Domain zones (public website and portal)
This page builds on Multi-domain configuration, which gives an overall overview of what's configured per domain.
Some projects have two parts: a public part of the website that anyone can see, and a protected part (for example a client or customer portal) that people first need to log into. The two parts can run on different web addresses (domains), and the system automatically makes sure content shows up on the right one.
What this is
A domain zone is a "category" that both domains (website addresses) and page types belong to.
A typical example:
- Public zone – runs on the main website address (e.g.
www.yourcompany.com) and contains ordinary public pages. - Portal – runs on a different address (e.g.
portal.yourcompany.com) and contains pages that only logged-in users can see.
With correctly configured zones, the system restricts which domains display a given page type. Assigning content to a zone does not replace authentication and permission settings for protected content.
Why this matters
- Content separation – zones determine the domains for each page type. An administrator must configure and verify access protection for logged-in users separately.
- Clarity – editors work with pages the normal way; the system automatically takes care of which domain a page appears on.
- Indexing – configure and verify the intended search-engine behavior for each domain. Assigning content to a portal zone alone does not guarantee its exclusion from search results.
How it works (in simple terms)
During project setup, the development team defines:
- Which domains (addresses) belong to which zone.
- Which page types (for example "Web page" or "Portal page") belong to which zone.
The system then automatically shows a given page type only on a domain in the same zone. In day-to-day editing, editors don't set anything special for this – they just create content in the matching page type.
Where you can see this setting
An administrator with the right permission can see the list of domains and their zone in the admin area, under Configuration -> SEO -> Domain Configuration (see also SEO and Content-Security-Policy, which configure other settings for the same domain in the same place).
The zone assigned to a specific page type is part of the project's technical setup and is not normally edited in the admin area.
What to do if you need a change
Adding a new domain, a new zone, or moving a page type to a different zone is a technical change that needs testing. If you need any of this, please contact your development/support team – it isn't a self-service setting in the admin area.
Recommendations
- Don't change domain and zone settings yourself without checking with the development team.
- When requesting a new domain or portal, always specify what type of content should be available on it.
- If you're not sure whether a page belongs in the public zone or the portal, ask the development team before creating the content.