[Nfb-web] Non X Catalyst Hosting on NFB Server

Tue Mar 24 02:46:11 UTC 2009

Good evening,

Not being a member of NFB or knowing anything about the current server  
specifications / traffic load I wonder what the cost of moving this  
over to a commercially hosted server would be if shared across all  
parties who make use of the resource?  I would expect that leasing a  
reliable server from a commercial provider would only have a nominal  
cost to each affiliate who wishes to share the cost.

Just a thought,
Everett

On 23-Mar-09, at 4:52 PM, Peter Donahue wrote:

> Hello Michael and listers,
>
> 	It's more a question of reliability than features. There has
> been a rash of NFB Net outages since the beginning of the year and my
> frustration and desire to do the best job I can for the affiliates  
> whose
> sites I manage continues to heighten. My patience with this  
> situation is
> beginning to wear thin; particularly when you consider that I manage
> about 12 affiliate sites hosted on NFB Net and have multiple requests
> from these affiliates to make changes to pages on their Web sites. I
> edit their pages and attempt to post them only to discover that NFB  
> Net
> is down.
>
> 	One affiliate has a state convention coming up this weekend and
> I need to post information related to their convention including the
> streaming links. I'm preparing the pages, but God only knows when I'll
> be able to upload them due to these outages. Our Writers' Division has
> asked me to post content to their site. I have it ready to go, but  
> can't
> upload it because NFB Net is down.
>
> 		We all appreciate what NFB Net offers in the way of Web
> space and other resources. However as NFB Net grows the need to  
> address
> matters like these outages must be delt with. If this organization can
> find $20,000,000 to build the Jernigan Institute we ought to be able  
> to
> find the funding to address this issue. No more crying poverty please.
> If these outages continue to occur perhaps this topic should be one  
> for
> discussion at this summer's Webmasters meeting. I know Dave is doing  
> all
> he can on his end. Perhaps we all need to put our heads together to  
> find
> a solution to address this matter, one that is effective and that  
> won't
> be costly to implement. Yes it's important to be grateful for what we
> have, but there comes a point where simply being grateful isn't  
> enough.
>
> I've told some individuals privately that to me our Web sites are  
> those
> of Fortune 500 Companies; not just those of a non-profit  
> organization. I
> approach each project I've done for the NFb and others as if it were  
> for
> a Fortune 500 Company. As such companies do all they can to prevent
> their Web sites from being down and unavailable to the public. One  
> need
> not have the big bucks of a Fortune 500 company to insure that their
> organization's Web site will have 99.9999999%up-time. Perhaps this  
> topic
> needs more discussion, myths debunked, and potential solutions  
> explored.
> As a member of our Webmasters Committee I'm willing to do whatever
> research is needed to find a remedy for these outages.
>
> 	And what about the philosophical end of things? I would be
> extremely embarrassed as an affiliate president to refer members and
> potential members and supporters to visit a Web site not knowing if  
> it's
> going to be available or not. That doesn't bode well for us and our
> belief that the blind can succeed as computer and Web professionals.
>
> 	I noticed that  the NFB server in Baltimore is hardly down. I
> only recall one instance when the NFB National sites were down and  
> that
> was for a few days last year. It was this that got me to wonder if  
> non X
> Catalyst hosting could be made available on the NFB server for
> affiliates that prefer not to use X Catalyst allowing them to use
> whatever design methodologies they chose for building their Web sites.
>
> 	Sorry for the rant. I'm trying to fulfill the requests turned in
> to me by affiliates for their Web sites that need servicing. Here's
> hoping we'll see the light at the end of the tunnel soon. All the best
> for a great week.
>
> A very frustrated Peter Donahue
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-web-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-web-bounces at nfbnet.org]  
> On
> Behalf Of Michael Hansen
> Sent: Sunday, March 22, 2009 10:50 PM
> To: NFB Webmaster's List
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-web] Non X Catalyst Hosting on NFB Server
>
>
> Peter,
>
> The only reason why a site would have been hosted on the nfb.org  
> server
> instead of the nfbnet.org server was because that is were the x  
> Catalyst
> software was installed. What features or functionality are you looking
> for that is not available on the nfbnet.org server?
>
> Mike
> ---
> Mike Hansen
> NFB of Nebraska
>
>
> On Sun, Mar 22, 2009 at 1:32 PM, Peter Donahue <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net 
> >
> wrote:
>> Hello everyone,
>>
>>    During last year's webmasters workshop the plan offered by our
>> national office for affiliates wishing to host their Web sites via X
>> Catalyst was explained. Has a non X Catalyst hosting plan for
>> affiliates wanting to host their sites on the NFB Server been
>> considered, and what would be the cost? I'm envisioning something
>> similar to what is now offered on NFB Net, but the affiliate sites
>> would be hosted on the NFB Server instead of NFB Net. Just thought I
>> would ask.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
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>> mhansen4%40gm
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>>
>
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