Jacobs University userweb Guide
Sept 2013
Every Jacobs member, students included, can create up to five LAMP
hosts by themselves and access the file system by FTP to upload files,
store data in a MySql database, and have the host execute php scripts
and render html pages.
1|Page
Revisions
1.0
userweb guide creation
wlainenaida
April 15 2013
2.0
first website online
wlainenaida
April 30 2013
3.0
updates to guide page 9 & 10
wlainenaida
July 17 2013
4.0
update information on privacy and imprint
wlainenaida
Sept 17 2013
NOTES ON CMS
joomla info page 5 (click and install default in userweb)
wordpress info page 9
drupal info page 10
1
2|Page
INTRODUCTION
The ITC-IT WEB SELF SERVICE (userweb) enables users to create their own websites on the
Jacobs Userweb Server. Users being defined as active community members in good standing
with a campusnet username and password. A user may create 5 virtual hosts containing a total
maximum of 1024 MB in filesystem usage.
Excerpt from IT email March 4 2013 (Dr. Torge Schmidt)
“… We are just now setting up the "userweb" system. Every Jacobs member, students included, can
create up to five LAMP hosts by themself and access the file system by FTP to upload files, store data in a
MySql database, and have the host execute php scripts and render html pages.
The system is available at https://userweb.jacobs-university.de/ and requires logon with the Jacobs
account to boot. There is no involvement of IT support required.
After login, a host needs to be created, five is the maximum number of hosts per user. Then per host, ftp
accounts can be created to up/download files, five in total for all hosts. A web interface to the mysql
server, one per host, is also included. Also, a Joomla! installation can be performed in one click. All
required credentials are available on the web page.
The system is currently in "unannounced beta" state and "work in progress", meaning there is currently
no documentation available, and occasional changes and rough edges should be expected. At the
moment, the system is available only on campus, but that will change this week. We are also working on
the GUI. Also, users need to backup their data, which can be done e.g. on the home drive or to their pcs.
To ensure liveness and management of the installed hosts, the system requires web login every three
months at least once. Hosts of accounts without login for several months will be deleted.
It is important to know, that the FTP users of the first host, which is always named after the campusnet
user id, has access to all further hosts created by this user. ftp users of the other four hosts can only
access that host for which they were created - this allows members of a working group to share the ftp
access to a common host without compromising other hosts of the user who has created the host. It is
also possible to create multiple ftp accounts per host, which can be distributed to working group
members individually.
Any ftp client can be used to access files on the hosts, e.g. WinSCP or Windows Explorer or ncftp on the
Linux command line. It is important to use passive mode.
Sending mail needs to be done by smtp with user authentication to exchange.jacobs-university.de. pop
and imap retrieval can be done from any host. Of course, users need to comply to German law, and in
particular, German data protection law regarding person-related data. And Jacobs' policies, etc. …”
2
3|Page
More than 30 users are now active on the userweb system. In addition to the Web Services
Manager, you can also seek informative support from those already with sites online. Some
of those with sites on userweb are: Mathias Winterhalter, Vikram Unnithan, and Angelo Rossi
July 17 update
PRIVACY and IMPRINT (updated 17 September)
While this information appears on the userweb page in our intranet it is again here repeated.
Legal Information and Policies
Jacobs University Members using the userweb service to provide web content are, by all legal
means, personally responsible for the content and the links they publish, as well as the data
processing they perform on stored or entered data, as content providers are. They are required
to honor Jacobs University policies and guidelines as well as German and international laws
regarding data protection, copyright, and have the obligation to not cause harm to Jacobs
University as well.
Regarding data protection law, it is not allowed to collect person related data without
expressed consent of the user whose data is gathered or processed, nor is it allowed to
collected more data than needed for the application. If in doubt, please contact Jacobs
University's Datenschutzbeauftragter (Data Protection Officer).
Regarding copyright law, it is not allowed to share material without prior acquisition of the
appropriate license. This especially, but not exclusively, includes audio, video and
photographic material, software, and electronic books.
