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Web Content Management Program

Vision

One of University IT (UIT)'s priority initiatives is to provide modern, secure, and managed cloud-based web alternatives through the Web Content Management program. The program is a collection of efforts to replace the current Andrew File System (AFS)-based web content management systems. AFS is minimally supported and hosts a number of websites created by individuals and other organizations in unsupported, outdated and vulnerable versions of web tools.  

By 2021, UIT will establish new vendor platforms, upgrade established platforms, and assist the web content management community in determining the closest-fit solution for their needs.

Projects

The program comprises eight projects. Below is an overview of each project. 

AFS-Based Drupal Websites

Stanford’s vast web presence is maintained by many distributed groups across campus and includes a wide variety of applications and hosting platforms, including the legacy AFS platform. 

UIT will reduce instances of Drupal on AFS by removal of inactive websites and provide alternative hosting options and guidance for owners of active websites.

Learn more


Stanford Sites Drupal CMS

Stanford Sites Drupal CMS, UIT’s primary Drupal cloud service, currently hosts 2,000+ sites. To continue receiving security updates and community support, the Drupal service must be updated to the latest version of Drupal by November 2022.

The goal of the multi-year Drupal project is to develop a central system that improves reliability and security for the Stanford Sites Drupal platform as a whole and allows sites to automatically receive regular security patches and upgrades.

Learn moreRead the blog

Form Builder Replacement

Form Builder, the Stanford Web Forms service, currently relies on AFS, and UIT announced Google Forms as its replacement in January 2020. Google Forms is a secure, easily-managed web forms solution that provides many of the same features and functions as Form Builder. 

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WordPress Hosting Platform

A cloud-based WordPress hosting and vendor-provided support option will be made available as an alternative to the cloud Drupal platform.

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Static HTML/CGI-Enabled Websites

Static HTML, CGI-enabled websites on AFS will be documented, and University IT will communicate about alternative hosting options for Stanford users, groups, and departments.

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AFS User Volume Provisioning

UIT will change the process for provisioning AFS user volumes to new students, faculty, and staff.  New users will no longer be auto-provisioned with AFS user volumes. Should a new user need a personal AFS user volume, a request can be submitted through services.stanford.edu.

Learn more

Virtual Name Redirect

UIT will move virtual name redirects (vanity URL services) to a cloud platform and move proxy URL redirects to a vanity URL redirect cloud infrastructure.

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Virtual Proxy Hosting

UIT will move the virtual name proxy service to a cloud-based vanity URL service.

 

Learn more

Roadmap

  • AFS-Based Drupal Websites
    • March 2019 - April 2021: Reduce instances of Drupal on AFS
  • Stanford Sites Drupal CMS
    • March 2019 - Feb. 2021: Build and release the latest version of Drupal for Stanford Sites on cloud platform
  • Form Builder Replacement
    • Aug. 2019 - June 2020: Identify a replacement for the Web Forms service and freeze the current Web Forms service
  • WordPress Hosting Platform
    • Sept. 2019 - Aug. 2021: Select and implement a vendor platform for WordPress hosting and support
  • Static HTML/CGI-Enabled Websites
    • Sept. 2020 - Aug. 2021: Communicate about alternative hosting solution (Stanford Domains) for static HTML/CGI-enabled websites
  • AFS User Volume Provisioning
    • Feb. 2020 - Nov. 2020: End automated provisioning of new AFS web directory space to new faculty and staff
  • Virtual Name Redirect
    • Feb. 2020 - Aug. 2021: Move virtual name redirects (Vanity URL services) to cloud platform and move proxy URL redirects to Vanity URL redirect cloud infrastructure
  • Virtual Name Proxy
    • Feb. 2020 - Sept. 2021: Move virtual name proxy to Vanity URL service

View Service Sunset Schedule

Resources

Communications

Read the latest news and blog updates about the program:

View UIT blog

Roles

  • Executive Sponsors: Steve Gallagher, Brad Immanuel, Ganesh Karkala
  • Program Manager: Joe Perna
  • Product Owner: Larry Dillard (Static HTML websites, AFS web directory space, virtual name redirect, virtual name proxy)
  • Product Owner: Marco Wise (Form Builder)
  • Product Owner: Sara Worrell-Berg (AFS-based Drupal websites, Stanford Sites Drupal platform, WordPress hosting platform)
  • Communications Leads: Rachel Manongdo, Staci Baird