SilverStripe CWP

The Common Web Platform (CWP) takes care of the security, backup and disaster recovery for your site. It is robust with guaranteed uptimes and 24/7 support. Security is second to none and if you choose to go with the CWP no costly testing is required. The base install is feature packed as it has been configured for the public sector. It also meets all the government web standards of accessibility and performance.

We have been working with the common web platform and government departments since 2014.

CWP Features

• Page types and templates designed for government content
• Templates that meet NZ government web accessibility standards
• An easy to use content editor
• User permissions you can manage
• Publishing workflow with approval notifications
• Integrate with Google Analytics
• Tools to classify and organise content
• Drag and drop page hierarchy
• Site search with easy to manage keywords
• Blogs with managed feedback and spam protection
• Import content from Microsoft Word
• Integrate with other government tools like RealMe

Disaster Recovery

CWP quickly responds and recovers to another location in New Zealand if a major disaster — like an earthquake — takes the primary data centre offline. Different recovery options are available depending on how quickly you need your website up and running.

Incident response

The CWP contract sets out the services and service levels you can expect from SilverStripe to manage your website. Your site will be supported by a 24/7 team of SilverStripe experts.

Co-fund Development Pool

The co-funded development pool helps advance CWP and develop new features for all agencies to use. Agencies collectively decide new developments, like features, modules and themes to be created.

Frequently updated

SilverStripe releases new versions of the CWP “recipe” 4 times a year. This “recipe” includes SilverStripe Content Management System (CMS) and the supported modules that your website will run on. Minor patches and bug fixes may be released more regularly.

How can we help you with the common web platform?

We maintain control of your websites, including the look and feel, and can extend the functionality as required. We set up an account and start using the CWP functions provided. The platform provides parts of the solution and we create the rest as per your requirements.

We control:

• the look and feel of the website
• the suppliers of professional services to manage and develop the websites
• the content
• the website's code
• bespoke development to integrate their website with other systems and
• other custom features and templates

Silverstripe delivers and manages the software solution. The supplier solution is an enhanced version of the SilverStripe CMS and Solr Enterprise, search with out-of-the-box features and templates selected to meet the needs of government websites.

What are the benefits of the common web platform for your government website?

The Common Web Platform:

• reduces unnecessary investment by supporting agencies to reuse technology and designs already developed by other agencies
• provides tools, versioning, and backups to help agencies comply with the Public Records Act 2005
• provides base website templates tested for compliance with the New Zealand Web Standards, reducing the risk of publishing inaccessible content
• provides a platform architecture that has been through an independent security review, reducing the reputational risk of websites being compromised
• provides regular patching and software updates, reducing the reputational risk of the website being compromised
• provides software and infrastructure components as a service, reducing the risk of poor performance or downtime due to relying on ageing software and hardware
• provides a single content management system across the agency, reducing the risk of staff making publishing errors, and making it easier for business units to collaborate on content
• provides a comprehensive legal contract, which reduces legal costs and includes financial incentives for the provider to meet the agreed service levels.
• provides a base install, with website templates and features selected to meet the common requirements of government web projects. This allows websites to be set up with urgency and reduces time for web projects
• provides advanced tools, including enterprise search and Word Document conversion, for use across all CWP websites, without the effort to set them up;
• provides control to develop a website that is agency specific, without restriction on design and functionality
• makes new features and Content Management System (CMS) enhancements available at no extra cost, through the co-funded development pool, and
• provides a fit-for-purpose CMS, making it easy to update and restructure content

More information can be found on the Common Web Platform website