna begin trying to engineer a multi-site thing.