Random thoughts about a concept.

[Ocean West]

In my development with clients (database development - totally different then here ) we have a concept of a Development server and Production server, and we also have a Staging server. With feature requests and bug fixes I work on the Dev server it may have a sample set of data contains all the new schema and logic. Then I can migrate a clone of the Dev version merge it with data from live in to the staging and then have client test, once approved I can move Logic and Schema from the Development to the Production server preserving production data. 

So for the past many release cycles things have been pretty solid yet the latest beta and release had some hiccups based on the postings at the time. 

I post this in suggestions as I wonder what is "DATA" in our database. There is Structure that we as admins have defined and modified as how our site looks and behaves, we have Content which is uploaded content and data from users. And we have Schema that is part of the core operations. 

Would sites be more performant if there were separate databases, for various bits of the site? (it's a different database realm so I am not certain here)
Would backups be more efficient? 

Test / Production 

I would love to see at least Test / Production process on IPS if you announce a new beta or version we could snapshot our current live site over to Test run the updater on Test and if things go belly up it doesn't affect Production. Once we iron out all the kinks or wait for more stability or consume copious amounts coffee, we're confident things are working, we migrate Production site.

The other thing here is we may wish to push out many changes at once vs as you get to them by navigating the ACP.

Examples: 

• Create new category or forums
• move things around
• add new plugins / applications
• configure new products
• configure new payment processors
• probably more but but you get the idea

If there were a way to batch all these changes in to a post update process once complete the live site re-opens.

I only have a small glimpse of how this all works I imagine its like swan on a lake its all pretty above the water line but so pretty below. 🦢 😄

Food for thought and welcome discussions.