Changes coming to the legacy linux web service

Introduction

As part of the retirement of the AFS file system, significant changes will be coming to the legacy linux web service, which hosts sites like https://www.slac.stanford.edu/econf/ and those under https://www.slac.stanford.edu/grp/ and https://www.slac.stanford.edu/exp , and has hosted the individual sites accessed using the https://www.slac.stanford.edu/~username format.  In general, the sites affected are those whose files currently reside in the unix AFS file system.

This article does not apply to Drupal-based websites (e.g., intranet or www6), or sites hosted on special-purpose applications (like Confluence).

A list of the top-level web sites effected is listed here: Legacy www.slac.stanford.edu sites

Changes coming to www.slac.stanford.edu

A replacement service, using a modern NFS server, is being set up to serve those sites that are still needed and supported. Note the following limitations:

1. Sites currently hosted by www.slac.stanford.edu will not be migrated to the new service without a specific request
   • Every web site to be migrated needs an identified owner  
   • Request site migration to the new server
     • Specify in the request "migration of an AFS website"
     • Please include in your request the URL for your existing website and the location of the underlying files (if possible)
   • Alternatively, the files for a website may be archived, offline, without web access
     • Request archiving of a site
     • Specify in the request "archive AFS website" and provide the file or web location
2. Other file systems, such as GPFS or NFS servers, which have been accessible by using a symbolic link (e.g.) will not be accessible on the new server
   • Such servers generally hold science data, and scientific users should be migrating their sites to S3DF
   • Science users who need such sites should contact S3DF to help migrate their data
   • This page provides more details and how to make a request: https://s3df.slac.stanford.edu/#/service-compute?id=s3df-static-sites
3. Individual web sites, using ~username URLs and files under ~/public_html will not be migrated or supported
   • This has already been implemented 
   • This is a high-level policy decision
   • Alternatives are listed below
4. The new server will not support CGI scripts, which historically have been difficult to maintain securely
   • All CGI scripts have already been removed
5. The new server will not support "slaconly" website restrictions based on the client's IP address
   • Any 'slaconly' sites that are migrated to the new server will require SSO authentication, regardless of the client's IP address
   • Ideally, websites that need to be restricted to the SLAC site should be migrated to a separate web service

All questions welcome; please contact the IT Service Desk if you need more information: https://it.slac.stanford.edu/support

Alternatives for individual ~username web sites

• If you are a current S3DF (SLAC Shared Science Data Facility) user who is affiliated with an S3DF project/facility you may be able to utilize S3DF's static web service for web sharing of science data.
  Please contact your S3DF Czar or Computing coordinator. S3DF web service terms and conditions:  https://s3df.slac.stanford.edu/#/service-compute?id=s3df-static-sites
• Stanford employees can get a personal website at stanford.edu  More information is available at https://uit.stanford.edu/guide/website/personal
  
  

URL Redirection

• If your site is moving to a different web service (e.g., S3DF or Stanford) a redirect from the existing SLAC URL to the new URL may be provided for 6 months
  • Request a temporary redirection
  • Please include both your old and new URLs in the request

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact the IT Service Desk.