University transition to Acquia requires migration for WordPress sites
Arizona State University is launching a University-wide initiative to modernize and elevate its digital presence by consolidating its web infrastructure. This consolidation aligns with the Technical Priorities of the ASU Public Enterprise, as directed by the President's Office, the Chief Information Officer, the Office of the University Provost, and the Office of General Counsel.
Sites currently hosted on other platforms are expected to align with Acquia, the University’s approved web hosting solution. Units should plan for migration or connect with the appropriate team for guidance and support. Leveraging Acquia helps ASU provide a more secure, consistent and accessible online experience.
What does this mean for WordPress web properties?
The University will centralize all web hosting on Acquia, using Unity Design Systems and Webspark/Drupal as the sole supported platforms. As a result, WordPress is no longer an approved platform for Web Services. Drupal websites not currently hosted on Acquia (eg, Pantheon) will also need to be migrated.
To support this transition, Enterprise Technology is conducting discovery work to identify web properties that need to migrate from their current hosting platforms. Moving forward, Enterprise Technology will work directly with unit teams to support the migration process.
Who is responsible for identifying and migrating web properties?
All units are responsible for identifying their WordPress sites and planning their migration to Acquia in alignment with this initiative. To support this effort, a project team within ASU Enterprise Technology will partner with units to provide guidance, resources, and hands-on support to help teams migrate their identified sites to Acquia.
The project team’s current focus is to determine how many sites must be migrated, facilitate those transitions and work with site owners to finalize timelines for any remaining web properties.
Units with multiple sites hosted on a platform other than Acquia will be migrated to support ASU’s goal of unified web governance and a consistent user experience. As part of a phased approach, units will be assigned to a migration group, with detailed instructions, timelines and training for content maintenance provided to support each transition.
Development resources have been allocated to mitigate the effort required from individual units. Units will be asked to participate in discovery meetings and respond to questions related to the migration or archiving of their web properties, while development and migration work will be led by Enterprise Technology.
What immediate action is required from web property owners?
To ensure a smooth transition, units requiring assistance with migration, including rebuilding their website(s), must submit the Migration Services Form via the Enterprise Technology Web Service Center. Units interested in creating a new site should follow the guidance provided at Web Services’ Create New Site page.
Disclaimer for Knowledge Enterprise and Fulton Schools of Engineering
Because web ownership and hosting vary across Knowledge Enterprise (KE) and the Fulton Schools of Engineering (FSE), required actions differ.
KE and FSE site owners with internally managed websites should work through their unit web team to confirm site inventory and address questions. KE and FSE leadership are coordinating with Enterprise Technology and Acquia Professional Services on migrations. For questions about KE websites, please contact Itzel Morales, and for FSE, contact [email protected].
Units that maintain externally managed websites (including ET-managed or third-party platforms) must migrate or decommission them. To get started or inquire about services under the Tech Priority Initiative, complete the Web Inventory and submit the Migration Services Intake Form.
Where can web property owners ask questions or seek support?
Enterprise Technology is committed to supporting units throughout this effort. Those with questions are encouraged to review our FAQ and join the #web-community channel on Slack to share insights with fellow web property owners. For direct support, including requests for migration assistance or to initiate action on rebuilding a site, all units should submit a Migration Services Form via the Enterprise Technology Web Service Center. Submitting this form is the most effective way to receive assistance and ensure your request is tracked.