Now with Cloud Storage, Geo-Cluster, and Social Search!
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Bitrix Site Manager is the industry's most secure website management, eCommerce and eMarketing solution that delivers extreme value in performance, functionality, and ease-of-use for small and medium-sized businesses. With over 60,000 installations, the software is an ultimate choice for corporate portals, online stores, community sites and news services.
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Bitrix Site Manager: What is New in v11.0?
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Bitrix Site Manager is no longer simply a platform for website creation. Now it allows development of web services and large-scale web projects in the Cloud. The other accent of version 11.0 is the Project Quality Control tool, which inspects web projects and reports non-optimal processes. Watch a brief video! |
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Watch brief videos:
Cloud Storage settings |
Back-end Dashboard |
Quick back-end search |
Auto-save web forms |
Short URLs |
Main changes in v11.0:
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Bitrix Cloud Storage module supports Google Storage, Amazon S3, Windows Azure Storage, and OpenStack, the open source cloud storage system, as well as CDN (Content Delivery Network). This new module accelerates uploading of files, which is especially important for multimedia and size-hungry content types. Read more... |
| The new Geo-distributed Web Cluster module increases project availability and provides insurance against a service outage in a single data center. If one data center goes down, a replicated server in a different location compensates, with no need to restore a backup. Site performance is also improved by distribution of workload among data centers. Read more... |
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Project Quality Control tool offers a web developers a means for thorough testing of web projects before handover to the client. This feature enhances and formalizes confidence on both sides. A set of 26 mandatory tests and 39 additional voluntary tests can be run to ensure that there are not conflicts in areas such as design integration, programming environment, security, performance, etc. Read more... |
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The new Secure Authentication technology in the Site Manager platform protects from password theft even in the absence of SSL. Version 11.0 uses provides authentication via an unbreakable method of password encoding using an RSA algorithm with a 1024-bit key. The password is transferred to the server in this encoded form regardless of the browser or environment. Read more... |
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"We made modifications throughout our product to make this version a 'Cloud platform' for web development which meets the requirements of major Cloud infrastructures. We support the open standard of OpenStack Swift API and encourage hosting companies to develop their own Cloud solutions." - said Sergey Rizhikov, CEO, Bitrix, Inc. |
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Other important product enhancements:
- Social Search - search results are sorted using a unique user influence system based on content and user reputation evaluation;
- Automatic Time Zone settings - all dates and times used in news articles, comments, or e-Store orders are now shown with respect to the time zone where the user is currently located;
- Admin Dashboard - completely renewed Dashboard in the back-end of the product now has individually configurable desktops with drag-and-drop gadgets and quick search;
- Photo Gallery improvements - two additional themes (skins), a new thumbnail slider, and comments displayed under the original image and in the Live Feed;
- Short links support - built-in tool for generating short links right in the front-end;
- Support of Schema.org microformats - microformats in the e-Store for better search engine indexing;
- Auto-saving for web forms - if there is an interruption before a web form is submitted, the dialog box, when opened the next time, will offer a restored version;
- Over 150 additions, improvements, and changes, affecting 33 modules of the product. View all...
Bitrix Cloud Storage
Bitrix Site Manager v11.0 supports Google Storage, Amazon S3, Windows Azure Storage, and OpenStack, the open source cloud storage system, as well as CDN (Content Delivery Network or Content Distribution Network). Advantages:
- Economy. You can host your site on the server of your hosting provider, but you can save significantly by using cloud storage for the vast majority of your data storage. Cloud storage is much cheaper than standard space from a hosting provider.
- Faster access to content. Site users will download files via CDN (content delivery network), which is very fast network for delivering content to clients. The speed with which audio, video, software programs, games and other data-intensive files types are delivered is much greater.
- Decreased load on your main server. With file downloads 'outsourced', your home server is freed up to server active site visitors.
- Protection from data loss. Cloud storage can be purchased via tariff plans which guarantee against data loss.
- Connection to an existing cloud. As many cloud storage can be connected to your site or project as needed.
