Install a Sitecore Package

This article describes how to install a Sitecore package from a zip file.

Prerequisites

To set up your deployment, you need the following:

• Familiarity with Sitecore Cloud portals and account management.

• Familiarity with how to publish content to Sitecore.

• A zip file that contains Sitecore package files. The zip file contains 3 folders; /items, /files, and /metadata. These folders hold both content items and package configuration files.

Manually extract the package files

Use the following steps to manually extract the package files to perform a manual installation. The advantage of manual installation is that the files are copied using the current FTP User, and you do not need to change any security settings.

1. Open the zip package and extract the /files folder. Preserve the original directory structure when extracting the folder.

2. Delete the /files folder from the original zip.

   You should now have a package file with the original three folders, and a package file with only the /items and /metadata folders.

3. Back up databases and files from the website. Remember files that are not located under the website root, for example, files in the /data folder that might have been moved to a nonpublic folder.

The website is now considered down for maintenance. You might want to publish an "Under Maintenance" page on your website.

Install the package that contains only the /items and /metadata folders

1. Log in to your Sitecore content management site.

2. Select Control Panel.

3. From the administration menu, select Install a package.

4. Click Upload a package, and then select Choose files.

5. Browse for the zip file that contains only the /items and /metadata folders, and then click Next > Upload.

6. After the files are uploaded, click Close.

7. Click Next to continue with the package installation. When prompted, read and accept the license agreement, and then click Next.

8. Review the package information and click Install.

Publish the contents and deploy the extracted files

1. If necessary, publish the contents of your package.

2. Deploy the extracted /files folder to the website, preserving the same folder structure so that existing files are overwritten.

3. Verify that your website is running.

The website should no longer be considered down for maintenance. If you published an “Under Maintenance” page, remove it.