SOP: Website Management
This Standard Operating Procedure covers all aspects of the Clarksville Furs website operations, including content updates, template changes, extension management, backups, core updates, and emergency procedures. All staff involved in website administration should be familiar with this document.
1. Purpose & Scope
This SOP defines the procedures, responsibilities, and standards for managing the Clarksville Furs website (clarksvillefurs.com). It applies to all administrators, content editors, and staff who interact with the Joomla-based website infrastructure. The goal is to ensure consistent, secure, and reliable website operations.
2. Roles & Responsibilities
| Role | Access Level | Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Admin | Super Administrator | Full site configuration, extension management, user management, backups, core updates, server access |
| Content Editor | Editor / Publisher | Create and edit articles, manage media, publish content within assigned categories |
| Staff | Author / Registered | Submit content for review, update assigned pages, report issues via Contact Us |
3. Content Updates
All content changes should follow a consistent workflow to maintain quality and accuracy.
- Article Creation: New articles must be assigned to the correct category, use proper heading hierarchy (H2 for sections, H3 for subsections), and include a meta description.
- Category Management: New categories require Admin approval. Categories should be logically organized and named clearly.
- Media Uploads: Images must be optimized for web (max 500KB, WebP or JPEG preferred). Use descriptive filenames. All images should include alt text for accessibility.
- Review Process: Content created by Staff must be reviewed and approved by a Content Editor or Admin before publishing.
4. Template & Theme Changes
Template and theme modifications affect the entire site appearance and must be handled carefully.
- Change Procedure: All template changes must be made in the local repository first, then deployed to the dev server for testing before production.
- Testing on Dev: Verify changes on
clarksvillefurs.dev.mokoconsulting.techacross desktop, tablet, and mobile viewports before deploying to production. - Rollback: If a template change causes issues in production, revert to the previous version from the Git repository immediately and investigate on the dev server.
- CSS Custom Files: Theme customizations go in
dark.custom.cssandlight.custom.css. Never modify core template CSS files directly.
5. Extension Management
Extensions expand site functionality but introduce maintenance and security considerations.
- Install Procedure: Only Admins may install extensions. Test on the dev server first. Document the extension name, version, purpose, and vendor.
- Update Procedure: Check extension changelogs before updating. Update on dev first, verify functionality, then update production.
- Remove Procedure: Before removing an extension, confirm no site functionality depends on it. Uninstall cleanly through the Joomla extension manager.
- Approved Extensions: Community Builder (CB), Akeeba Backup, Akeeba Ticket System (ATS), Admin Tools, POW Captcha, and any extensions approved by the Admin team.
6. Backup Procedures
- Schedule: Akeeba Backup runs automated full-site backups daily. Database-only backups run every 6 hours.
- Verification: Monthly, an Admin must verify backup integrity by downloading and test-restoring a backup on the dev server.
- Retention: Keep a minimum of 30 daily backups and 6 monthly backups.
- Restore Process: Use Akeeba Kickstart to restore from backup. Document the reason for restore and notify all Admins.
7. Joomla Core Updates
Always create a full backup before performing any core update.
- Pre-Update Checklist: Create full backup, review Joomla release notes, check extension compatibility, notify Admins of planned downtime.
- Staging Process: Apply the update on the dev server first. Test all critical functionality: login, registration, CB profiles, ATS tickets, menu navigation, and forms.
- Production Update: Schedule during low-traffic hours. Apply update, verify functionality, clear all caches.
- Rollback: If the update causes critical issues, restore from the pre-update backup immediately.
8. Cache Management
- When to Clear: After content updates, template changes, extension updates, or core updates. Clear cache if users report stale content.
- How to Clear: Navigate to System > Clear Cache in the Joomla admin panel. For a full purge, also clear System > Purge Expired Cache. Browser-side caching may also need to be addressed by advising users to hard-refresh.
9. SSL & Domain
- Certificate Renewal: SSL certificates are managed by the hosting provider (DreamHost) and auto-renew via Let's Encrypt. Verify certificate validity monthly.
- DNS Changes: Any DNS modifications must be approved by an Admin. Document changes before and after. Allow 24 - 48 hours for propagation.
- Forced HTTPS: The site enforces HTTPS via Joomla configuration and .htaccess. Never disable forced SSL.
10. Emergency Procedures
Critical: If the site is compromised, follow these procedures immediately and escalate to an Admin.
- Site Down: Check hosting provider status page. Verify DNS resolution. Check server error logs. If hosting is responsive but site is down, restore from the latest backup.
- Security Breach: Immediately change all admin passwords. Take the site offline if necessary. Scan for malware using Admin Tools. Restore from a known clean backup. Notify affected users. Document the incident.
- Data Loss: Identify the scope of data loss. Restore from the most recent backup that predates the loss. Verify data integrity after restore. Document what was lost and recovered.
For any emergency, submit a priority ticket via Contact Us or contact an Admin directly through Discord or Telegram.
11. Revision History
| Revision | Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2026-05-16 | Moko Consulting | Production release |