Workspace
      Back to home
      1. IdeaScale Support Center
      2. Workspace

      Migration to the Workspace Architecture

      Preparing for a Seamless Transition

      As we prepare to launch the new Workspace feature, we want to ensure that you are fully informed about the upcoming changes and how they will impact your communities. This guide will walk you through the key updates, what to expect during the migration process, and the steps you’ll need to take to ensure a smooth transition.

      MIGRATION FAQS

      When will the migration take place, how long will it take, and will there be any outage time?


      • For each IdeaScale instance, workspace migration will be scheduled over the weekend to ensure minimal disruption.
      • The largest communities will take 1-2 days to migrate, with one or two exceptions going longer than that. Most communities will be migrated within a single day and will not have to worry about the timing of the migration.
      • During the migration process your community will be in Read Only mode. This means you will be able to access and navigate your community, but cannot submit new content. The Read Only access will last only as long as the migration, so once the migration finishes, you will be able to gain full access again.

      To learn about the exact dates of migration, please refer to the following schedule.

      MIGRATION DATES

      CANADA REGION:

      Workspace Migration: Friday, 27 Sep 2024 EOD 5 pm PST

      Workspace Release: Saturday, 28 Sep 2024 EOD 5 pm PST

      All communities will be in read-only mode: Friday 27 Sep 2024 EOD 5 pm PST to Sunday 29 Sep 2024

      USA REGION:

      Workspace Migration: Friday, 27 Sep 2024 EOD 5 pm PST. All communities will be in read-only mode: Friday 27 Sep 2024 EOD 5 pm PST to Sunday 29 Sep 2024.

      Workspace Release: Friday, 04 Oct 2024 EOD 5 pm PST

      All communities will be in read-only mode: Friday 04 Oct 2024 EOD 5 pm PST to Sunday 06 Oct 2024

      AUSTRALIA:

      Workspace Migration: Friday, 18 Oct 2024 EOD 6 am PST

      Workspace Release: Sunday, 20 Oct 2024 EOD 6 am PST

      All communities will be in read-only mode: Friday 18 Oct 2024 EOD 6 am PST to Sunday 20 Oct 2024

      EUROPE:

      Workspace Migration: Friday, 18 Oct 2024 EOD 6 am PST

      Workspace Release: Sunday, 20 Oct 2024 EOD 6 am PST 

      All communities will be in read-only mode: Friday 18 Oct 2024 EOD 6 am PST to Sunday 20 Oct 2024

      GOV:

      Workspace Migration: Friday, 25 Oct 2024 EOD 5 pm PST

      Workspace Release: Sunday, 27 Oct 2024 EOD 5 pm PST

      All communities will be in read-only mode: Friday 25 Oct 2024 EOD 5 pm PST to Sunday 27 Oct 2024 

      What is the process for migrating communities to workspace? 

      • Collecting the workspace configuration information: Your Customer Success Managers will be in contact with you and will require the following information:
        • Which community will serve as the primary workspace:  It is recommended to choose a community with all the desired settings and configurations so that any new communities created in the future within the workspace will inherit them.
        • The Workspace URL: You have the option to either keep the current URL or select a new one for the workspace.
        • Operational Structure: Confirm whether all communities will be consolidated under one workspace or operate as separate workspaces.
      • Request any changes: It would be a possible to request any change in workspace configuration before the migration takes place on the above dates.
      • Initiate Final Migration: Once we have this information from our clients, we will begin the final migration process and set up the workspaces as per preferences requested by our clients. 

         

      Is there any risk of data loss?

      There is no risk of data loss with the workspace migration, regardless of how you configure your new workspace(s). Our platform regularly performs data backups to ensure the security and integrity of your information. Even during the migration process, your data remains safely stored and protected. As part of our standard practice, we retain all data for a specified period, so you can be confident that your information is secure throughout the migration.


      What are the advantages for a single community to transition to a Workspace model? Can single communities opt out of this migration?

      The Workspace architecture is designed to be future-ready, allowing your organization to easily expand to multiple communities. Additionally, it ensures that key areas like the profile page and member management interface receive consistent updates, keeping your community up-to-date with the latest features and improvements. 

      All communities, including single-community organizations, will transition to the Workspace architecture. Opting out of this migration is not an option as this architectural update applies to all communities.

      While you cannot completely opt out of the migration, it is possible to transition multiple communities to separate workspaces. This way, the single community experience will be minimally impacted. These communities, regardless of migration configuration, will all receive regular feature updates from IdeaScale. Please contact your Customer Success Manager to ensure your communities are mapped to workspaces according to your preferences.


      Will there be any change to the  URLs after the migration?  

      The workspace structure implements two levels of URLs: 

      • Workspace URL: At the Workspace Level, administrators have the option to either utilize the existing community URL as the Workspace URL or select a completely new URL.
      • Community URL: The structure of the community URLs is set by a pattern where the Workspace URL is followed by the specific community's key hence the existing community URLs would change . 

      In the scenario where the Workspace is acme.ideascale.com, the Community URL will consist of the Workspace URL followed by a unique community key. (eg. sales, hr, marketing, it)

      Community URLs

      • acme.ideascale.com/c/sales  
      • acme.ideascale.com/c/hr 
      • acme.ideascale.com/c/marketing
      • acme.ideascale.com/c/it

      How will  existing URLs work?

      Post-migration, community URLs would change . This change will require adjustments to API calls, Tiny URLs, and SSO configurations to ensure continued functionality.

      • IdeaScale will support existing URLs with redirects for a period of 6 months following the migration. This means that any links pointing to the old community URLs will automatically redirect users to the new URLs, ensuring that there is minimal disruption to access.

      • During this 6 months transition period, clients must:

        • Modify API endpoints to reflect the new community URLs.

        • Update Tiny URLs, ensuring that any shared or embedded links are changed to the new format.

        • Adjust SSO configurations to point to the new community URLs.

        By making these updates promptly, clients can ensure that users have uninterrupted access and a smooth experience within the new workspace architecture.

      How does migration affect existing user logins? What information do Admins need to convey to users?

      Despite the transition, the user experience will remain smooth and unaffected.

      • After migration, if the Workspace URL differs from the current community URL, admins will need to communicate the new login URL to users.

      • For admins who choose to keep communities separate rather than merging them into one Workspace, they will need to inform all users to log in separately to each workspace. This is because each community will operate as an individual workspace with its own login procedure.

      • Login credentials would not change for users. If users are using a social login, they will need to reconnect their social login the first time they access the workspace.

      • Post login all the users would land on the Workspace Home page (unless the workspace has only one community).

      • Users will be prompted to re-accept all the cookies including the Remember Me cookie.