[WEB4LIB] Lobbying for a dedicated web server

[Pons, Lisa (ponslm)]

All web servers require time and effort to run securly and dependably,
including apache.
You need to consider also :configuration, account maintenance,
updates,patches, networking, etc...

What is it you want to do that would require your own server? 

You could ask that they give you more room on the current server and add
support for php and add mysql. Maybe they will come to the conclusion you
need a new server... but maybe they will be able to accomodate that. 

my .02
Lisa Pons-Haitz

Webmaster
University Libraries
University of Cincinnati
lisa.pons at uc.edu
(513)556-1431

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrew Darby [mailto:adarby at ithaca.edu]
> Sent: Friday, September 03, 2004 1:18 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: [WEB4LIB] Lobbying for a dedicated web server
> 
> 
> Hello, all.  I'm at a smallish academic library, and 
> currently we have a
> little folder on the university's web server, without access to
> goodies/basic human necessities like PHP and MySQL.  As such, we are
> about to lobby for our own web server, presumably to be 
> hosted by campus 
> in their climate controlled room.
> 
> My question, then, is:  What sort of resistance should I expect?  What
> sorts of concerns are likely to be voiced (and what are reasonable
> countering arguments)?
> 
> Perhaps I am wrong, but if the IT folks
> 
> 1. do the initial setup of a LAMP (Linux/Apache/MySQL/PHP) 
> environment,
> with the security to their liking
> 
> and 2. integrate this box into their backup routine (i 
> believe they do a
> middle of the night chron job)
> 
> there should be little or no overhead on their part.  By gum, it would
> be one less thing for them to worry about! My recollection from a
> previous incarnation, is that Apache servers are pretty stable, and
> don't require much (if any) maintenance . . .
> 
> And as a bonus, in the unlikely event we do something stupid and crash
> the server, the campus at large is insulated.  (We currently have full
> access to the library folder on the existing server.)
> 
> Any thoughts, suggestions, etc.?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Andrew Darby
> 
> 
> 
> 
>