In my previous article Scaling Drupal, I discussed the concept of SCS (Sites Community Server)* but my main focus was the application of the concept in the field of scalability, real-time performance and IR (intelligent Replication) where DCMS (drupal Cluster management server) playing dual role as Sites Community Server and Cluster Server but in today’s article I would primarily focus on SC (Sites Community).To help readers understand the model clearly I would again be using SCS (Sites Community Server)* to illustrate some practical applications.SCs can be thought of a content sharing platform where different sites can share content with other sites but as we know most of these sites have their own unique content schema and it evolves independently of any other site. In order to effectively share the contents there has to be a CS (common schema) across the community.SCs can develop their on CWCS (Community Wide Content Schema) in accordance to their area of interest or content type. The CS resides on SC Server providing a platform for content sharing.The design of schema is primarily influenced by two major elements; the type of content and area of interest. For example there could be a standard schema for advertisement content; the schema design will be influenced by the content type on the other hand a community of sites focusing on open source software development may develop their on schema to share information; the schema design will be influenced by area of interest.While the SCS (Sites Community Server) hold the CWCS (Community Wide Content Schema), the schema of individual sites or nodes can evolve independently so individual sites can maintain their own identity.For security and management the community wide roles should be defined these roles can then be mapped to individual site roles; in other words a role on Sites Community Server is just an aggregation of roles defined in individual sites but of course new set of roles or permissions would be needed to govern and enforce CWR (community wide rules).*Site Communities will surely provide us with numerous opportunities and new unique challenges specially in the area of community wide rules and security.Below I’ll try to give some examples of how SCs can impact the web.
SCs can consolidate the web (right now its just a collection of thousands of sites)
Web consolidation will keep surfer more focused on their area of interest.
Advertisement can be more focused.
Less time searching the web.
SCs will make web more dynamic.
Different regional channels can share their news to provide user consolidated news that is more dynamic
SCs is a consolidated efforts of individual sites means any site updating the content is contributing to community making the community as a whole more dynamic.
SCs means more influence on the web.Once your SC grows in popularity with more sites willing to become member. It will be enhancing the community influence as a whole benefiting individual members as well.
While individual sites have their own interest; there can be COs (Community Objectives) that will benefit the community as a whole. so all individual sites or nodes will combine their efforts to achieve COs.SCs community service (CS)
A community of 10 sites receive 100k hits per day; a community wide Ad space means that any site can promote there service to 100k users free of cost.
Community members referring to other members sites for service in other words strategic partnership within community.
SCs can be used to establish brand names (An entire article will be coming on this).There can be different CMs (Community Model)* as well like open communities in which you just have to adopt a community schema and agree to the community terms in order to join or closed communities govern by strategic and business interest of the community creator.In the above few paragraph we’ve discussed SCs as a concept now I’ll give a few highlights on the technology side.
SC Server is used to hold CWCS (Community Wide Content Schema).
SC Server is used to hold CWC (Community Wide Content)
SC Server can also hold complete schema of individual nodes so that it can be used as a content publishing platform means you can login to SC Server and can publish content to any individual site or group of sites (nodes).
SC Server is used to enforce CWR (Community Wide Rules).
SC Server can be used for organization of the community like defining COs (community objectives) and also providing technological assistance if possible to achieve CO.
There are other closely related concepts
Distributed Content Management System
Content Clusters (with Intelligent Replication)
Enterprise Content Management System
In the end I would suggest an open source Sites Community Server because this idea requires more innovation and study and its well proven that community based development is much more innovative and dynamic than any proprietary solution. Note:* Readers can think of SCS as DSCS (Drupal Sites Community Server) a piece of software that is used to control a group of drupal installations; why drupal in every concept its the community spirit.* In future I’ll be writing an article on how to manage sites community by defining community rules and security guideline.* I’ll be writing an article on “Community Model (CM)”* Why use so many acronyms; because each of these acronym represent an area of study or represent a topic.