• Created by user-29411, last updated on Mar 06, 2013 4 minute read

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"Dynamic" web site, <http://www.acert.cornell.edu/>.

Project lead: Oliver.

Others:

  • Diane Patzer (<dep14> (local: dianec) Days: M, T, Th, after 10 or 11am.
  • Curt Dunnam <crd4>
  • Barry (for data and DB, and configuration)
  • Joanne (content)

Goal

CCMR's web service shuts down and Freed's web site continues to work correctly.

Strategy

1A) Attempt migration to a CIT service.

1B) To the degree CIT hosting service technology works for ACERT, align near- and long-term support from IWS (of CIT) <http://www.it.cornell.edu/about/atsus/iws/>. IWS needs to know our timelines to migrate the site.  Request to IWS is for an estimate to help with:

  • Migration coordination (to the degree needed)
  • Documentation (of the infrastructure, including installation configuration)
  • On-going support, post-migration

2) Longer term invest possibility, which we may need to look harder into if the above migration proves difficult:

  • Identify options for hosting, and characterize trade-offs, including costs and administrative overhead.
  • CIT's Academic Technologies (AT) group (Todd Maniscalco <tam42>) likely can provide free consultation, with free follow-up services. (CIT's IWS may also be able to do an initial consult for free, too.)

Project notes

Migration to CIT's LAMP service

3/6/13: Barry copied the MySQL and files (PHP, etc) from the current production (old) web server to the new (staging) web server. This is Barry's summary of what has been done and what needs to be done.

  • On the courseware site Barry has:
  • Imported a snapshot of the acert_db mysql database from our server into the acert_vhdb1727 mysql database on the courseware host.
  • Grabbed a snapshot of the web root directory on our server and copied it into the web root of the new server.
  • Edited ACERT_PHPs/settings.php to change the database name, user, and password to the ones provided by ATS.
  • Edited the index_files/about_acert.php so that all the PHP open tags were <?php instead of <?. On the new server, one can no longer use the shortcut <? to designate the start of a PHP section in a file. There are lots of instances of this in the site code.
  • Sent a request to ATS to create collab, browser, and possibly acert_admin database users for the acert_vhdb1727 database. The first two are limited users, the last could be simply changed to the jhf3db user if all references could be found.
  • It looks like the index_files/images and index_files/Images file names that differ in case only will not be a problem for the underlying file system.

2/14/13: Oliver gave Jack a status update.

2/14/13: CIT's IWS had not heard back from Barry. Tried again.

2/6/13: CIT's IWS made a contact request to Barry, per my request. As part of developing a quote for us.

1/29/13: CIT's IWS contacted me, from my request to them from 1/17 (with their apologies!). I spoke to them 1/30 (Thur), and hope for a follow-up discussion early in the week of 2/4.

1/17/13: CIT provisioned LAMP web hosting for us.

  • Until the site has been launched, you can access it via the temporary URL – http://staging.acert.cornell.edu/
  • Must have Barry and Dee move a copy of the current site, and test it.

1/11/113: Confirmed that CIT AT can host the web site for free, <http://atcsupport.cit.cornell.edu/itrequest/main.cfm?cmd=4>.

1/8/13: Oliver put in a request for service to CIT's Academic Technologies (AT) group (Todd Maniscalco <tam42>). They will determine if this is a "fit" for their (free) service offerings.Ticket ID: 38530. Case number: INC000000770987.

Oliver learned of a peer research group that can host this LAMP-based web server in a shared hosting environment for "cheap". Before pursuing that further, Oliver will see if another part of CIT can host this service for free.

12/17/12 (Mon): Oliver submitted request to <webservices@cornell.edu>. Since been confirmed that just exploring this option will cost a VM hosting fee as part of using CIT's otherwise-free LAMP service.

The required VM costs $105.00/mo. <http://www.it.cornell.edu/services/managed_servers/fees.cfm>.

Michael Hint had CU's hostmaster change the <acert.cornell.edu> domain name in CU's DNSDB so it can accept changes from CRCF staff (12/18/12). Before this, the only person listed was former CCMR IT lead, who had left quite a while ago

Other notes

  • Can Barry provide info about the personal pages, such as (1) which personal pages have data, (2) when was the last time site updated (last write-access)? and (3) last visit of a personal page by person-driven browsing (usage stats).
    If not, who should contact Keith Earl to determine if he is using or needs the data from a personal page? Anyone else?
  • Oddly, <http://acert.cornell.edu> does not resolve. Must have preceding "www" for some reason. Domain name tweak would be good to do!
  • Purpose of PHP and MySQL:
    • Provide consistent header/ footer/ left-bar navigation.
    • Dynamically create (auto-generate) pages based on metadata. Ex: Publications. Uses Admin pages to edit/ add data and metadata.
    • For a service request page, but that is rarely used. JavaScript investment could improve formatting of resulting email. Get's the right data from user, but could replace by telling user the data required.
      • Never functioning, but had hoped for: Service request residing with DB for query by staff (for work flow).

        Options/ Ideas

CIT offers a web development service.

AWP: Used by EMC2 for their web site. They would recommend them.

Oliver's meeting notes, 11/28/12's mtg

Barry: PHP/ MySQL-based.

Diane works part-time.

Ideas discussed at the meeting

There may be some personal pages. Such as for Keith Earl.

Decision at meeting:

None recorded by me.

Past email threads, pre-meeting

Barry, 11/20/12, 2:34 PM

N/A.

Peter, 11/20/12, 12:51 PM

ACERT web site (as well as ftp) could be hosted by Chemistry Department and managed by its Webmaster.

Oliver, 11/20/12, 10:23 AM

(5) Web site hosting currently provided by CCMR for the Freed group.

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