Setting up content sync

This guide explains how to set up Amplience content sync, including permissions and mapping configuration, ready for developers to sync content.

Note

To set up content sync you will need hub administrator permissions.

Setup considerations

As part of setting up sync, you should:

• Check whether sync users want the option to ignore schema validation. See Schema validation.
• Ensure sync users have the developer role (at least), on the hubs they want to sync. See Permissions.

Configuring sync mappings

Mappings determine which repositories in one hub will sync with repositories in other hubs.

You can create and manage mappings using Dynamic Content (shown below), and also using the Content Management API.

Permissions for configuring mappings

You must have the hub admin role on both hubs in a mapping, to create, edit, and delete mappings. See permissions.

To configure mappings using Dynamic Content:

1. From the Dynamic Content "Settings" menu, choose "Content sync > Hub mapping":

   

2. Select the hubs between which content will be synced, and the sync direction. Then click Get repositories:

   

   If the mapped source and destination hubs use different asset stores, a warning is shown. You can proceed, but any synced content referencing media from missing asset stores cannot be published. See Mismatched asset stores.

3. Set the required repository mappings. Note, the repository mapping direction is determined by the hub mapping.

   Tip

   Where possible, Dynamic Content suggests mappings based on similar repository names across hubs, but you can adjust them as needed.

   

Tips for mapping repositories

• You don't need to map every repository in the hub, only those that are relevant to the content being synced
• Repositories must be mapped to the corresponding type of repository, for example, a slot repository must be mapped to a slot repository

Asset stores and media

When content is synced, media references are included, but the media files themselves are not. Therefore, to ensure referenced media is available to synced content, both the source and destination hubs need to use the same asset store.

For example, when syncing Content A (including images) from Prod Hub (Repo A) to Dev Hub (Repo A):

If both hubs are connected to the same asset store:

Prod Hub (Repo A) — Asset Store: Media Store 1
   │
   │  Content A + image references
   ▼
Dev Hub (Repo A) — Asset Store: Media Store 1

Result:
- Images are available in Dev Hub
- Content syncs and can be published

If the hubs are connected to different asset stores:

Prod Hub (Repo A) — Asset Store: Media Store 1
   │
   │  Content A + image references
   ▼
Dev Hub (Repo A) — Asset Store: Media Store 2

Result:
- Images are not available in Dev Hub
- Synced content cannot be published

The asset store can be within Content Hub or a different asset management system, such as Bynder.

Mismatched asset stores

When you map hubs with different asset store configurations, a warning highlights the mismatch. For each hub, the message lists the asset stores that are configured on that hub but not on the other.

Syncing can still continue with mismatched asset stores, but any content that references media stored in a mismatched asset store will fail to publish because those assets are unavailable to the hub.

Schema validation and sync

Schema validation helps maintain the integrity of synced content, and runs by default during syncing. It checks each content item against its associated schema and content type on the destination hub. Content items that fail validation are not synced.

Deciding if hubs require schema validation

When configuring mappings, you may need to confirm with developers which hubs require schema validation.

It's recommended to use schema validation when syncing content to production hubs.

To allow developers to ignore schema validation during sync, enable the Ignore schema validation property on the destination hub. This property must be set by an admin user. See Hub properties.

Note

Even when Ignore schema validation is enabled on the hub, users must also select it when starting a sync, for the setting to take effect. See Starting a sync.

Updating mappings

You can update both the hub and repository parts of a mapping.

Before changing mappings, consider the following:

• Updating the source hub or repository - This may cause previously synced content to be overwritten with content from the new source

• Updating the destination hub or repository - This may create duplicate content across hubs. The updated mapping will only affect future sync jobs and will not affect content that has already been synced

Let users know if you update a destination mapping

This will help them to find where content has been synced to.