Sitecore Hidden Gems - Updated: Admin Pages (based on Sitecore 8.1)

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About a year ago I wrote a blog post on the admin pages and some of the hidden functionalities with Sitecore.
This post is meant to elaborate on that by showing the differences that have come up since then with the release of the Sitecore 8.1 version.

You can read up on the previous post here:
http://kverheire.blogspot.be/2014/12/sitecore-hidden-gems-admin-pages-based.html

And I will not be repeating myself endlessly, so my goal is to list the differences in this post.
I think a good excercise could be to start of in pretty much of the same structure and post :

The List


versus             


When comparing these two we can see the following differences:

  • ContentTestingUpgrade.aspx
  • InstallLanguage.aspx
  • kill.aspx *
  • PathAnalyzer.aspx
  • RebuildKeyBehaviorCache.aspx
  • RedeployMarketingData.aspx
  • UpdateSocialProfiles.aspx 

The updated admin pages - what are the actual differences and funcionalities

As my previous blog post already goes into enough detail on the other admin pages, I have narrowed the listing below to the delta mentioned above.

    ContentTestingUpgrade.aspx

    Located at /sitecore/admin/ContentTestingUpgrade.aspx | One of the many migration admin pages. This one allows you to cleanly migrate your test data. I have not used this one yet.




    InstallLanguage.aspx

    Located at /sitecore/admin/InstallLanguage.aspx | Again a convenience method that allows you to quickly add new languages to your Sitecore environment. The fancy part is that is can handle all the rebuilding of indexes and links automatically and behind one click.




    However, I think it is very risky to have the "Republish master database" and "Run the website and the Sitecore UI in this language" presented here as well. Even though we all know what we are doing at this point, a mistake is easy to make... So be very carefull around this functionality!

    kill.aspx


    This page was marked above with an "*" since this page does not appear by default in a Sitecore installation but was provided by Sitecore to close your session and have the xDB populated as you kill off your session. 


    <%@ Page Language="C#" AutoEventWireup="true" %>
<script runat="server">
public void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs args)
{
 /*Sitecore.Analytics.Tracker.Current.EndVisit(false);
 Response.Write("visit ended");*/
 
 Session.Abandon();
}
</script>
<html>
 <body>
  <p>The session was abandoned.</p>
 </body>
</html>

    As noted by Brian Pederson (@briancaos) on his blog, it might even be better to use this code:

    Sitecore.Analytics.Tracker.Current.EndTracking();
    Session.Abandon();

    https://briancaos.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/sitecore-xdb-flush-data-to-mongodb/

    PathAnalyzer.aspx

    Located at /sitecore/admin/PathAnalyzer.aspx | This page gives a quick overview of the maps manager and their deployment status. There are no actual visualizations of the data behind these maps.

    Further down the page you have the possibility to rebuild historic maps, run agents (even though it is mentioned that these should run on an interval basis) and finally and upgrade utility that needs to be performed when an upgrade from Sitecore 8 to Sitecore 8.1 was performed.




    RebuildKeyBehaviorCache.aspx

    Located at /sitecore/admin/RebuildKeyBehaviorCache.aspx | This page allows you to clear out the cache that holds the information regarding the interactions with the end user such as:
    • Campaigns
    • Events
    • Goals
    • Outcomes
    • Channels
    • Venues


    For more information on the Key Behavior Cache see: https://doc.sitecore.net/sitecore_experience_platform/personalization/key_behavior_cache

    RedeployMarketingData.aspx

    Located at /sitecore/admin/RedeployMarketingData.aspx | Basically allows you to revert segments on the experience analytics as well as all the default Path analyzer maps.

     If anyone has used this and has specific information on this, please send it through.


    UpdateSocialProfiles.aspx *

    Located at /sitecore/admin/UpdateSocialProfiles.aspx | Unsure if this is one we added after installing the social connect module but you can use this if (like a lot of customers) you are moving from Sitecore 8 initial to a more recent version.

     The screenshot says it all in my opinion:



    Comments

    1. nasreen basuMarch 13, 2016 at 11:58 AM

      wonderful information, I had come to know about your blog from my friend nandu , hyderabad,i have read atleast 7 posts of yours by now, and let me tell you, your website gives the best and the most interesting information. This is just the kind of information that i had been looking for, i'm already your rss reader now and i would regularly watch out for the new posts, once again hats off to you! Thanks a ton once again,
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      ReplyDelete

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