<div class="gmail_quote">Recently, the committee approved the provision of UCC services for paid club hosting. The specifics of the prices and such have already been decided on, however, there are some implementation issues that I think need discussing.</div>
<div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">The initial thought of the committee was that a VPS system would be the easiest for those clubs which need more than just web hosting services; it isolates the clubs, allowing them to configure a myriad of services while still being easily locked in case of non-payment.</div>
<div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">However, VPSs come with certain security issues that make them not the most ideal technology for club hosting, even if that club needs additional services. The fact that they clubs are in charge of the security of the server means such things may be neglected.</div>
<div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">For example, the UWA Atheist & Skeptic Society, who are (beside CSSC) the only club interested in this service, only need web hosting, some procmail/postfix routing and a mailman instance to run on their domain <a href="http://uass.asn.au">uass.asn.au</a>.</div>
<div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">In this case, configuration files would be in a variety of places on the UCC servers, making account locking difficult if it needs to be done. VPSs solve this problem.<br>
<br>However, on IRC, [JCF] has raised an objection to the necessity of VPSs, even for the use case that UASS has.</div><div class="gmail_quote"><br><div>It was suggested that due to the infrequency of the request, and the lack of issues with account locking in the past, that the security benefits of integration outweigh the advantages of VPS-based service isolation.</div>
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<div>"We're probably better off sticking with what we do well rather than introducing something we're less likely to maintain in the interests of security."</div><div><br></div><div>I am personally for integration; it makes it much easier for the club, as they don't need to perform software-based maintenance. What are other people's opinions?</div>
<br><font color="#888888">-- <br><div>Ash Tyndall [ASH]</div><div>2011 Fresher Rep</div></font></div>