Deploy 10 Trees Platform to CodeChops MonsterASP

[markdav-is]

Deployment: CodeChops MonsterASP Hosting

Deploy the 10 Trees Digital Tracking Platform to the CodeChops MonsterASP hosting environment for production use.

Priority: High

Tags: deployment, infrastructure, devops

Hosting Platform

• Provider: CodeChops MonsterASP
• Application Type: Blazor WebAssembly (Oqtane Framework)
• Target Framework: .NET 10
• Database: SQL Server

Deployment Checklist

✅ Pre-Deployment Preparation

• Verify .NET 10 SDK installed on server
• Confirm SQL Server availability and connection
• Obtain database credentials
• Verify port configuration (HTTP/HTTPS)
• Review hosting requirements with CodeChops
• Ensure server meets Oqtane framework requirements

✅ Application Configuration

• Update appsettings.json for production environment
• Configure connection strings for production database
• Set production URLs (no dynamic port binding :0)
• Configure CORS policies if needed
• Set up environment variables
• Configure logging levels for production
• Disable debug mode

✅ Database Setup

• Create production database on SQL Server
• Run Entity Framework migrations
• Seed initial data:
  • Villages (e.g., Orpen Gate Village, Londelozzi)
  • User roles (Mentor, Educator, Project Manager, Admin, Executive Director)
  • Initial admin user account
• Verify database connectivity from server
• Configure backup strategy

✅ Build and Publish

• Build solution in Release mode
• Publish Blazor WebAssembly application
• Verify published files include:
  • Server files
  • Client WebAssembly files
  • wwwroot static assets
  • Oqtane framework dependencies
• Test published build locally before deployment
• Verify all modules compile correctly
• Check resource files (.resx) are included

✅ Deployment to MonsterASP

• Upload published files to server
• Configure IIS or hosting service
• Set application pool (.NET Core)
• Configure web.config
• Set file permissions
• Configure HTTPS/SSL certificate
• Set up custom domain (if applicable)
• Configure URL rewriting for Blazor routing

✅ Post-Deployment Verification

• Verify application loads in browser
• Test Blazor WebAssembly loads correctly
• Verify Oqtane installation wizard runs (first-time)
• Complete Oqtane setup wizard
• Test database connectivity
• Verify localization resources load (en-ZA, ts-ZA)
• Test Enrollment module functionality
• Test mobile responsiveness
• Verify signature capture works
• Test language switching

✅ User Acceptance Testing

• Create test user accounts (Mentor, Educator, Admin)
• Test complete enrollment workflow
• Test village data isolation
• Test role-based permissions
• Test bilingual functionality (English and Xitsonga)
• Test on target devices (Nokia, Samsung smartphones)
• Verify mobile performance
• Test form validation

✅ Security Configuration

• Configure firewall rules
• Set up SSL/TLS (HTTPS only)
• Configure authentication settings
• Review and restrict database access
• Configure CORS if needed
• Enable security headers
• Review Oqtane security settings

✅ Monitoring and Maintenance

• Set up application logging
• Configure error tracking
• Set up database monitoring
• Configure backup schedule
• Document server access credentials (secure storage)
• Create deployment runbook
• Plan for updates and maintenance windows

✅ Documentation

• Document production URL
• Document deployment process
• Document database connection details (secure)
• Create admin guide for managing users
• Create troubleshooting guide
• Document rollback procedure

Deployment Considerations

Blazor WebAssembly Specifics

• Static file hosting for WebAssembly files
• Correct MIME types for .wasm, .dll, .json files
• Enable Brotli or gzip compression
• Configure routing for SPA (rewrite to index.html)

Oqtane Framework Specifics

• First-time installation wizard
• Module installation process
• Theme configuration
• Tenant configuration (single-tenant for this project)

Mobile Optimization

• Test on low-bandwidth connections
• Verify touch-friendly UI works correctly
• Test on small screen devices (Nokia, Samsung)
• Verify fonts are readable on small screens

Known Issues to Address

• ⚠️ Never use dynamic port binding (:0) - causes Blazor WebAssembly errors
• Ensure correct culture configuration for bilingual support
• Verify signature capture works on mobile browsers

Contact Information

• Hosting Provider: CodeChops MonsterASP
• Technical Contact: [To be added]
• Deployment Support: [To be added]

Success Criteria

• Application accessible via production URL
• All modules load without errors
• Mobile devices can access and use application
• Database queries execute successfully
• Bilingual localization works correctly
• User authentication and authorization functional
• Form submissions save to database
• Signature capture works on mobile devices

Rollback Plan

• Maintain backup of previous deployment
• Document database rollback procedure
• Keep copy of configuration files
• Test rollback procedure before deployment

Future Deployment Considerations

• CI/CD pipeline setup (GitHub Actions)
• Automated deployment process
• Staging environment for testing
• Blue-green deployment strategy
• Database migration automation