Begin a site launch on a multisite network
Launching a site on a WordPress multisite network can be completed with the site launch tool available in the VIP Dashboard.
Prerequisites
Users must have access to the VIP Dashboard.
The steps outlined in Prepare for launch must be completed before using the site launch tool.
The root site (site ID 1) must be launched first, before any other sites on a multisite network can be launched. A more detailed explanation for the order of launching sites on a multisite is available for reference.
Completing a site launch with the site launch tool will cause the following actions to occur:
- A full backup of the network’s database.
- A search and replace on the network’s database updates:
- all corresponding site tables (
wp_*_posts
, etc.) from the old domain to the new domain - the URL values for
siteurl
andhome
in the correspondingwp_*_options
table from the old domain to the new domain
- the site’s
domain
andpath
values in thewp_blogs
table from the old domain to the new domain
- all corresponding site tables (
- If the site being launched is the root site (site ID 1) of the multisite network, the new domain will become the Primary Domain for the environment.
- WP object cache is flushed.
The site launch tool will only target the domain for the specified site selected in the site launch tool and its corresponding database values.
Adding and selecting a domain for the site launch
Navigate to the VIP Dashboard and select the “Domains” panel option at the left.
Domains can be added to the list of domains in the VIP Dashboard at any time, including at the time of a subsite launch.
To launch a site with a new domain
- Add the domain by selecting “Add Domain” in the upper right of the panel.
- Enter the domain and select “Add Domain“.
To launch a site with a previously added domain
- Select the “•••” button to the right of the domain for the site launch.
- Select “Launch a site using this domain” from the overflow menu.
![](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211116090121im_/https://docs.wpvip.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/launch-a-site-using-this-domain.png?w=1024)
Configure and test your site
![](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211116090121im_/https://docs.wpvip.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/updated-step-2.png?w=1024)
- Select the dropdown bar below “Site To Configure” and select the site to be launched.
- Once a site is selected, an outline of the actions that will occur for backup, search, and replace are displayed.
- Review the actions carefully to be sure that they describe the desired outcome.
- If needed, the launch process can be aborted by selecting “Skip” and no changes will be made to the database.
- To proceed with the launch select “Update Site“.
![](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211116090121im_/https://docs.wpvip.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/updated-step-2-expanded.png?w=1024)
Possible error when updating a site
![](https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20211116090121im_/https://docs.wpvip.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/Screen-Shot-2021-08-20-at-2.45.46-PM.png?w=1024)
If the error message There was an error updating your subsite domain
is displayed after selecting “Update Site“, the launch was not completed successfully. Only one site launch can be performed at a time, and this error appears if a site launch is already in progress for this environment.
The amount of time required for a site launch depends on the size of the network’s database.
Complete your launch
Finish your site launch by following the detailed completing a site launch guide.