Reasons why to upgrade EPiServer CMS

November 26th, 2010

Many have written articles about how you upgrade EPiServer 4.6 sites to CMS 5 but rarely why with reasons and benefits to do so. Even though EPiServer CMS 5 was released over three years ago, too many companies still use EPiServer 4.62 and some have even older versions. Why? Well, our customers need concrete arguments to motivate the cost, other than the usual “because it’s a new better version”. Worth noting is that it’s likely an increased risk the customer changes their publishing system entirely if they use an older version.

Therefore, I have put together a list of reasons (in no particular order) why companies should upgrade their EPiServer 4 websites to EPiServer CMS 5 (or preferably the newer version 6).

Reasons to upgrade from EPiServer 4.62 to EPiServer CMS 5 R2

  • Overall better performance, security and easier (cheaper) development
  • Report center
  • Image editor
  • Possibility to convert pages to other pagetypes
  • Improved browser support for editors
  • Support for later versions of .NET and Windows on the server (better performance and security)
  • Better browser support for editors (Firefox)
  • Supports 64-bit environment on web server
  • Supports later versions of development environments and ASP.NET
  • Dynamic content instead of the older EPiFields
  • Better file handling, including versioned files and possibility for multiple file upload
  • Many more third party plugins and modules available (of whom many are free)
  • Better user management
  • Possibility for editors to publish directly from Word, Excel & PowerPoint
  • Improved language handling
  • Enables setting up Microsoft Workflows
  • Improved Friendly URL engine to better support search engine indexing
  • Improved html/text editor for editors
  • Easier for editors to copy pages
  • Improved connection between links and connected files (renaming files updates relevant links)
  • Extended SharePoint integration
  • Support for integration with third party search engines
  • Improved forms management for editors

While we’re at it, here’s dito for EPiServer CMS 6 R2 (released early 2011).

Reasons to upgrade from EPiServer CMS 5 R2 to EPiServer CMS 6 R2

  • Connectivity to other EPiServer products such as EPiServer Community 4
  • OnlineCenter: Dashboard and gadgets (built using Microsoft MVC 2)
  • Auto-save for editors to prevent loss of editorial information
  • Sort by drag n drop for editors
  • Improved internal search for editors
  • Extended access rights: language dependant rights, pagetype rights
  • New improved text/html editor (TinyMCE) which supports more web browsers
  • Built in database storage area for data which is non-episerver pages (Dynamic Data Store)
  • Built in link checker (Link Validator)
  • Built in personalization
  • New version of EPiTrace
  • Better support for occasional editors due to enhanced texteditor in on-page-editing mode
  • Editors can see which pages are being edited by others

If your company need an EPiServer upgrade, contact Ottoboni for a price estimation.

2 Responses to “Reasons why to upgrade EPiServer CMS”

  1. Great list, Shahin! Bet the marketing department will find this handy.

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