FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
I only want to migrate part of my website, is this possible?
Yes, you will have 100% authority over what content is migrated over. It is not necessary to keep everything from your old Word Press website. In fact, we recommend you bring only the most current and relevant content to your new platform.
Will some sites continue to exist on Word Press?
Yes, but Wordpress will only be permitted for use on internal-facing sites. If you are on campus, using the VPN, or using other single sign-on applications you can access WordPpress websites as normal and will see no difference. From off-campus you will be prompted to login using your MyNMSU credentials before you can view the content on WordPress websites.
- External/Public-Facing Website: An Official NMSU Website built for prospective students, parents, alumni, donors, visitors and the general public, as a primary audience.
- Internal/Non-Public Facing Website: An Official NMSU Website built for internal business purposes serving current NMSU students, faculty, staff and authorized affiliates, as a primary audience.
Will I have help migrating my website?
Yes, our web team has already re-created many websites into Cascade. We prepare for you a "starting point" website, referred to as a sandbox, where you learn the new environment at the same time you build your new content. Unfortunately our tiny web team is unable to recreate a past website from a previous platform in its entirety. We are available for training, technical help, and site review/consultation.
When migrating from an old website, a ll content is in fact re-built ( content from other platforms cannot simply be "transferred"). The process will be slow and piecemeal, depending on how many people are working on your site. We thank you for your patience as we continually visit each sandbox site and develop more content from your old Word Press* site to it. You may see new content appear in your sandbox as the "migration" process develops. You can also help us help you by informing us of pages you would like to prioritize or need help constructing.
Be advised that the content created in your website by us is labor offered in kind to help you get started creating your own site and learning the new system. It is important to keep in mind that this is YOUR site to develop and maintain . We at Marcomm are not the responsible party for building or maintaining another organization’s website. Webmaster duties, including content management, remain the End User's responsibility. This initial migration assistance should not be regarded as a long-term commitment on the end of Marcomm for website updating / maintenance.
*After the March 2022 decommission, Marcomm does not have access to archived websites. You are responsible for providing us with any content that you need help migrating.
I need a FORM in my page?
Forms that request information from external audiences* will now be developed in Microsoft Office 365 and then either embedded in your Cacade page or linked from that page.
Forms that request information from internal audiences* can remain on Wordpress ( on an inside.nmsu archive), linked from your Cascade page, and can be accessed only while on-campus or through a VPN.
*For more information regarding FORMS and determing whether your audience is external or internal to the university, see this helpful decision tree
How far back will my News/Events/Blog/etc. content be migrated?
It is recommended you only build the most current/relevant content to your new platform. Since our goal is to migrate current academic content, our team will re-build News/Events/Blog content that is up to 2 years old ( currently: from January 2020 and onward). Older material is up to the end-user to migrate/re-build.
When does my "sandbox" Go Live?
As you are the owner of your new Cascade website, you decide when it is ready for public viewing and start Publishing. To request your site Go Live see (🧑🏻💻 Web Services Catalog)
IMPORTANT! We highly recommend you verify important things like PDF's or other downloadable documents, and all images are already internal (uploaded to your new sandbox), and not still "residing" in your old website. Any links or files still linked to the old website will be broken.
What will happen to my old Wordpress site when my Cascade sandbox goes live?
Once a Cascade site goes live, the web URL “ deptXYZ.nmsu.edu” will start taking visitors to that sandbox you've been working so hard on– essentially cutting off the traffic to the old site, making it useless.
The old Wordpress site will be inaccessible to the public, but its data will remain “archived” on servers maintained by ICT.
How does an Inside.nmsu.edu site work?
Visitors must be either located on campus or using a VPN in order to access inside.nmsu.edu sites, otherwise visitors will only see a blank loading screen.
How do I request additional users to work on my Cascade site?
All that is required is the user’s full name and NMSU email. Upon requesting a new account, it takes ICT about a business day to set up. Upon completion, we follow up with "Welcome" emails to the parties concerned. See our contact instructions in the Error/Trouble page .
NOTE: For security, only individual accounts may gain Cascade access. This means group emails ( deptofx@nmsu.edu ) are not applicable.
What about personal sites?
While NMSU Cascade websites are exclusive for official departments and affiliated organizations, organization staff and students have the availability of a personal site. The Marketing Communications Dept has launched a special site called People.nmsu.edu 😃 !!!
This site was developed specially for the needs of faculty and students to develop their own web content independently. Especifically, if you require a publishing platform for content NOT representative of a department or official– ie. Biography pages, curriculum vitae, art portfolios, etc.
Visit the site for more information and to request your own space!
