This entire chapter refers to a feature that was added in version 5.1.0.

The Maintenance Mode tool within Squiz Matrix allows you to disable the functionality of specified assets on the front-end, instead printing a maintenance message for your users. This mode is useful during system upgrades, ensuring that no data can be written to the current Squiz Matrix instance from front-end assets, such as Custom Form Pages and Asset Builders.

When Maintenance Mode is initiated, messages will be displayed on the front-end, Administration Mode and Edit+ for Squiz Matrix interfaces, informing users that the system will soon be entering or is currently in Maintenance Mode.

An example maintenance message on the front-end

The Maintenance Mode settings are available on the System Maintenance screen. This screen can be accessed by clicking the icon, located in the top right hand corner of the Administration Interface.

Maintenance Mode Settings

The Maintenance Mode settings on the System Maintenance screen allow you to enable and configure the settings of Maintenance Mode within your system. The Maintenance Mode section of the System Maintenance screen is shown in the figure below.

The Maintenance Mode field

The following fields are available when configuring the Maintenance Mode settings:

• Maintenance Mode: this option allows you to specify the status of Maintenance Mode within your system. The options available are:
  • Disabled: by default, Maintenance Mode will be disabled. The system will run as normal.
  • Notify: when this option is enabled, the system will print a notification message on the front-end, Administration Mode and Edit+ for Squiz Matrix interfaces. These messages act as a warning to users that at some point in the future, the system will go into maintenance. Apart from these messages, the system will run as normal.
  • Enabled: when this option is enabled, Maintenance Mode will be enabled on your system. A maintenance message will be displayed on the front-end, Administration Mode and Edit+ for Squiz Matrix interfaces, informing users that the system will is currently in Maintenance Mode. When Maintenance Mode is enabled, the system will disable the functionality of the specified assets on the front-end.

The Maintenance Mode message fields

• Back End Notify Message: enter the message to display on affected assets in the back end when Maintenance Mode is set to Notify.
   
  By default, this message will read This Matrix system will soon be entering Maintenance Mode. Please save your work and consult the system owner for further information.
• Front End Notify Message: Enter the message to display on affected assets on the front end when Maintenance Mode is set to Notify.
   
  By default, this message will read This website will soon be undergoing maintenance. Some website functions will temporarily be disabled.
• Back End Enabled Message: enter the message to display on affected assets in the back end when Maintenance Mode is enabled.
   
  By default, this message will read This Matrix system has entered Maintenance Mode. Please consult the system owner before making any changes.
• Front End Enabled Message: enter the message to display on affected assets on the front end when Maintenance Mode is.
   
  By default, this message will read The website is currently undergoing maintenance. Some website functions are temporarily disabled.

The Affected Asset Types, and Affected and Excluded Root Nodes fields

• Affected Asset Types: Select the asset types that will be affected when Maintenance Mode is enabled. By default, the following asset types will be selected in this field:
  • Asset Builder Page
  • Custom Form
  • Account Manager Page
  • Checkout Page
• Affected Root Nodes: select the root nodes that Maintenance Mode will affect. Please note that only the asset types selected in the Affected Asset Types field under the specified root node will be affected.
   
  By default, the Root Folder (Id #1) will be selected as an affected root node, meaning that all assets in the system of the specified asset types will be affected.
• Excluded Root Nodes: select any root nodes to exclude Maintenance Mode from. No assets under a root node selected in this field will be affected when Maintenance Mode is enabled. By default, no root nodes will be set to be excluded.

The Retry-After Response Header Value field

• Retry-After Response Header Value: when Maintenance Mode is enabled, affected assets will send a 503 Service Unavailable and a Retry-After response header to the requesting client. This indicates that the page is unavailable and to try again after the specified time value. The value in his field can be either a HTTP-date or an integer number of seconds after the time of the response. By default, this value is set to 3600 seconds (an hour).

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