09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference1 Smart Cascade Server Implementations & Strategies 2009 Cascade Server User’s Conference Justin Klingman, Manager, Web Design & Content Management Beacon Technologies, Inc. September 28, 2009

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference2 Introduction Who am I? Who am I? Beacon Technologies, Inc. Beacon Technologies, Inc. Automate, Grow, and Showcase Your Business Automate, Grow, and Showcase Your Business Cascade Server Consultation, Development, & Hosting Cascade Server Consultation, Development, & Hosting Custom Software Development, Search Engine Marketing, Web Design, Creative Media, Hosting Custom Software Development, Search Engine Marketing, Web Design, Creative Media, Hosting

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference3 Introduction My Cascade Server World My Cascade Server World Purchased in April 2005 as “PublishXML” Purchased in April 2005 as “PublishXML” Used as a Software as a Service (SaaS) Used as a Software as a Service (SaaS) 27 customers, 48 sites, 77 users 27 customers, 48 sites, 77 users 2-system architecture for optimal performance 2-system architecture for optimal performance 11 managed instances 11 managed instances Official partner of Hannon Hill Official partner of Hannon Hill Participate on the Product Advisory Council Participate on the Product Advisory Council Conduct end-user training Conduct end-user training

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference4 Introduction Session geared towards both end users and managers Session geared towards both end users and managers Tips & tricks to smartly implement, manage and use Cascade Server Tips & tricks to smartly implement, manage and use Cascade Server Smart Implementations Smart Implementations Integration with Dynamic Applications Integration with Dynamic Applications Managing Search Engine Marketing Efforts Managing Search Engine Marketing Efforts Controlling Flash Applications Controlling Flash Applications Documentation and Training End Users Documentation and Training End Users

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference5 Smart Implementations

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference6 Smart Implementations “Plan & Think Ahead” “Plan & Think Ahead” What is your ultimate Web strategy? What is your ultimate Web strategy? All sites share common template All sites share common template Sites have individual template Sites have individual template Flexibility for each department Flexibility for each department “How can we implement Cascade Server to grow with us?” “How can we implement Cascade Server to grow with us?”

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference7 Smart Implementations Templates It’s tempting to create a new template for every different page look & layout It’s tempting to create a new template for every different page look & layout Consolidate templates Consolidate templates Advantages: Advantages: Less to keep up with Less to keep up with Centralize development efforts Centralize development efforts Quicker, easier redesign Quicker, easier redesign

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference8 Smart Implementations Templates Ideas for consolidating templates Ideas for consolidating templates Keep minimal HTML in templates Keep minimal HTML in templates Only have structure-level HTML Only have structure-level HTML Keep regions of HTML in blocks & formats and use like SSI Keep regions of HTML in blocks & formats and use like SSI Use multiple Configuration Sets instead Use multiple Configuration Sets instead

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference9 Smart Implementations Templates Use CSS for minor layout alterations Use CSS for minor layout alterations Example: 2 different content layouts: Example: 2 different content layouts: Page w/ Right Column Page w/ Right Column Page w/o Right Column Page w/o Right Column How do they all run off of one template? How do they all run off of one template? Create additional CSS file that overrides main site CSS Create additional CSS file that overrides main site CSS Create format that calls CSS file Create format that calls CSS file Apply appropriate format to page using Configuration Sets Apply appropriate format to page using Configuration Sets Set up Asset Factory for each Configuration Set Set up Asset Factory for each Configuration Set

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference10 Smart Implementations Data Definitions Key: Think long-term! Key: Think long-term! Always use, even if just one WYSIWYG editor region Always use, even if just one WYSIWYG editor region Can add to Data Definition functionality Can add to Data Definition functionality If not used, may have to apply Data Definitions to 100s of pages in the future If not used, may have to apply Data Definitions to 100s of pages in the future Try not to use one Data Definition for multiple applications Try not to use one Data Definition for multiple applications

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference11 Smart Implementations Metadata Sets Use unique Metadata Sets per site Use unique Metadata Sets per site Just like with Data Definitions, think long-term Just like with Data Definitions, think long-term Consider using separate Metadata Sets for Pages, Files, Folders, External Links Consider using separate Metadata Sets for Pages, Files, Folders, External Links Create individual Asset Factories for each type of asset per site Create individual Asset Factories for each type of asset per site

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference12 Smart Implementations Index Blocks When not used properly, can hurt performance When not used properly, can hurt performance Use same blocks in different regions with similar indexing needs Use same blocks in different regions with similar indexing needs Only index what you need Only index what you need

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference13 Integration with Dynamic Applications

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference14 Integration with Dynamic Applications WYSIWYG editor doesn’t play nice with scripting languages without special code WYSIWYG editor doesn’t play nice with scripting languages without special code Most scripting languages can’t be run inside Cascade (exception: JavaScript) Most scripting languages can’t be run inside Cascade (exception: JavaScript)

