To maintain most of our web pages, we make use of three virtual servers: dev (it's own branch for developing new stuff), qa (where new pages are tested and all stakeholders can look at them in situ before they go live), and production (updated via cvs checkout only).
What is best practice for achieving a similar workflow with a database-backed CMS like Drupal? What works?
I can accept that for new content, workflow might be different in the sense that pages will be viewed by those who can log in and check out pre-pub pages, although I'd rather have something closer to our traditional process. For design changes/new features on our test sites we have been doing some hairy database refreshes/pop in the changes/test/pop back to the live site hoping that there isn't any new content there that we are overwriting circuits, or just as problematic, the "it looks good on dev or qa, so copy the content and past it into the live site". I am pretty sure that neither of these approaches "good practice," much less "best practice" ;-).
Many thanks, Ari