This was my first install of JMS. Im' hoping someone with knowledge of such things can confirm… It appears i ended up with two relatively mirrored directory configurations on two separate domains, MASTER and SLAVE. Is this how it should be ?!

These are my final install configurations:

I. MASTER_SITE.COM:
master_site.com/html/master_folder/multisites/slave

'multisites' and 'slave' directory files include:
- config_multisites.php
- index.html
-- cache (folder)
-- config_multisites.php
-- configuration.php
-- index.html

II. SLAVE_SITE.COM:
slave_site.com/html/multisites/slave

'multisite' and 'slave' directory files include:
- config_multisites.php
- index.html
-- cache (folder)
-- config_multisites.php
-- configuration.php
-- index.html

---------------- STEPS I TOOK ----------------

DETAILS
hosting: Media Temple – Their directory Structure is as follows: /domains/site.com/html/

MY STEPS:

1. Registered Master domain: 'master_site.com'
Note: Media Temple auto creates MASTER Site domain directory:
/domains/master_site.com/html/

2. I created a mysql database: 'dbxxxxx_master'

--
3. I chose to create a sub directory for the Master Joomla install:
/domains/master_site.com/html/master_folder/
--

4. INSTALLED Joomla into '/domains/master_site.com/html/master_folder/'
- renamed database prefix from 'jos_' to: 'alpha_'
- installation success!

5. Installed 'com_multisites_V1.2.34.zip' via Joomla Admin

6. Installed JMS Multi Sites'Patches"
- status 'OK'

7. Created 'New' slave site in JMS Site Manager

8. Defined (Multi Site) Site Details:
- Site ID: 'slave'
- List of domain names: 'xxx.slave_site.com' , '(http://)slave_site.com'
(obviously i used the correct 'www' and 'http' in my actual scenario)
- Hit 'Save" and got the following prompt:

You can now map your new domains:
- xxx.slave_site.com
- (http://)slave_site.com
to the directory:
'/domains/maser_site.com/html/master_folder'

9. Registered Slave domain: 'slave_site.com'
Note: Media Temple auto creates SLAVE Site domain directory:
/domains/slave_site.com/html/

10. Created a symlink pointing request for
'slave_site.com' -- to --> '/domains/maser_site.com/html/master_folder'

11. Opened '://slave_site.com' in browser and did a fresh Joomla install
- used database previously created in step 2: 'dbxxxxx_master'
- created new db table. renamed db table prefix: 'beta_'
(now Master and Slave sites share the same database in two tables, 'alpha' and 'beta')
NOTE: no database backup 'bac_' table was created on the db in the process.

- Installation success !!

---------------- /STEPS I TOOK ----------------

Is this right, or did i do something wrong?

Thanks to all who take the time to respond.

This is not the recommended procedure.
What you did is create manually a Symbolic Link to assign the same directory of the slave site with the root directory of the master.
In JMS multisites, you can use the "deploy folder" parameter to do the things for you and that will give you something totally different.
When proceeding like you did, you will have more difficulties to have specific images and templates directory as you provide always the same root directory.
This is the reason why in setp 8, you only have the message to assin on the master directory.

I suggest that you follow the tutorial video 9 or CP-04 that give use the deploy directory.
In 10, Instead of create a symbolic link manually, you can provide this "slave_site.com/html/" directory in the deploy folder. This will give you a totally different directory structure and the multisties/slave directory will just keep very few files. All the other one will be present in the slave/html directory like all joomla.

I suggest that also have a look in the tutorial that present different scenario.
www.jms2win.com/tutorial

it works !!!

so simple, actually, it's almost embarrassing i didn't get it the first pass.

great product !!!!
i'm looking forward to digging deeper.

thanks for your prompt feedback.

This helped me out too. Just to give a step-by-step for the next MediaTemple Grid Service customer who comes along:

• Create your new domain from the (mt) AccountCenter to add to DNS and create the site directory


• Create your new domain from the MultiSites site manager
  
  
  • In the deployed directory field, include the entire path to your new HTML folder, like /nfs/c##/h##/mnt/#####/domains/newdomain.com/html (if you use a template to set this up you don't have to re-do it every time.)
  
  
  • Set your media directory to {site_dir}/images
  
  
  • Set your images directory to {site_dir}/images/stories
  
  
  • Set your templates directory to {site_dir}/templates
  
  
  • Don't forget to set a new DB table prefix
  
  

Save the site and you're in business.