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Subsections

Management Issues

Configuring a test web server too..

It is difficult to host a conference web site without editting the web pages from time to time. For static html pages you can usually fiddle with the real web pages without dire consequences. However when using PHP and especially when editting global include files it is easy to introduce parse errors. Your website will appear odd, unpleasant and unprofessional to anyone who is viewing pages at the time that you accidentally introduce these errors. Thus it is infinitely better to have a test web site where you may fiddle to your heart is content without detriment to your audience. Of course, you also need a test database for your test site. The very last thing you want in the world is to accidentally alter your data, or worse...

Setting up a test site is not difficult. You have 2 choices:

  1. Set up a test site and test database on the same host. You use a different port for the test web server. Of course you must be carefulto distinguish the test site from the real site when you are editting files! I don't recommend this solution unless you are an apache pro.
  2. Set up the test site on another machine in your local network. This is safer, but less convenient for merging your changes between the test site and the real site. Happily the test site does not have to be very powerful. And it can be invaluable for testing patches. If the latest security patch for xyz comes out, and you wish to apply and test the patch first in a safe environment, then a remote test site is exactly what you need for this situation. Moreover, a test server can be used temporarily as the conference web server in case your web server has a hardware failure.
(to be completed)

Backing up your server and your data

Before you open your web site for production you must implement a backup plan. There are a few kinds of 'backups' to consider:

  1. Backing up the data to archival media
  2. Mirroring the data locally where possible
  3. Planning for an alternate service in case your server dies
(to be completed)


next up previous contents
Next: Miscellaneous Up: SciCon Installation Document Previous: Configuring SciCon   Contents
Denice DEATRICH 2003-10-12