[WEB4LIB] Lobbying for a dedicated web server

[Roy Tennant]

First I would simply ask them for the things you need, while justifying 
why you need those things. Don't start by specifying you want your own 
server, simply make the case for the kind of functionality you need and 
let them decide how best to provide it. If you get "no" in response, 
you have two choices: 1) kick it up a notch (make a stronger case, go 
over their heads, etc.), or 2) go elsewhere. Since the fight may not be 
worth it, you should consider keeping your main web site where it is 
and simply outsourcing the apps they won't support. That is, the kind 
of requirement you describe is standard operating procedure with many 
commercial hosting services. For example, for $10/month you can have a 
MySQL database and PHP on a Linux server at http://1and1.com/ and there 
are many others. For $20/month you can have 3 MySQL databases. You can 
make this external system look just like your main web site, with only 
the URL to show that it isn't part of the main campus site (and for the 
same price it can be just about anything you want that isn't already 
taken). Decide if you would rather fight with your IT department or 
spend $120/year. I'd sure be tempted to spend it out of my own pocket 
simply to not waste my time arguing with bean counting propeller heads.
Roy

On Sep 3, 2004, at 10:18 AM, Andrew Darby wrote:

> 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
>
>
>
>
>
>