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference15 Integration with Dynamic Applications How do we get scripting code into Cascade Server? How do we get scripting code into Cascade Server? Use Server-Side Includes (SSI) Use Server-Side Includes (SSI) Allows developers full control over their code without using Cascade Allows developers full control over their code without using Cascade Protects code from modification, deletion Protects code from modification, deletion

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference16 Integration with Dynamic Applications Adding SSI below the content region Adding SSI below the content region Create include files outside Cascade Create include files outside Cascade Create a format for each include file Create a format for each include file Add a template region just below DEFAULT Add a template region just below DEFAULT Used to attach SSI format to page Used to attach SSI format to page Allows end user to maintain introductory content Allows end user to maintain introductory content Attach appropriate format Attach appropriate format When published, application will be displayed When published, application will be displayed

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference17 Integration with Dynamic Applications Adding SSI Inline Adding SSI Inline Insert SSI within the body of content, floating left or right, in between paragraphs Insert SSI within the body of content, floating left or right, in between paragraphs Allows more flexibility for end user to position applications within content region Allows more flexibility for end user to position applications within content region Allows end user ability to add their own applications Allows end user ability to add their own applications

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference18 Integration with Dynamic Applications End users insert SSI into WYSIWYG End users insert SSI into WYSIWYG Use [system-view] tags & CSS to create box Use [system-view] tags & CSS to create box Use inline CSS to allow end user to specify width/height of area, alignment properties Use inline CSS to allow end user to specify width/height of area, alignment properties [system-view:internal] tags will prevent internal CSS code from being published [system-view:internal] tags will prevent internal CSS code from being published Disadvantages: Disadvantages: [system-view:internal] tags show in editor [system-view:internal] tags show in editor Module can accidently be deleted Module can accidently be deleted

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference19 Integration with Dynamic Applications Add scripting code directly into editor without SSI Add scripting code directly into editor without SSI Use HTML view Use HTML view <!--#START-CODE and #END-CODE  <!--#START-CODE and #END-CODE  Disadvantage Disadvantage Code cannot be seen within the editor, and can easily be deleted Code cannot be seen within the editor, and can easily be deleted

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference20 Managing Search Engine Marketing Efforts

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference21 Managing Search Engine Marketing Efforts One of Cascade’s great benefits: producing search engine-friendly sites One of Cascade’s great benefits: producing search engine-friendly sites Set up SEM template regions Set up SEM template regions Include analytics scripts on each page Include analytics scripts on each page Allows SEM analysts to add code to a certain page, such as a conversion tracking script or other metadata Allows SEM analysts to add code to a certain page, such as a conversion tracking script or other metadata Use Data Definitions Use Data Definitions Add SEM-specific fields for key phrase mgmt. Add SEM-specific fields for key phrase mgmt.

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference22 Controlling Flash Applications

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference23 Controlling Flash Applications Flash is very popular, but difficult to maintain Flash is very popular, but difficult to maintain The Challenge: Empower end users to maintain Flash apps’ content & imagery, using Cascade The Challenge: Empower end users to maintain Flash apps’ content & imagery, using Cascade Solution: Solution: Develop Flash app that reads an XML file Develop Flash app that reads an XML file Develop Data Definitions for content entry Develop Data Definitions for content entry Publish content as XML file for Flash to read Publish content as XML file for Flash to read

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference24 Controlling Flash Applications All-Flash Site: All-Flash Site: Site has two versions: Flash, and non-Flash / non-JavaScript version for search engines Site has two versions: Flash, and non-Flash / non-JavaScript version for search engines Build normal site in Cascade Build normal site in Cascade Repurpose content: Repurpose content: Full HTML (non-Flash / non-JavaScript version) Full HTML (non-Flash / non-JavaScript version) HTML from the WYSIWYG editor (Flash version) HTML from the WYSIWYG editor (Flash version) HTML is read by Flash player, creating the page HTML is read by Flash player, creating the page Navigation published as XML, read by Flash to build menu system Navigation published as XML, read by Flash to build menu system

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference25 Documentation and Training for End Users

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference26 Documentation and Training for End Users Create your own user’s manual Create your own user’s manual Hannon Hill Knowledge Base too much information for an end user Hannon Hill Knowledge Base too much information for an end user Nobody knows more about your implementation than you Nobody knows more about your implementation than you Lay out like a tutorial and use screenshots Lay out like a tutorial and use screenshots Keep it up-to-date with version releases Keep it up-to-date with version releases

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference27 Documentation and Training for End Users Training Tips Training Tips Walk through the entire manual using Cascade pages they’ll use Walk through the entire manual using Cascade pages they’ll use If possible, conduct training in-person If possible, conduct training in-person Slow down! Slow down!

09/28/ Cascade Server User's Conference28 Questions? My Contact Information: Justin Klingman Beacon Technologies, Inc |