Database mode

Optimizely has introduced database mode configuration. The database mode configuration has two options: ReadWrite and ReadOnly (see the Configuration section below).

ReadWrite mode

The ReadWrite mode is the default mode and the application works as normal.

ReadOnly mode

In the ReadOnly mode, the application can only load data from database. The saving and updating operations by EPiServer.Data.IDatabaseHandler throw exceptions, which is why some modules are disabled or work differently. These modules and functions are affected in the ReadOnly mode:

1. Scheduler Service is disabled.
2. Model synch is disabled.
3. Indexing of content is disabled.
4. User, role and claims synch are disabled.
5. Automatic database updating throws exception if updating is needed.
6. Statistics Logger is disabled.
7. Saving web config file into database is disabled.

Configuration

The database mode can be configured by the databaseMode attribute on the episerver.dataStore section or by the episerver:DatabaseMode setting under the appSettings section.

Example of setting ReadOnly mode by appsetting.json section:

{
    "EpiServer": {
        "Cms": {
            "DataAccess": {
                "DatabaseMode": "true"
            }
        }
    }
}

<episerver.dataStore databaseMode="ReadOnly"></episerver.dataStore>

<appSettings>
    <add key="episerver:DatabaseMode" value="ReadOnly" />
</appSettings>

Find Database mode by code

The IDatabaseMode can be used to find and detect the database mode by code:

ServiceLocator.Current.GetInstance<IDatabaseMode>().DatabaseMode

Accessing Protected Module in the ReadOnly mode

By default, HttpException returns status code 503 when accessing a protected module in the ReadOnly mode. You can override this behavior by listening to the AccessPath event. 

ServiceLocator.Current.GetInstance<IAccessReadOnlyProtectedModules>().AccessPath += (object sender, ReadOnlyProtectedModuleEventArgs e) =>

{ e.Handled = true; // Put your code here redirect to a custom readonly page… }

Override the default ReadOnly page

Set the episerver:ReadOnlyInfoUrl appSetting to override the default ReadOnly page (~/Util/ReadOnly.aspx).

<appSettings>
    <add key="episerver:ReadOnlyInfoUrl" value="~/OurCustomReadOnlyPage.html" />
</appSettings>

Last updated: Jul 02, 2021