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The AIS Public Web Server may be helpful to MSU units that are providing web applications for departmental, University or public use.  We can provide a secure, reliable and robust Windows Server environment where you can develop and run your HTML/ASP/SQL Server applications within a shared environment.  Here are some details:

AIS Public Web Server Environment

  1. Is available to all University units.
  2. Is intended as a web hosting service for customer-unit-developed web applications.
  3. Is housed within a physically secure space.
  4. Provides a secured web site location for your application(s). 
  5. Provides a development environment to create and test your applications.  All application changes will be tested in this environment.
  6. Provides a production environment to serve the application(s) to your customers. 
  7. Is available 24x7 except for:
    1. Planned system outages that will be coordinated with application owners.
    2. Campus network service outages outside our control.  Service Alerts for campus-wide network outages are generally posted at http://servicestatus.msu.edu
    3. Unexpected Hardware or software failures.  Service Alerts are posted by AIS for these types of outages.
      • NOTE: AIS will not pay damages if there is a system outage.
  1. Is monitored 24x7 for continuous operation (the server, and optionally, the application: see below).
  2. Provides sufficient resources to accommodate new applications of reasonable size.   Details regarding the application and database needs will be discussed at a kick-off meeting. 

NOTE: The Public Web Server Service is a shared environment, meaning that many other applications owned by other MSU units are running on the same server.  It is the Client’s responsibility to ensure applications are running efficiently and do not cause problems for other applications.  It is recommended that the Client not run University mission critical applications in this shared environment.

Supported Hardware/Software 

AIS provides a Microsoft environment that includes the following:

  1. Microsoft IIS (Internet Information Services) is provided.
  2. ASP/HTML
  3. Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Accessare available to develop applications that will need a database. 

    NOTE:     Though Microsoft Access is available for use, it is problematic when used with web applications; therefore, it is recommended that you use Microsoft SQL Server.

  4. Microsoft SQL Server development / management desktop (Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio) software is available if the requesting University department does not have it.
  5. JMail is available for use.

Database Support

AIS will provide the following:

  1. Microsoft SQL Server database creation.
  2. Microsoft SQL Server user account creation and permissions.
  3. Primary “application owners” will be set up as dbo (database owner) for database modifications.

·         NOTE:  Customers cannot add users, AIS must be contacted.  Once user accounts have been added, customers designated as dbo can assign permissions to database objects as desired.

Security

        1. The AIS-developed web security utility application (D6501 Web Security System) is available for:
          1. Authenticating users using MSUNetID and password
          2. Providing your application with additional identity information (SSN, ZPID, APID, Name) about the current logged in user.  
          3. Authorizing users to different components of your application and validating access via D6501 API calls.
        2. AIS will set up initial security arrangements for development.
        3. AIS will consult with you on your application security design and can help you maintain all security arrangements.
        4. The Public Web Server environment is behind the AIS firewall and Intrusion Prevention System (IPS).

Non-Supported Services

The following services will not be supported or provided by AIS:

  1. Application programming. 
  2. FTP (File Transfer Protocol).
  3. A job scheduling system.
  4. File or print server services.
  5. Testing of client applications.
  6. .NET services are provided.  However, AIS does not offer support for this product. 

Cost

  1. $100.00 Initial Setup fee.
  2. No monthly charge if under 100 MB ($10 / 100MB / month over initial 100MB).

Problem Reporting / Help Desk Services

  1. At your request and for a cost, AIS can provide a monitoring mechanism to detect application problems and report them to you.  This service would require a designated individual(s) from the client’s department to be available to accept emergency calls 24x7.  To discuss this service in further detail, please contact the AIS Help Desk at 353-4420, ext. 311 or e-mail ais311@msu.edu
  2. To report Public Web Server problems as well as response time issues, contact the AIS Help Desk at 353-4420, ext. 311 or e-mail ais311@msu.edu
    1. Normal business hours are Monday - Friday 7:45am - 5:00pm.
    2. Assistance for calls received outside normal business hours is covered by AIS Computer Operations staff after 5:00pm Monday - Friday and Saturday until 3:30pm by phone at (517) 353-4420, x311.
    3. AIS is unattended from 3:30pm Saturday until 8:00pm Sunday and on University holidays. During unattended hours, contact AIS by phone at (517) 353-4420, x311 and the AIS voice mail system will pickup and provide further instructions, including emergency contact information.

Storage and Backup

  1. AIS provides the Public Web Server space and server-side software.
  2. Full backups of files and databases are completed weekly and ”differential” backups are completed nightly.  In addition, databases may be defined for full transaction logging meaning that they may be recovered up to the point of failure.

Server System Administration

  1. Server-side system administration is provided by AIS.
  2. AIS is responsible for operating system installation, configuration and subsequent upgrades, including the timely application of critical and non-critical service packs and patches for supported platforms.
  3. AIS is responsible for operating system backup and restore.
  4. AIS is responsible for installation, maintenance, and administration of server anti-virus and backup application software. 
  5. AIS is responsible for server-side system rebuilds due to hardware failure or security breach. 
  6. Application owners will be notified of all server environment changes except for the non-critical service packs and patches described above. 

Assumptions

  1. Separate disaster recovery hardware is not included.  In the event of a hardware failure, next business day hardware vendor maintenance is relied upon for replacement of applicable hardware components.
  2. Operating System (OS) and Microsoft SQL Server patches are anticipated.  These patches, particularly security related patches, may have to be applied immediately upon their availability to protect the Client and AIS infrastructure.  Such patches are not anticipated to impact the Client applications residing on the servers, but this cannot be guaranteed. 
  3. AIS will periodically upgrade the releases of the OS and Microsoft SQL Server for the various servers it supports.  AIS will apply upgrades to the development environment first, allowing clients to test their applications. Since OS and SQL Server upgrades may cause significant changes in functionality, it is important that application testing occur prior to an OS or Microsoft SQL Server upgrade in the production environment.  Details of any such OS or Microsoft SQL Server upgrade and needed application testing will be distributed to the Application Owner.  It is expected that the Application Owner will conclude such testing in a timely fashion. 
  4. AIS will periodically upgrade the hardware for the various servers it supports.  Typically, AIS will apply upgrades to the development environment first, whenever possible, allowing Clients to test their applications prior to the upgrade completed in the production environment.  Since hardware upgrades may cause changes in the functionality of the Client application, it is important that applications be tested as soon as possible after the upgrade.  Details of any such hardware upgrade and needed application testing will be distributed to the Application Owner.  It is expected that the Application Owner will conclude such testing in a timely fashion. 
  5. Application development and application problem resolution remains the Client responsibility. Application-level alerts generated by AIS monitoring tools will be sent to the Application Owner(s), if requested (see Problem Reporting above).


To schedule a Public Web kick-off meeting or for Installation/Technical questions, contact the Public Web Support staff at email pws@ais.msu.edu or the AIS Help Desk at email ais311@msu.edu  


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Last modified: August 15, 2008