For those of you looking for help when you move DNN sites from dev to production AND running Plesk, here's my-way:

Database management

• Login to development DNN site as ‘host’
• Add the new domain as an additional http alias (no 'http' prefix) to the current portal - DO NOT create a new portal alias!
• Using Plesk create a new db in the client’s domain (different db name and different db user name to the development DNN db)
• Using MSSQL Management Studio > Select DNN development db > Tasks > Backup (this will fail if the db wasn’t created by Plesk!)
• Highlight databases > Restore > ‘From database’ choose DNN dev db’. ’To database’ choose new db created in Plesk.
• Options > ‘Restore as’ ensure points to the new files. And ‘Overwrite the existing db’ is enabled.
• Select new db > Properties > files > change Logical name to new db name
• Recreate a new user in the new db which replicates the one Plesk originally created – otherwise Plesk won’t be able to delete it or backup


Connection string

• Copy the complete root IIS folder from the dev domain to the new domain
• Change the connection string in web.config file in the root to new db name and new username. Best thing is to simply search for old db name and replace.
• Restart domain – this triggers the read of the new web.config settings

Took me AGES to work this lot out, so hope this helps someone else..
Lea

Excellent, thanks for posting that for everyone

Rob

Unfortunately I didn't make clear that this is rather a guide for Hosts, rather than for  everyone as most will not have access to the underlying file structure - unless you run a VPS of course.

However, my understanding is there are several applications that allow a full backup to be made without host intervention so these may offer an alternative solution for others.

Lea