Self-serve web hosting

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

Self-serve web hosting provides UVic employees and students with a university-managed hosting environment that enables personal website hosting and, for experienced developers, running custom PHP or Python applications.

Target Customer

{"UVic employees","UVic students","Experienced web admins and developers"}

Key Differentiator

UVic IT administers and maintains the web server (uptime, patches, backups, and shared software), while site owners control their content and permissions; it offers separate hosts for employees and students, 130-day backups, and advanced options for configuring permissions and specific PHP/Python versions.

Implementation Timeline

Immediate upon signup and connection; after uploading content to the www folder, it will be published to web.uvic.ca (employees) or studentweb.uvic.ca (students). Renewal can occur up to 2 months before expiration; sites may be removed if the subscription expires or the user leaves UVic.

Pain Points

1Requires technical knowledge of SFTP, UNIX-like file systems, and content/permissions management
2Sites can be removed if the subscription expires or if the user leaves UVic
3Site security is the owner's responsibility (scripts and applications must be secure and up to date)

Key Features

1SFTP-based file transfer via Cyberduck (recommended) with UVic-hosted servers
2Separate hosting endpoints: web.uvic.ca for employees and studentweb.uvic.ca for students
3Backups stored for 130 days
4Pre-made folders (data, www, www-dev) to organize content
5Self-serve lifecycle: sign up via UVic Online Services and manage your own website
6Advanced options: set permissions, restrict access, and choose specific PHP or Python versions
7Security prompts including Duo MFA during login and connection

Target Customer Industries

Client Results

1Ability to publish a personal website on UVic-hosted infrastructure (web.uvic.ca or studentweb.uvic.ca)
2Ownership and control over content and permissions by the site owner
3Regular server maintenance and patches handled by UVic, with backups retained for 130 days
4Option to run custom PHP or Python applications for experienced users
5Secure access via Duo MFA and controlled permissions

Competitive Advantages

1University-managed server with ongoing maintenance, security patches, and backups
2Retention of backups for 130 days
3Dedicated hosting endpoints for employees and students
4Support for running custom PHP/Python applications for developers
5Duo MFA and other security measures during access

Key Benefits

1Ability to publish personal websites on UVic-hosted domains

2Reduced burden on users for server maintenance due to UVic-managed infrastructure

3130-day backups for data resilience

4Support for custom PHP/Python applications

5Secure access with Duo MFA and configurable permissions

Additional Product Information

Product Description

A self-serve hosting service from UVic's University Systems that lets employees and students host personal websites; the service is managed by UVic IT, while users maintain content and permissions. It supports running custom PHP/Python applications and includes security and lifecycle controls.

Target Market

UVic faculty, staff, and students who need to publish personal websites or run custom web applications on UVic-hosted infrastructure

Unique Value Proposition

University-managed hosting with user-controlled content and advanced configuration options, paired with robust security (Duo MFA), regular backups (130 days), and separate employee/student hosting environments, enabling technically adept users to deploy and manage custom web apps within the UVic ecosystem.

Technical Requirements

Knowledge of SFTP and UNIX-like file systems; use Cyberduck as the recommended SFTP client; NetLink ID and passphrase required; Duo MFA during login; access to UVic VPN if not on-campus; familiarity with managing content and permissions

Pricing Model

Free for both employees and students

Companies Solving Similar Problems

Based on matching: problems solved, key features, industries

Mindler Career Guidance Platform

Comprehensive career guidance and counselling services using advanced assessments and expert advice to help students discover and plan their ideal career paths.

Education

Career Counselling

Y Combinator

Y Combinator helps startups make something people want by providing early-stage funding, mentorship, and a strong network.

Technology

E-commerce

Design and Development Services

Umuzi Digital provides comprehensive design, product development, and strategic digital support at a fraction of the cost, enabling businesses to enhance their performance and grow.