Managing custom programming and integrations for Joomla! CMS

At CNP Integrations the Joomla! CMS is our company’s core focus and key area of expertise. The central power of this open source platform for content management and client solutions is the diverse collection of over 9000 extensions and the vibrant support from a global development community. Joomla is the most popular CMS system in Europe and the second most popular in the US with 2.8% of all web portals in the world using Joomla! CMS. Considering that 70% of the web is still using static web pages, the current trend suggests that dynamic web sites which leverage Joomla! CMS will only grow in popularity. As this need in the marketplace grows for dynamic web portals there too will be a greater need for administrators to adopt effective software management practices if they want to remain cost effective and competitive.  To manage the associated costs or extensibility requirements for maintenance on any dynamic portal you need a solid version control, change logging and data backup strategy.

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CNP Integrations has joined the ranks as a business accredited by the better business bureau. Our goal was to align our standards with those of other business that have shown the highest level of professionalism and reliability. CNP has always been committed to improving our customer support and the quality of services but by aligning ourselves with the BBB we are now able to demonstrate a benchmark that our customers can count on. CNP works with businesses and organizations across the US and around the globe supporting Joomla CMS based web portals. Since we are a global organization providing remote support it is very important that we provide indicators for building trust in our customer relationships.

With our new office located at 574 North Main Street in Fall River, MA, CNP intends to establish more local MA and RI business relationships. As part of our annual outreach efforts we have also joined the Providence Chamber of Commerce and contributed to other groups such as the Narragansett Boy Scouts to show our support to the local community.

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Experts in the field anticipate cyber-crime in 2012 could rise as high as 7000% from 6 years ago

Wow, the more we learn about web security these days and the capabilities of hackers, the more we are in awe! So many folks do not adequately protect their web assets from even the many common or well know threats and vulnerabilities let alone the even more dangerous cyber criminals that could completely steal your identity and milk your bank accounts.

In a recent security audit we found that if you are not protected with a tool like Secure Live (www.securelive.net) and other server side security monitoring solutions, hackers can find ways to penetrate the deepest levels of your server environment by installing stealth scripts that allow them to do just about anything they want with your data and any other data stored on the server. These scripts can be buried layers deep in directories that you would never find and could go virtually undetected allowing the hacker to leverage your server for a variety of exploitations.

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This article reviews approaches to developing custom extensions vs “hacked” code solutions for a Joomla CMS but the principles are more universal in concept.

First let’s explore some of the many definitions of a “code hack”, not to be confused with a commonly known intruder typically known as a “hacker”.  Then we need to define what we are referring to as it relates to developing a quality Joomla CMS portal. Below are some quotes I found on the web related to a code hack that range from an appropriate method for solving a coding problem vs someone with limited skill providing a less than adequate mess of “spaghetti code”. The term “hacker” traces its origins back to making rough furniture with a hatchet and a stump. That seems to fit nicely — a very quick solution that solves a particular problem good enough. This approach would not equate to the fine craftsmanship of a quality piece of furniture nor offer the longevity for a sustainable solution.

A few definitions I found online (I am sure there are more):

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Mobile applications are growing in popularity and it is becoming increasingly important now that you tailor your web portal to be supported in mobile environments. Fortunately Joomla! CMS has several extensions and template configurations that will offer this capability.

Start with a smart template:

Using a third party template vender for your design foundation can save you a ton of time and money when implementing a mobile strategy for your site.  Rocket Theme or YooTheme templates for are a good example of template venders that have built in features for presenting your portal on mobile devices. You are allowed in these templates to configure primary menus for a mobile user which allows you to segment content just for your mobile user. This is often a good idea if you have a portal that leverages a lot of 3^rd party components since not all components will display as well as others in a mobile browser. There is also a great component/template extension called “MobileJoomla” which is simple to install and works pretty much right out of the box. It is very important to test and view your portal on the targeted mobile devices so you can see what your users are seeing and adjust where required to create an optimized mobile user experience.

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