Other German laws to abide to are especially the Telekommunikationsgesetz (TKG),
Telemediengesetz (TMG), Bundesdatenschutzgesetz (BDSG), amongst others. Also note
additional requirements, especially the Impressumspflicht, Datensparsamkeit, informationelle
Selbstbestimmung, etc. Then there are a Jacobs University policies to abide to, especially
the Richtlinie zur Nutzung von Informations- und Kommunikationsdiensten (ICT Guideline),
the General Policy Governing the Appropriate Use of Computer Resources, and the Note of the
President banning peer2peer software amongst otherPolicies. For further Jacobs University
legal information information, see Legal.
To repeat, users employing the userweb service are personally responsible for the
content and application they publish!
3
4|Page
Diagram 1 – ready to log in
https://userweb.jacobs-university.de/ the system requires logon with your campusnet account.
Diagram 2 – logged in view
4
5|Page
Diagram 3 – viewing /creating a virtual host
ACCESSING THE SYSTEM AND CREATING YOUR VIRTUAL HOSTS
1. Go to https://userweb.jacobs-university.de
2. Enter using your campusnet credentials
3. Click on MANAGE YOUR VIRTUAL HOSTS
4. Create a virtual host - for example "robinhood" - which would then produce the following domain
name: robinhood.user.jacobs-university.de ...
VERY IMPORTANT: The system will assume that anyone having EDIT access to your first virtual host will
have similar access to all further virtual hosts (2-5). Should you wish a private host, create that in
position 2-5.
5. You will see beneath "Created" the word "PENDING" for a few minutes in the listing of your new
hosting. When this has cleared you will see beneath SETTINGS the word "Click". Click on this.
USING JOOMLA?
6. Click "CMS Install" to set up the joomla system.
USING FTP ACCESS and ANOTHER CMS? (or simply wishing ftp access in combination with CMS)
7. Click "Create new FTP User".
5
6|Page
Diagram 4 Virtual Host details
6
7|Page
EXAMPLE WEBSITE on USERWEB
The first website to launch on the userweb system was from Dr. Mathias Winterhalter, using the joomla!
CMS (diagram 6). The website was styled to mimic the research information on his university microsite.
A default joomla template with the Jacobs CI will be made available for the Fall term.
http://winterhalter.user.jacobs-university.de/
Diagram 5 Styled website in joomla!
7
8|Page
Diagram 6 joomla! Default installation
8
9|Page
WORDPRESS
There is currently no click to install support for wordpress in userweb. To install wordpress, simply
download and install via your ftp client. A default wordpress template with the Jacobs CI will be made
available for the Fall term.
The Jacobs mobile website uses wordpress. BUT your installation will look different.
Install wordpress: http://codex.wordpress.org/Installing_WordPress
The famous 5 minute installation:
http://codex.wordpress.org/Installing_WordPress#Famous_5-Minute_Install
TIP: not all wordpress themes support all plugins. Install your plugins FIRST. When you install your
theme, you will receive a warning from the theme IF a plugin does not suit the theme.
Good wordpress plugins to have in your site:
BackUpWordPress
Broken Link Checker
CMS Tree Page View
Contact Form 7
Contact Form DB
WordPress SEO
Widget Logic
WPML (multi-lingual plugin with annual fee)
backs up your website
checks for broken links in your site
gives you a tree view of your pages
easy to use contact form
database and export function for your contact forms
SEO plugin easy to use!
allows you to make widgets unique to a page
best multi-language plugin that syncs content with your menus!
9
10 | P a g e
DRUPAL
There is currently no click to install support for drupal in wordpress. To install wordpress, simply
download and install via your ftp client. A default drupal 7 template with the Jacobs CI will be made
available for the Fall term.
The Jacobs website uses drupal 6 – so do not be surprised if you find great differences in how you
administer your pages in drupal 7!
Download and install drupal 7: https://drupal.org/download
Installation instructions: https://drupal.org/documentation/install
This IS EASIER than you might expect!
TIP: drupal 8 will be released early in 2014. Use the core modules that come with drupal 7 – it will
make it easier to upgrade to drupal 8 if you do not have a collection of special modules that may not
work in drupal 8.
EXAMPLE drupal 7 site:
http://swebdev02.irc-it.jacobs-university.de the site has been put together using drupal 7.
drupal 7 theme: professional responsive theme 7.x -1.0 from zymphonies.com
theme style sheets and modules upon request
10