[WEB4LIB] RE: Lobbying for a dedicated web server

[Ross Singer]

I definitely agree with this.  The importance is comfort level.  Systems 
administration has to be more than "sitting a linux box in the corner 
and letting it run itself".  If you don't have the desire to devote time 
to really knowing linux system administration (and campus computing 
won't do it), you are just setting up a little liability machine inside 
your campus.

If you feel more comfortable with windows as your OS, run your website 
on that.  If a WAMP configuration suits your resources better, hey, 3 
out of 4 ain't bad.  I would still say that you're "fighting the good 
fight".

So, basically, if you feel the benefits of Linux are worth the resources 
you would need to expend (and, if utilized properly, can be), go for 
it.  However, if you want something "low-maintenance", this basically 
means something you feel comfortable "maintaining yourself'.

This brings up a question, though.  In the three academic libraries I 
have worked at, there has always been a strained relationship with 
campus computing; mostly on topics such as these (no support for the 
scripting languages/services/OS/Network layer/etc. the library wishes to 
run).  As a result, the library has always basically broken off from 
campus computing and began hosting their own servers and services.

I've always worked in bigger libraries; there was staff and resources to 
handle this.  Do smaller libraries wish they could do this, but lack the 
resources?  Have you thought about getting together with other 
departments and pooling resources for this?  What about contracting 
through a commercial ISP?  A local consortia?

I am very curious why we feel compelled to solve the same problems over 
and over again.

-Ross.

Norwood, Randy wrote:

>Andrew:
>
>It depends on a number of considerations. Probably the most important is
>whether your campus server department is comfortable using your
>preferred OS, web server, database and scripting environment
>(Perl/PHP/ASP/JSP). You may not have a lot of choice. For example, Texas
>Tech's campus server department uses Windows '03 Server clusters and IIS
>6 for almost all of the various run of the mill departmental websites
>(including the library's). Their system supports PHP, and I've found it
>works well with almost no changes from Linux/Apache (where our site
>previously was). There's also a version of Apache for Windows.
>
>Also, see if you can just get space on their system, rather than the
>library buying a box and requiring the server department integrate it
>into their environment. That will make it easier for them to maintain,
>back up, repair, etc. You would be given sufficient access to the server
>to maintain your site.
>
>
>
>--
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Randy Norwood
>Web Manager
>Texas Tech University Libraries
>Office: 806-742-2238 x318
>Fax: 806-742-8669
>E-mail: randy.norwood at ttu.edu
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: web4lib at webjunction.org
>[mailto:web4lib at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Andrew Darby
>Sent: Friday, September 03, 2004 12:19 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
>
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