The Content Copy Tool content-copy
The content copy tool enables users to copy mutable content on-demand from their production environments on AEM as a Cloud Service to lower environments for testing purposes.
Introduction introduction
Current, real data is valuable for testing, validation, and user-acceptance purposes. The content copy tool lets you copy content from a production AEM as a Cloud Service environment to a staging, development, or Rapid Development Environment (RDE) environment for such testing.
The content to copy is defined by a content set. A content set consists of a list of JCR paths that contain the mutable content to be copied from a source authoring service environment to a target authoring service environment within the same Cloud Manager program. The following paths are permitted in a content set.
/content
/conf/**/settings/wcm
/conf/**/settings/dam/cfm/models
/conf/**/settings/graphql/persistentQueries
/etc/clientlibs/fd/themes
When copying content, the source environment is the source of truth.
- If content has been modified in the destination environment, it is overwritten by content in the source, if the paths are the same.
- If the paths are different, content from the source is merged with the content in the destination.
Permissions permissions
To use the content copy tool, certain permissions are required in both the source and target environments.
For more details on permissions and how to set them, see AEM as a Cloud Service Team and Product Profiles.
Creating a Content Set create-content-set
Before any content can be copied, a content set must be defined. After it is defined, content sets can be reused to copy content. Follow these steps so you can create a content set.
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Log on to Cloud Manager at my.cloudmanager.adobe.com and select the appropriate organization and program.
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Using the side navigation panel, navigate to the Content Sets tab from the Overview page.
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At the top-right of the screen, click Add Content Set.
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On the Details tab of the wizard, provide a name and description for the content set and select Continue.
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On the Content Paths tab of the wizard, specify the paths of the mutable content to be included in the content set.
- Enter the path in the Add Include Path field.
- Click Add Path to add the path to the content set.
- Click Add Path again as necessary.
- Up to 50 paths are allowed.
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If you must refine or restrict your content set, subpaths can be excluded.
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In the list of included paths, click Add exclude sub-paths next to the path you want to restrict.
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Enter the subpath to exclude beneath the selected path.
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Select Exclude Path.
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Select Add exclude sub-paths again to add additional paths to exclude as necessary.
- Excluded paths must be relative to the included path.
- There is no limit on the number of excluded paths.
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You can edit the specified paths, if necessary.
- Click the X next to excluded subpaths so you can delete them.
- Click the ellipsis button next to paths so you can reveal Edit and Delete options.
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Select Create to create the content set.
The content set can now be used to copy content between environments.
Editing a Content Set edit-content-set
Follow similar steps as when creating a content step. Instead of clicking Add Content Set, select an existing set from the console, and select Edit from the ellipsis menu.
When editing your content set, you can expand the configured paths to reveal the excluded subpaths.
Copying Content copy-content
After a content set is created, you can use it to copy content. Follow these steps so you can copy content.
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Log into Cloud Manager at my.cloudmanager.adobe.com and select the appropriate organization and program.
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Navigate to the Environments screen from the Overview page.
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Navigate to the Content Sets page from the Environments screen.
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Select a content set from the console and select Copy Content from the ellipsis menu.
note note NOTE An environment may not be selectable if: - The user does not have the appropriate permissions.
- The environment has a running pipeline or a copy content operation in progress.
- The environment is hibernating or starting up.
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In the Copy content dialog, specify the source and destination for your content copy action.
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Content can only be copied from a higher environment to a lower environment or between development/RDE environments where the hierarchy of environments is as follows (from highest to lowest):
- Production
- Staging
- Development / RDE
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If necessary, you can also elect to Include Access Control Lists in your copy process.
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Select Copy.
The copy process starts. The status of the copy process is reflected in the console for the selected content set.
Content Copy Activity copy-activity
You can monitor the status of your copy processes in the Copy Content Activity page.
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Log into Cloud Manager at my.cloudmanager.adobe.com and select the appropriate organization and program.
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Navigate to the Environments screen from the Overview page.
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Navigate to the Copy Content Activity page from the Environments screen.
Content Copy Statuses statuses
Once you start copying content, the process can have one of the following statuses.
Canceling a Copy Process canceling
If you must abort a content copy operation after starting it, you can optionally cancel it.
To do so, on the Copy Content Activity page, select the Cancel action from the ellipsis menu of the copy process you previously started.
Accessing Logs accessing-logs
You can check the logs for both the source and destination environments for any completed content copy process.
To do so, on the Copy Content Activity page, select the Logs action from the ellipsis menu of the copy process for which you would like to review the logs and then choose for which environment.
The logs are downloaded to your local machine. If the download does not commence, check your pop-up blocker settings.
Limitations limitations
The content copy tool has the following limitations.
- Content cannot be copied from a lower environment to a higher environment.
- Content can only be copied from and to authoring services.
- Cross-program content copy is not possible.
- Running concurrent content copy operations on the same environment is not possible.
- Up to 50 paths can be specified per content set. There is no limitation on excluded paths.
- Do not use the content copy tool as a cloning or mirroring tool because it cannot track moved or deleted content on the source.
- The content copy tool has no versioning capability and cannot automatically detect modified content or created content on the source environment in a content set since the last content copy operation.
- If you want to update your destination environment with content changes only, since the last content copy operation, you must create a content set. Then, specify the paths on the source instance where changes were made since the last content copy operation.
- Version information is not included in a content copy.