Cloud-Specific Processes

If you’re using FirstSpirit in the Cloud, some processes differ from the Self-Hosted version. This guide explains these differences, why they exist, and how to work with Crownpeak Support when you need actions that cannot be completed directly.

Adjusting server properties

Crownpeak manages the servers for Cloud customers. Therefore, the role of "Server Admin" is not available. As a Cloud customer, you can't adjust server properties via the ServerManager.

Note that while the role of "Server Admin" is not accessible to you in the Cloud, the role of "Project Admin" is available.

Whenever you want to undertake any of the following actions, create a support ticket:

Add or remove new WebApp components to ContentCreator/Preview shared WebApps

Once a WebApp component has been added, you can make updates through the build pipeline.

View the Show Module Issues screen in the ServerManager
Edit conversion rules
Modify start page entries
Install and uninstall modules

Not all modules require a support ticket for installation. For more information, see Working with modules.

Restart or configure the FirstSpirit ServerService

To configure custom ServerServices, you have to implement additional methods in the service that allow for a configuration via method calls.

Restart the FirstSpirit Server or Tomcat
Initially add custom WebApp components to the global/shared ContentCreator or Preview WebApps
Configure group permissions for Application configuration

Note that some server properties cannot be adjusted at all in the Cloud environment, as they are part of the centrally managed configuration that is updated with each release, while others cannot be adjusted for security reasons.

Viewing server logs

As a Cloud customer, you can use Kibana to access and view server logs. Only in Self-Hosted environments, can you access the ServerMonitoring in an admin capacity and, thus, view the global FirstSpirit logging.

Importing projects

Project imports must be handled by Crownpeak Support. This ensures compatibility with the cloud environment and prevents data conflicts.

To import a project, create a support ticket with the project details.

Working with custom FirstSpirit modules (Plugins/FSMs)

As Crownpeak manages your Cloud server, you cannot install or uninstall modules using the ServerManager. When Crownpeak releases new modules, they are generally installed for all Cloud customers.

To install custom modules on your DEV and QA instances, use Crownpeak's build pipeline. This means that your source code must be uploaded to Crownpeak's cloud repository.

To install custom modules on your PROD instance, create a Crownpeak Support ticket that includes the module name and version. The module will then be installed on your PROD instance on the following PatchDay.

To uninstall modules, create a support ticket.

Custom modules that are only available as complete FSMs cannot be installed for security reasons.

For more information, see Module Development in the Cloud.

Managing Users

The cloud uses Keycloak for user management instead of local FirstSpirit users. This enforces rules such as requiring usernames to match email addresses. To manage access and permissions, use Keycloak’s provided interfaces.

For more information, see User and Access Management in the Cloud.

Other considerations

Some features available in Self-Hosted FirstSpirit environments are restricted in the Cloud to maintain security and performance. In the Cloud environment:

Staging directories are not accessible via the browser.
Deployed files are not directly accessible.
Backup retention is limited.
The integration of external databases is not supported.
The filesystem on the FirstSpirit Server cannot be accessed.
Archives cannot be directly accessed. Archiving is done automatically on a weekly basis.

To access archives, reach out to Customer Support.