- Transfer files to the cloud without stopping service. Simply create the rules for types of sizes of files to be stored in the cloud and the files will be moved, remaining available without interruption.
- Quick migration to different data centers. By connecting multiple storages, you can move your files from one to another. A wizard enables moving of files from one cloud to another.
How does it work?
Files that are uploaded to a site which is employing cloud storage are immediately directed to the storage during the upload process according to a set of rules created when the cloud storage is set up. Existing data can be moved to the cloud using the menu options for setup. Filtering rules: by system module, by file extension, and by file size. Watch a brief video!
Files stored in a Cloud |
Managing file distribution rules |
Setting rules for cloud storage usage
For example, you can connect 2 different cloud storage areas and give each its own set of rules. Suppose that all non-video files of over 100MB are in Google Storage, and all video is in Amazon S3. You can change rules according to the terms of the contract and move data from one cloud 'folder' to another. Because moving data from one cloud to another is supported, there is no 'lock-in' to a single cloud provider.
Access Settings
Access to the cloud storage is flexible in much the same what as other modules of the product.
Example: Using Amazon S3
Set upload of video files to CDN Amazon. This allows clients to download video via a high-capacity network rather than from your server. This network includes about 19 different 'hubs' and offers faster data transfer - often much faster. Visitors watching videos no longer load down your web cluster, since you have completely transferred that work onto cloud infrastructure.
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Amazon Cloud Storage in BSM |
CloudBerry Explorer |
From the cloud, you can set up 'direct' control over your videos by installing the free navigator available in Amazon S3. CloudBerry Explorer. In effect, this is a file manager that lets you manage your cloud-stored files just like files on your desk top.
Conclusion
The complex work of processing data in the cloud is hidden from the site user. Visitors will not realize that the files that they upload or download are moving in and out of the cloud, but they will notice the increased performance and that your site has somehow become much better.
Geo-distributed Web Cluster
The new geo-distributed web cluster module increases project availability and provides independence from a given data center. By enabling installation of the cluster in data centers located in different places, the likelihood of a power outage or natural disaster interrupting service approaches zero. If one data center goes down, a replicated server in a different location compensates, with no need to restore a backup. Site performance is also improved by distribution of workload among data centers.
What is a web cluster?
The Web Cluster module is a combination of technologies which allow the deployment of a single site on several servers, thus providing high site availability, scalability, load-balancing, traffic-balancing, and continuity if one server goes down.
What is a Geo-distributed Web Cluster?
Unlike a regular web cluster, a geo-distributed web cluster allows deployment of a web project over multiple data centers, located any distance from each other. Thus, one server could be in Ireland and the other in the USA. If one data center goes offline, the other will continue to provide service to all visitors.
Geo-distributed web clusters allow the deployment of entire groups of servers for service of a site. Each group, located in a separate and independent data center, has its own master server. In this way, the site is not depended upon the availability of a single data center to provide service.
Virtual Appliance 3.0 with web cluster support
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In tandem with Version 11, Bitrix is releasing its Virtual Appliance 3.0 with web cluster support. This new virtual machine includes a wizard for creating a web cluster, for adding a slave server, and wizard for converting a slave server to a master server. This means that now cluster deployment is a 5 to 10 minute operation. Additionally, there is no need for addition configuration. Also added to the Virtual Appliance is the capability to launch multiple sites from a single virtual machine. |
Project Quality Control
| Project Quality Control is a system of quality tests which are built into Bitrix Site Manager and test the quality of integration of the design, the program's external environment, security, performance, and hosting settings within the system. There are mandatory tests, such as ensuring the integrity of the kernel, and many voluntary tests which can be manually run. |
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For the client:
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For the developer:
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How it works?
The Project Quality Control process is based on the recommendation Bitrix for optimal quality and integration of web projects starting from the phase of template designs and finishing with load testing and security auditing.
Quality Control test categories |
Performing web project evaluation |
Tests are divided into mandatory and voluntary. Mandatory tests are always part of the Project Quality Control process, and voluntary tests may be added. A description and the system activities which are run during the test are provided for each.
