Topic awaiting preservation: Site Migration: Best Practices?

I've developed a new website for a client in a subdirectory off of root called /_dev/. _dev/ has a matching directory structure to the rest of the current website, and is now, essentially, completed. I've tested the HTML and CSS for validity, and made sure that the site is WAI & 508 valid (client is a Federal agency).

So, now that all the testing and development is done, I'm wondering what the best technique would be for pushing the new pages/images/css into the current site.

My first thought was to just over-write everything in one big FTP, but the fact is that people visiting the site would, for the next 10-30 minutes, catch dead pages/missing images/missing css/missing scripts, etc.

My second thought was to shutdown the site for a few hours (overnight at the lowest-peak hour) and remove all of the current files, then drop the new stuff in fresh.

Any other ideas/opinions? For reference, it's a unix-based server, and I've got SSH access. The site uses php for two small applications and for a number of common SSI's (php includes).

Thanks!

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-Dave

Maker of stuff, user of things
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You could redirect from the main URL to /_dev while you overwrite (first thought); then just kill the redirection and /_dev afterwards.

I'd just create a new htdocs (htdocsNew) directory in the same dir as your current htdocs, load everything up and then do this

mv htdocs htdocs.bak
mv htdocsNew htdocs



.:[ Never resist a perfect moment ]:.

I've usually closed the site using an .htaccess file that blocks all access except that coming from my IP. Once I'm happy that everything is working, I update .htaccess and make the site live.

But bitdamaged's approach is certainly appealing.