Compare SharePoint Sites with MetaVis Architect

One of the key features of MetaVis is the capability to compare and synchronize the metadata structures of multiple sites. Developers can design and test their schemas in one environment and then roll it out to another. Sites can also be compared for compliance and consistency. This guide will walk the user through the process of comparing two or more sites and then updating a target site with changes.

(1)Select sites to compare
Locate all the sites that you wish to compare in the navigation pane. Select multiple sites by holding down the 'Ctrl' key and clicking on the sites with your mouse.
Note: The first site selected will be the 'source' site. However, the source and target can always be switched in the 'Compare Sites View' window."

(2) Executing the compare
To trigger the compare process, right click on any of the selected sites and choose 'Compare with Each Other' from the menu. A 'Compare Sites View' will be generated with the results.

(3) Reviewing the Compare Sites Report
Proceed to the Compare Sites View pane. The report will contain a full list of differences between the source site and the target site(s). You can navigate and drill down through the report to see details of the differences.
Hint: For specific items, you can right click and locate the items in either the navigator or the diagram for additional information.
Hint: You can switch any of the target sites with the source by right-clicking on the target site and selecting 'Switch with Source' from the drop down menu.
Note: Due to SharePoint functionality, there are limitation when comparing a site and its sub-site. The results are limited to the differences in List and Libraries.

(4) Synchronize Sites
Updates or synchronizations can be done on an individual item or the entire site. To kick-off an update, right click on an item to display a list of options. If an item exists in the source site but not in the target site, you have the option 'Create in Target'. Conversely, if an item does not exist in the source but does in the target, you have the option to 'Delete from Target'. Select the appropriate option to execute. Acknowledge the confirmation window to proceed.
Note: At this point any updates or synchronizations are only reflected in MetaVis. In order to update SharePoint, please follow the instructions on 'Synchronizing SharePoint'

(5) Confirmation
Each updated item generates a response in the status column. There are 3 possible responses:

• Success - the update was successfully completed
• Pending - this indicates that the item update has a dependency to another update which must be executed first. This update will automatically proceed after the dependency is resolved
• Error - this indicates that the update was not executed. The application will typically return an error code and a reason for the failure