EMBC Webspace Starter Guide

[portseven]

Hello All

 

So I am a school governor in North Derbyshire and for my sin's have picked up the duty of maintaining the schools website.

 

So had a quick look today (only just got access) and just trying to find out a little about what we have got, as their wasn't really any handover documentation. It looks like it is a Microsoft based hosting solution with aspx pages etc.

 

I have a few questions if anyone can help.

 

• Have we just got some space on a webserver somewhere?
  
• Is there any database capabilities I can use?
  
• Is there a CMS? Or am I editing the aspx / html by hand?
  
• What are the backup provisions?
  
• Are there any other scripting languages enabled? (PHP, Python, Perl)?
  
• Is there an option to switch to a *NIX based hosting solution?
  

 

I am thinking that rather than doing all this editing stuff myself, maybe just stick a copy of Wordpress or something similar up there and then get the various School Staff to edit their own sections. I am not a great webgeek myself and so don't relish the idea of hacking asp/html, I am a Solutions Architect in my day job and as such not touched any code for years (sysadmin background anyway)

[GrumbleDook]

The guide is available at EMBC Technical Library and I have had Joomla sites on there before so wordpress shouldn't be an issue either.

[portseven]

thanks for that, looks usefull

 

though looks like we don't have a plesk login, or if we do no-one knows about it

 

i assume its through plesk you can setup databses etc?

[sparkeh]

Yes you have access to Plesk to maintain your webspace. Contact Synetrix helpdesk for details.

 

Be aware that there appear to be ongoing issues with PHP sites that is being investigated.

[Tapiochre]

Hi Portseven...

 

I've been working in Synetrix hosted websites for some time now so maybe I can help answer a few points, manual-free..

 

So had a quick look today (only just got access) and just trying to find out a little about what we have got, as their wasn't really any handover documentation. It looks like it is a Microsoft based hosting solution with aspx pages etc.

 

>> I have found Synextrix can offer Linux as well as MS based services. I find Linux is easier to deal with (it's my area of familiarity), that has made rolling out other PHP based applications, alongside the website, much more accommodating. That's my opinion anyway.

 

I have a few questions if anyone can help.

Have we just got some space on a webserver somewhere?

 

>> Yes, but you can add other stuff too... On Northants sites, we get 500MB allocated per site...

 

Is there any database capabilities I can use?

 

>> Note "out of the bag", but each school is allocated 2 databases (MySQL or Microsoft SQL) to work with any database oriented application (Wordpress, forums, galleries, Moodle sites e-commerce etc)

 

Is there a CMS? Or am I editing the aspx / html by hand?

 

>> You can upload (for example) a Joomla CMS system which you can then configure and tweak, This eats a database (see above) but this CMS is well recognised for websites.

 

What are the backup provisions?

 

>> Good question. Will have to defer to grumbledook on that one.

 

Are there any other scripting languages enabled? (PHP, Python, Perl)?

 

>> Yes indeed. All of the above.

 

Is there an option to switch to a *NIX based hosting solution?

 

>> Switch? Dunno about 'switch'. I just use it and that's it!

 

I am thinking that rather than doing all this editing stuff myself, maybe just stick a copy of Wordpress or something similar up there and then get the various School Staff to edit their own sections.

 

>> Eminently sensible! I have set up both Dreamweaver and Wordpress on school site sin Northants with success....

 

I am not a great webgeek myself and so don't relish the idea of hacking asp/html, I am a Solutions Architect in my day job and as such not touched any code for years (sysadmin background anyway)

 

>> Well, that's ok. I have found that the hardest part on (say) a Wordpress load and install is the initial 5 minutes and some initial permissions - which Synetrix will help on if I get stuck! The rest is a breeze.

 

Feel free to PM me for more help if you feel you need it.

 

Chris

 

(E&OE) Error and Ommissions Excepted...

[gonzodad]

Hi portseven - the webhosting servers in embc are replicated between the 2 data centres during the day and also various backups are taken and retained on a pretty standard basis - daily/weekly etc. These backups are for DR purposes so that we can restore the service if brown stuff and fan ever come together. Hence i’d follow good practice and keep local copies of your school website (make sure you backup everything – webpages, images, scripts etc).

[kaphc]

Hi, I am also in Derbyshire and edit our school's website using Microsoft Expression Web (not the best but it's what I inheritted and is OK to use), then ftp any amendments up onto the embc site. It's very simple as solutions go, but sometimes small is beautiful :-)