Secure Authorization
Version 11.0 provides secure authentication without SSL by using an RSA algorithm with a 1024-bit key. Passwords from a login form are sent to the server in encoded form which can't be decrypted. The feature is browser and protocol independent. It is important to note that this is not a replacement of SSL, but does provide a secure solution in some of the least secure environments.
What are the possible threats?
When a user is in a café, shopping mall, airport or other unsecure location, access via WiFi network presents malicious people the opportunity to intercept passwords and use them for their own purposes. The new secure authentication technology in the Site Manager platform protects from password theft even in the absence of SSL. The best remedy against such theft is use of SSL, but since many site owners do not choose to incorporate SSL into their sites, this option offers a significant step up in security.
Always-secure Authentication |
Key generation |
Secure authentication:
- Closed and open keys (generated at the server)
- Encryption of the password in the browser with a RSA 1024 key
- Transfer of data via encrypted channel
- Encrypted password decoded at server
How to enable?
Secure authentication is engaged in the Control Panel in the settings of the Main Module. After secure authentication is engaged, the passwords of all users will be encrypted.
Activating Secure Authentication
- Choose the "Transfer password in encrypted form" option.
- Press the "generated key" button.
The login form for your site will now display a lock. This means that Secure Authentication is activated, and all passwords will be transferred securely.
Other Product Enhancements
 Presentation in PPTX / in PDF |
Automatic Time Zones |
With Version 11.0, you can offer each users a choice of time zones, or simply engage the automatic option to set the users' time zones according to their local settings. When the time zone is set, all dates and times in news, comments, blog and forum posts, orders made, etc. will be shown relative to the time zone of the user.
Time zone setting for an individual user |
Server Time Zone settings |
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Enabling Time Zones: Enable time zones in the new Time Zones section of the settings of the Main Module. Specific steps for engaging time zones:
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Additional Time Zone settings |
For site owners, there is the option to choose the default time zone, rather than using the settings of a user. Furthermore, is it possible to choose any (or all) individual user's time zone from a list.
Time zone settings can account for situations such as:
- E-commerce: a customer can see, in local time, order processing and shipping information.
- Technical support: a user in Cologne doesn't need to calculate how long he will have to wait for an answer from service agents in San Francisco.
- Daylight saving. Time zones reflect time changes where applicable.
Back-end Dashboard |
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The Control Panel in the product's back end now has personalized desktops where chosen gadgets can be arranged as needed. Additionally, 'Control Panel only' searches can be performed.
Gadgets for the Control Panel:
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Back-end Dashboard |
Developers can create their own gadgets and add them to the desktop. For example, a gadget showing a list of the most recent orders, company news, or recently modified documents, etc. Watch a brief video!
Live back-end search:
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In the header in the back end, there is now a search box which exclusively searches the administrative section. Instant suggestions let you navigate to the needed place in the Administrative menu (always displayed on the left). It is important to note that it is not important how many sections or branches the menu contains.
For example, if you type 'protection' in the search box, search will look for this word in menu items where this phrase appears. As a result, you will quickly be able to open that section of the menu, for example the Proactive Protection section. Watch a brief video! |
Back-end search results |
Schema.org Microformats for eCommerce |
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Special targets for search engine 'crawlers' are set directly in the HTML code of the pages of the e-store (marking price, product, telephone, etc.). As a result, these sites can be indexed more transparently by search bots and then more easily found by users of search services.
HTML microdata. This is an international standard for semantic markup of HTML-pages with attributes describing the meaning of the information contained in HTML-elements. These attributes ensure that content on pages are easily searched and indexed by web crawlers. Thus, the user experience is enhanced by optimized access to desired data.
Short-URL tools |
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Now you can use short URLs on your site, similar to what is used in Twitter, for blogs, forums, documents, and other items. The system offers a random link string (like: ~sR7Pm) which can be used itself or replaced with word or string that is easier to remember (like: June5Blog). This feature does not require an external server and the information is not given to any third party (unlike bit.ly, goo.gl and other services).
