Website operations and support
We run, update and develop websites, with Craft CMS as our speciality. We also take over projects from other suppliers, and upgrade sites that have been left on an old version. Craft 3 and Craft 4 no longer receive security updates. If you are on either of them, it is urgent.
What an operations agreement with Vasser covers
A website is not finished when it launches. It has to be kept updated, monitored and developed further. That is what an operations agreement covers.
Updates to the CMS, plugins and server
We keep the publishing system, the plugins and the server up to date. Security updates are applied as they arrive. Larger version upgrades are planned together with you, well in advance.
Monitoring and alerts
We monitor that the site is up and responding as it should. If something goes down, we usually spot it before your customers do.
Servers, licences and certificates
We handle server operations and the renewal of licences and certificates. You do not have to keep track of what expires when.
Backups and recovery
We back up the database and the files. If something does go wrong, we know how to get the site back.
Access to people who know the solution
With an operations agreement you get a fixed technical contact who knows your website from the inside. If you need advice, design or development, we are already inside the project. Clients with an operations agreement get a reduced hourly rate on all our services.
Scaled to what the site actually needs
A simple company site needs less than a shop with API integrations, and the agreement is set up accordingly. We specialise in Craft CMS and Kirby CMS, but know a wide range of other tools as well. If you use something else today, get in touch and we will work it out together.
We take over Craft CMS projects from other suppliers
A large part of our work is websites somebody else built. We take the project over, tidy it up, upgrade it and run it from there.
Situations we are typically called into
- The agency that built the site has closed, been acquired or changed focus.
- The developer who knew the solution has left, and nobody else knows the code.
- The site has not been updated for years, and sits on a version that is no longer supported.
- You are getting security warnings, or IT has told you something needs to be done.
- You are happy with the website, but not with the supplier.
What most of these have in common is that the website itself is good enough. It is the maintenance that has stopped. A takeover is then almost always cheaper than building something new.
How we do it
- Review. We get access to the code, the server and the database, and go through the current state. Which version are you running? Which plugins are in use? What is custom, and what is standard? You get a written assessment with a recommended route forward and a cost estimate.
- Takeover. We set the project up locally and in a staging environment, get version control and backups under control, and tidy up licences, domains and access.
- Upgrade. We lift the site to a supported version, test it thoroughly, and put it into production at an agreed time.
- Ongoing operations. The site moves onto a normal operations agreement, and updates are applied as they come.
The review can be ordered on its own. Many people want to know what they are dealing with before committing to a supplier, and that is a perfectly sensible way to start.
We make the decisions along the way. You should be able to say yes or no to a plan, not work out which plugins need replacing. And if the handover from your previous supplier drags, finding a way round that is our job.
We have done this many times
We have taken over, upgraded and run websites for LPO Arkitekter, Drop Off, Pensjonskassen for fylkene, Tromsø kommunale pensjonskasse and Norsk Porsche Klubb, among others. Several of them we have run for many years since the takeover.
Vasser is an official Craft CMS partner.
Which Craft CMS version should you be on?
Craft CMS gives each major version at least two years of active support, followed by one year of critical security updates. After that, nothing. Here is where things stand:
- Craft 3 is out of date. Its last security update came on 30 April 2024.
- Craft 4 is out of date. Its last security update came on 30 April 2026.
- Craft 5 is the version to be on today. Active support through 2030, and security updates through 2031.
- Craft 6 is expected during 2026.
If you are running Craft 3 or Craft 4 today, your site is getting no security updates at all. That is the single most important reason to act.
The route from Craft 3 or 4 to Craft 5
You do not jump straight from Craft 3 to Craft 5. The upgrade goes via Craft 4, and each step has its own requirements for PHP version, database and plugins.
In practice it is usually the plugins and the custom parts that decide how much work is involved, not the Craft upgrade itself. Some plugins no longer exist in newer versions and have to be replaced or rewritten. That is why we always start with a review. Then we know what has to be rewritten, what can be swapped out, and what simply comes along for the ride.
What about Craft 6?
Craft 6 is built on Laravel rather than Yii. That is a bigger change under the bonnet than a normal version upgrade. Pixel & Tonic, who make Craft, have built a compatibility layer so that many plugins should keep working with little or no change.
For you that means two things. Craft 5 is a safe place to be, with support for years to come. And if you get there now, the route onward to Craft 6 is far shorter than if you stay on Craft 3 or 4.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take the site over without rebuilding it?
Yes, and that is usually what we recommend. If the site is technically sound and you are happy with how it looks and works, a takeover and upgrade costs considerably less than a new project.
What does it cost to upgrade from Craft 4 to Craft 5?
It depends on how many plugins and custom parts the site has. A tidy site without much bespoke work is a manageable job. A site with many integrations and custom modules takes longer. We give a cost estimate after the review, before you commit to anything.
How long does an upgrade take?
The review itself usually takes a few days. The upgrade depends on what we find. Most projects are done within a few weeks of starting.
We do not know which version we are on. Can you find out?
Yes. We can often tell a lot from the outside, and we find the rest once we have access. You do not need to have the overview before getting in touch.
Do we lose content during an upgrade?
No. The content lives in the database and comes along. We take backups before we start, and work in a staging environment until everything is verified.
Do we have to change server or hosting provider?
Not necessarily. Newer Craft versions have requirements for PHP and database versions, so sometimes the server has to be updated first. We flag it in the review if that applies.
What if our site is not built in Craft CMS?
We work mostly with Craft CMS and Kirby CMS, but have been through many other systems. Get in touch and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right supplier for you.
What does an operations agreement cost?
The price depends on the size and complexity of the site, and on what the agreement should cover. Get in touch for a concrete quote.
Get in touch
Wondering which version you are on, what it costs to move forward, or whether we are the right supplier? Get in touch for a no-obligation chat.
