DNN (Formerly DotNetNuke) Tutorial - Part 1

Introduction

DNN (formerly DotNetNuke) is a web Content Management System that uses Microsoft .NET. The Community Edition is open-source. DotNetNuke was written in VB.NET, though the developer has shifted to C# beginning with DNN version 6.0.[4]. It is distributed under both a Community Edition MIT license and commercial proprietary licenses as the Professional and Enterprise Editions.

DNN (formerly DotNetNuke) is a program that runs on Microsoft ASP.NET. It is also a framework, meaning, it is a program that is designed to be extended. One of the ways you extend the framework is to create modules. These modules are installed inside a DotNetNuke installation and when they run in that DotNetNuke installation they extend the framework to create a DotNetNuke website also called a portal. Click Here to learn more about DNN.

Installation Process

Step 1

Download the .rar file from the following web page.



Step 2

Extract the downloaded file.



Step 3

Add Full Control access to the Network Service account user.



Step 4

Open IIS.



Step 5

Create a new Application Pool for your DNN website. Set .NET Framework versions accordingly. Then set the identity with a specific user account from advanced settings as follows.







Step 6

Add a new application to the default application. (Right-click then select Add new application).

6.1 . Provide Alias Name
6.2 . Select Application pool
6.3 . Select the folder path(Folder path, where extracted files kept).
6.4 . Select Connect as Application Pool user.

See the following.







Step 7

Now your DNN Site has been hosted in IIS.

Open the Web.config file and edit the connections string “SiteSqlServer” and app Settings Key “SiteSqlServer” with your SQL Server credentials. Then browse to your web site from IIS.



Step 8

Now you can see the installation wizard for DNN.



Step 9

Select Custom Option and click Next. Always before clicking Next please read all the instructions carefully.



Step 10

Click Next.



Step 11

Provide the database credentials and click Next then the database update process will happen.





If the database update process is successfully completed, you will get the preceding message. Click Next.

Step 12

Host Account Configuration. This will be your host username and password. Fill in the necessary fields and click Next.



Step 13

Install the optional Modules, Skins, Language Pack, Authentication System and Providers.





The Active Directory provider is to be used when we create an intranet portal or such an application.

Step 14

Portal Title. Here we set the Portal title and admin username and password to this portal. Click Next, then you will get a screen to build your website.



Step 15



Click on Start Building your new site. You can see your website and try to login with your host login and admin login.



On the other side you can see many tables have been created in the database to manage our user profiles, page configuration and so on.



Advantages

1. Simple Content Editing and creation.
   
2. The ability to change or update the look and feel of your site completely, without affecting the content.
   
3. Reduced time-to-market since the content and design can be prepared and implemented concurrently.
   
4. Reduced cost.
   
5. Unmatched security.

Reference

• http://www.dnnsoftware.com
• Top 10 Benefits of DNN-DotNetNuke