A Short URL is formed using the domain of the site and a unique string. Watch a brief video! |
Creating a short URL |
Auto-savig in web forms |
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The system has an innovative function - auto-saving of forms. This ensures that information entered into a form does not get lost in the event of unexpected cessation of work. If, while filling out a form, the connection is lost, the window is closed, or any other similar circumstances occur, data entered in the form is saved!
When the user opens the form the next time, the system will offer to restore the previously saved data and the user can continue. Watch a brief video! |
Auto-saving in web forms |
This feature is engaged on most editing forms and can be turned off by the administrator. Forms where this feature is active will have display a ‘save now' button. For absolute certainty, a user can simply press this button, stop working, and return to the exact place with no data lost later.
This convenient innovation isn't just present in the user forms, but also in forms which add elements, such as news items, to the database. Auto-save work continuously as the form is being filled out and continues until the user sends the new information to the database.
Social Search |
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Now you can allow the opinions of your online users to influence search results. IN this way, the most highly rated content will always be at the top of the results list. Users can evaluate content and this evaluation affects the position of the content in search.
Evaluation is performed with the new "I like" button on the site. Aside from weighting 'well-liked' content in search results, the system also accounts for 'authority' of the most influential users in the community. |
Social Search results |
Calculating ratings:
- Rating of content depends on the number of ˜'Likes' and the 'Weight' of the voters.
- Calculation of the rating occurs each time the Like (or Unlike) button is pressed.
- Who likes the content is also a factor. More influential users drive content rank more than newbies. The system does not only keep a tally of pluses and minuses.
- User weight depends on standing in the community - influence, popularity, activity, etc.
- When the cursor hovers on the star, a list of users who liked the content is given
Grouping of search results
A significant addition to search is the clear marking of the source of each result. Whether a result comes from a blog, forum, or other source is visible immediately.
Other technical advances in search
In addition to the recently developed method for determining result relevance, the system now handles spaces and symbols separating words so that potential results are properly presented. Additionally, search and indexing speed have been improved significantly.
Live Feed in Social Network |
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The Live Feed is now fully operational in the social networking module, and has special interoperability with the photo gallery:
You can like content items and comments about them in the Live Feed. This button is displayed in the center of the ratings settings, but you can choose an individual setting for its location and override the global settings. |
"I like" button in Live Feed |
There has been a significant change in the underlying logic for adding comments in the Live Feed. If you make a comment on a microblog post in the Live Feed, the comment is added to the microblog itself, not only its entry in the Live Feed. If you put a comment on some old comments in the social network, which had already come and gone in the Live Feed and is no longer visible, the content will appear with a ‘back date' and your comment to it will be attached and visible in the Live Feed.
The Live Feed no longer has page-by-page navigation. The link mark More Updates loads using AJAX. This feature may be disable and page loading restored, if desired, in the Live Feed component settings.
Other Improvements in Social Network |
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- Support of the Like button in blogs and forums. Plus/Minus as well as a "Like" counter are supported. You can mark and comment on important content.
- In blogs: upload of images in comments. Images and commentary are displayed in RSS feeds and sent out along with the posts.
- In forums: visual (WYSIWYG) editor and BBCode support. The default regime for the forum editor, whether BBCode or WYSIWYG, can be chosen in the component parameters.
- In forums: posting and other operations now executed using AJAX; no page reload necessary.
- For developers: parsing now uses CTextParser class from the main module.
Photo Gallery interface improvements |
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With an improved template detailed images are even easier to view and more attractively presented.
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New look and feel of the Photo Gallery |
Adding images to albums on the site is simplified now thanks to implementation of the new versions of Aurigma Image Uploader (Java/ActiveX) and Aurigma Flash Uploader. Now you can choose (in the component settings of the photo galley) which of these upload services you want to use.
New image uploader
| If you the Java/ActiveX uploader inappropriate for any reason - there is an alternative Flash uploader. This allows you to see the contents of folders on a disk, choose the images you desire, and drag them into the upload window and send them to the site with one click. All browsers and operating systems are supported by this function. |
New image uploader |
