ITSS staff are actively working on developing our version of Drupal 8, which will soon become the new hosting standard for UMD websites. Much work is going into automating the process of migrating existing Drupal 7 sites to the Drupal 8 platform, with the goal of making the transition as hands off as possible for the campus community.
First Test Case
We spent the summer working out many of the technical details and plan to pilot our first migration this fall. We'll use the ITSS website as our first test case, so that we can identify any hiccups and improve the process for all of our users. If you are interested in receiving technical updates and participating in highly technical feedback discussions, please consider joining the Drupal Tech Group.
Exciting Improvements
Drupal 8 will bring with it many exciting improvements to the website creation process. If you manage a UMD website, you can expect an easier to use interface for building and updating site content. Drupal 8 will also allow UMD to begin using the Folwell Design System, which will offer fresh and flexible layout options and more of the functionality users desire. We are pleased to share that UMD has good representation on the Folwell design team. Your feedback is being heard and your wish lists are being worked on. We think you will be quite pleased when you see the results.
How to Keep Updated
If you help maintain a UMD website and would like to stay in the loop regarding new developments, please join the Drupal Users Group. The Drupal Users Group is open to anyone on campus with an interest in UMD websites. You'll receive general Drupal updates, invitations to special topic meetings and workshops, and calendar invites to Drupal Drop-in sessions, where you can come for hands-on help with building and maintaining websites. To learn more about upcoming events and for more information on Drupal support options, visit: z.umn.edu/UMDdrupal.
We expect to transition the majority of UMD hosted websites to Drupal 8 during the 2020 calendar year. We promise we will be there to help you along the way. Be on the lookout for more updates as we continue to fine-tune the migration process and work out all of the specifics. Wonderful improvements are coming soon to your UMD websites!