Nota: Este artículo fue publicado originalmente en 2009. Community Server has since been succeeded by Telligent Community and later Verint Community. The information below is preserved for historical reference and for administrators still maintaining legacy Community Server installations.

Telligent Community Server was a popular ASP.NET-based web application that provided integrated community features including forums, blogs, photo galleries, and file management. This guide compiles essential resources, administration tips, and troubleshooting knowledge for working with Community Server installations.

Introducción

Community Server (CS) was one of the most widely deployed community platforms during the mid-2000s. Built on ASP.NET and SQL Server, it powered thousands of community websites, including several Microsoft properties. While the platform has since been superseded by modern alternatives, many legacy installations still exist and require maintenance. This article provides a consolidated reference for administrators managing these systems.

Essential Resources

Official and Community Documentation

  1. Alex Crome’s site — One of the most comprehensive third-party resources for Community Server. Alex Crome was a well-known Community Server MVP who documented tips, tricks, and customizations extensively. (Originally at http://askcrome.co.uk/)

  2. Telligent Community SDK Documentation — The official SDK documentation covered the API, custom module development, and extensibility points. While the original URLs may no longer be active, archived versions are available through web.archive.org.

  3. Community Server Forums Archive — The official Telligent forums contained years of community-contributed troubleshooting knowledge. Search archived versions for specific error messages or configuration questions.

Development Resources

  • Community Server SDK — Provided APIs for extending CS functionality with custom modules, widgets, and integrations
  • CSModule Development Guide — Documentation for creating custom modules using the ICSModule interface
  • Theming Documentation — Guides for creating custom themes using the CS theming engine

Community Server Architecture Descripción General

Understanding the architecture helps with troubleshooting and customization:

Community Server Architecture
==============================
[Web Tier]
  - ASP.NET Web Application (IIS)
  - Master Pages / Themes
  - Custom HttpModules and HttpHandlers
  - Chameleon Theming Engine

[Application Tier]
  - CSModule Framework
  - Provider Model (Membership, Roles, Profile)
  - Caching Layer (ASP.NET Cache)
  - Job Service (Background Tasks)

[Data Tier]
  - SQL Server Database
  - Stored Procedures (cs_ prefix)
  - Full-Text Search Integration

Key Administration Tasks

Database Maintenance

Community Server relies heavily on SQL Server. Regular maintenance keeps performance optimal:

-- Check the size of the Community Server database
EXEC sp_spaceused;

-- Rebuild indexes on the most-used tables
ALTER INDEX ALL ON cs_Posts REBUILD;
ALTER INDEX ALL ON cs_Threads REBUILD;
ALTER INDEX ALL ON cs_Users REBUILD;

-- Update statistics for query optimizer
UPDATE STATISTICS cs_Posts;
UPDATE STATISTICS cs_Threads;

-- Clean up old activity log entries (adjust date as needed)
DELETE FROM cs_Log
WHERE DateCreated < DATEADD(month, -6, GETDATE());

IIS Configuración

Community Server requires specific IIS settings for optimal performance:

  1. Application Pool — Use a dedicated application pool running under .NET Framework 2.0 or 4.0 (depending on CS version).
  2. Authentication — Enable Windows Authentication if using Active Directory integration; otherwise use Forms Authentication.
  3. Output Caching — Enable output caching for static content and configure cache profiles in web.config.

Common web.config Settings

<!-- Connection string for Community Server -->
<connectionStrings>
  <add name="SiteSqlServer"
       connectionString="Server=dbserver;Database=CommunityServer;
       Trusted_Connection=True;" />
</connectionStrings>

<!-- Community Server specific settings -->
<appSettings>
  <add key="SiteSqlServer"
       value="Server=dbserver;Database=CommunityServer;
       Trusted_Connection=True;" />
  <add key="Telligent.Glow.MultipleFileUpload.FileManagerProvider"
       value="Telligent.Glow.MultipleFileUpload.Web.FileManagerProvider,
       Telligent.Glow.MultipleFileUpload" />
</appSettings>

Theming and Customization

Theme Structure

Community Server themes follow a specific directory structure:

/Themes/
  /YourThemeName/
    /Common/
      - theme.config
      - master.master
    /Blog/
      - blog-post.aspx
    /Forum/
      - forum-thread.aspx
    /Stylesheets/
      - default.css
    /Images/
      - (theme images)

Creating a Custom Theme

  1. Copy an existing theme folder as your starting point.
  2. Edit theme.config to set the new theme name and metadata.
  3. Modify master.master to change the overall page layout.
  4. Update CSS files in the Stylesheets folder.
  5. Apply the theme through the Control Panel under Site Administration > Themes.

Solución de Problemas Problemas Comunes

Rendimiento Problems

  • Slow page loads — Check SQL Server query execution plans for missing indexes on the cs_Posts and cs_Threads tables. Enable the SQL Server Profiler to identify slow queries.
  • High memory usage — Review the caching configuration in communityserver.config. Reduce cache duration if memory is constrained.
  • Failed background jobs — Check the Community Server Job Service status and logs. Restart the service if jobs are stuck.

Common Errors

  • “Object reference not set to an instance of an object” — Typically caused by misconfigured themes or missing template files. Verify all theme files are present and the theme.config is valid.
  • Database connection failures — Verify the SiteSqlServer connection string in both web.config and communityserver.config. Test connectivity using SQL Server Management Studio.
  • File upload errors — Check the maxRequestLength setting in web.config and ensure the upload directory has proper write permissions for the application pool identity.

Migration Planning

For organizations considering migration away from Community Server, here are the key steps:

  1. Inventory your content — Count posts, threads, blogs, users, and attachments.
  2. Export data from SQL Server — Write queries against the cs_ tables to extract structured content.
  3. Choose a target platform — Modern alternatives include Discourse (forums), WordPress (blogs), or custom solutions.
  4. Map data structures — Create a mapping between CS database tables and your target platform’s schema.
  5. Preserve URLs — Set up redirects from old Community Server URLs to new platform URLs to maintain SEO value.
  6. Test thoroughly — Validate all migrated content, user accounts, and media files before decommissioning the old system.

Resumen

While Community Server is a legacy platform that has been superseded by modern community and CMS solutions, many installations still require active maintenance. The resources and techniques described in this article provide a foundation for administering, customizing, and eventually migrating away from Community Server installations. For any organization still running CS, planning a migration to a supported platform should be a priority.

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