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Forum Infrastructure Committee
Dynamic Content Survey
Fall 2005

Introduction, Purpose, and InstructionsTOP

The Web Forum Infrastructure committee has received numerous requests for a service for dynamic content on web servers. By "dynamic content" we mean the ability to run server-based applications. Following up with requestors, we found it useful to separate requestors into three different levels of experience:

High experience:
These are groups already running web servers with dynamic content. They tend to have substantial infrastructure in place, with anywhere from a few to a several dozen servers in production. Staff generally number three or more technology professionals.
Medium experience:
These groups have some experience with dynamic content. They may have a few servers in production. They generally have one or two technology professionals on staff.
Low experience:
These groups have experience with static content in production. They may have experimented with dynamic content but generally have none in production. These groups often have only part-time employees or students on their technical staff.

There are four components to any solution in this area:

Application Server:
PHP, Java (servlets, JSP, JSF, etc), Perl cgi, Python, ColdFusion, hahtSITE, etc.
Database:
MySQL, PostGres, Oracle, SQL Server, Access, FileMaker, etc.
Operating System:
Unix/Linux, Mac OSX, Windows
Web Server:
Apache, IIS
Obviously, it is not possible to support every possible combination of technologies. After evaluating the scalability, security, and supportability of the technologies at hand and the needs of campus, in particular the needs of the Medium and Low experience groups (those most in need), Computing Services proposes the following program for dynamic content.

Phase One: PHP with MySQL or Oracle under Apache on linux/unix/Mac OSX available on the core web infrastructure at http://www.cmu.edu and associated virtual hosts. This combination may also be made available on the portal following initial deployment.

Phase Two: JSP/JSF with Oracle under Apache on linux/unix/Mac OSX. This combination would be made available on the core web infrastructure some time after the PHP deployment.

Questions, particularly for campus technology teams that fit the medium or low experience descriptions above:

  • Are these technology combinations you would use if centrally provided?
  • What would you pay for this service? This service is resource-intensive and cannot be provided for free. Computing Services expects to be able to provide this service at a cost comparable to commercial ISPs.
  • Would you prefer a different application server? If so, please tell us your preference, and the reason for it.
  • Would you prefer a different selection of database servers? If so, please tell us your preference, and the reason for it.
  • Other questions or comments on this plan?

Please note that the Web Forum Infrastructure committee is exploring this issue in cooperation with Computing Services. Please do not construe this survey as a commitment to providing the service.

Thanks in advance for your help with this very important effort.

If you have any questions about the survey, please send email to dkennedy@andrew.cmu.edu.

When you have completed the survey, please click the "Submit" button and your responses will be emailed to the committee.

Part I: Contact InformationTOP

It is important that we have accurate contact information for you. This information will not be distributed to anyone, but will be used only to contact you if we need to follow up for clarification.

1. Name
2. Email Address
3. Work phone