Content Porter(CP) is integral part of SDL Tridion development to transfer content in DTAP environments. I have used it in various releases 5.3 sp1, 2009, 2011 etc. Its has been improved a lot in each of the releases. 2013 sp1 claims to be fastest CP ever.
Import Process
Next set of lines i will explain some internals of content porter.
Following tools/services are behind the import/export of a Content Porter package.
- Content Porter Client
- Import Export Service
- Core Service
1) Content Porter Client - this tools is generally downloaded on the client machine from the CM GUI interface.
It acts as thin client for user, which send user selections/settings to server and show the progress of import/export.
2) Import Export Service - It is installed after running Content Porter server setup. Here import/export happens. It basically groups and wraps different method of Core Service.
if you open: http://CMSURL/ImportExportService/ImportExportService.asmx. You will see some endpoints. and from their names you can figure out the use.
Another URL http://CMSURL/ImportExportService/UploadPackage.aspx: its used to upload package from client to Server side.
3) Core Service - Its is installed as part of Tridion CM installation. It is used by Import/Export service APIs to facilitate the import/export of content.
Export Process:
Export Process:
- User selects content to be exported.
- and that selections are sent to Import/Export Service
- Import export service calls Core service APIs and complete Package is generated at server file-system
- Progress of that is shown to user on CP client
- at last exported package is sent back to User Machine via CP client.
Fig-1: Export Process
Import Process
- User selects package to be imported
- Package is uploaded at server with help of client & import/export service
- Service extract the package to a temp folder
- Service read the package
- Then items are updated in the CM DB using coreservice
Fig-2: Import Process
So in both cases(export/import) most of the work is performed at server side, so it does not matter much from where you actually trigger content porter.
