Website Migration Project - Term Paper Example

WEBSITE MIGRATION PROJECT Number In the past websites were only used by organizations as a marketing tool. However, in the recent past, websites have formed the most integral part of an organization and is used for communication, marketing, administration and market research. Currently, most business organizations use their websites to sell their products and services and provide both supplier and customer support services. The process of establishing a website involves several activities and touches many aspects of business processes mentioned above. The approach to the design and the planning of websites is referred to as web architecture. It entails the technical, functional and aesthetic factors that relate to a website. The focus of web architecture is on the user and particularly on their requirements. Web architecture addresses this by focusing on the web content, usability, business plan, interaction design, web design and information architecture. Web architecture is also a fundamental concept that includes web site map and website navigation (Linux Home Networking, 2011). In the Tony’s Chips context, the website will be a two-tiered web architecture that entails the web browser that will be used to display the information and content to the different users and a web server that is used to transfer the requested information to the clients/users. Essentially, web pages will be designed using the conventional HTML language, the site will also maintain the initial URL (universal Resource Locator) this will allow it to be accessed and used by users globally. Websites are either internally (self hosting) or externally hosted. Each of these options has different advantages and disadvantages depending on the business needs and requirements. The decision as to whether to self host or externally host a website is dependent on many factors including cost, reliability, convenience, privacy and other ethical concerns. Tonys’ Chips wishes to transfer their website from external hosting to internal (self) hosting. In order to achieve this objective, there are several steps and procedures that must be followed for effectiveness and reliability. The aim is to move the website from an external host to an internal host with minimum or limited down time and disruptions to the normal business operations. Many technologies have been invented that has ultimately made the transfer of web sites from one host to another easier. Despite the leap in technology advancement, there are minimal downtimes and delays expected in the transfer. Such transfers have resulted in domains going dark for some hours or even days in different occasions. This is mainly occasioned by the need to transfer web files, restore vital database files and ensuring that every software needed for the running of the web site is installed. Additionally, the configuration of sub domains and ensuring that they are in working order may result in a down time of up to a day or two. However, this extended down time can be reduced drastically by allowing the administrator to work on the new web hosting plan without altering and subsequently transferring the DNS to the new host. The first step in this process is to evaluate our website. We have to know the kind of website and the architecture before we transfer to internal hosting. This involves finding out where the web files are stored in our current host. It is also important to determine the type of database we are using if any and how we can obtain a back up of the database. To obtain this critical information, we will contact the current web site host (Hangkiat, 2014). Once this evaluation is done, we can download the files from the current host to a resident machine in the company. This could be the designated server machine that will be used as the web server for the internal hosting. To effectively and efficiently download the files, it is important to use the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). It is also important not to cancel the hosting with the web hosting company yet as that will result to irreversible loss of the web files and databases. Depending on the web site host, we can be able to download a complete website back up file that has all the web files and the database in one location. This is then saved in the new server for internal hosting (Hangkiat, 2014). Databases are downloaded in compressed formats since they have a considerable size. The huge individual files are often compressed to minimize storage space. The compressed files should not be decompressed after they are stored in the server. Once all files have been downloaded, then the migration can begin. Here, we request our service provider to readjust the Time to Live (TTL) on the new domain in the DNS zone to a low level (one minute). This will take at least three to five days for the changes to be recognized by all the remote servers. This time is reduced by the initial steps of evaluation and downloading of the files so the expected time is less than two days. Once propagation is completed, it will only take a minute for the results of the final DNS configuration to be realized (Hangkiat, 2014). We can then set up the new in-house name servers. We will edit the etc/host file to make the new domain name to refer to its own IP address. This name server could be www.tonyschips.com, the etc/hosts file is given more priority than the DNS hence the server will know that www.tonyschips.com is hosted on it. At this point we will also create an entry for email@tonyschips.com mail since the server will also be our mail server (Linux Home Networking, 2011). We will then test our server based applications from the new internal server by ironing out any prefix issues in the software files, adding all the necessary and relevant users, passwords and permissions. We can also make all the relevant edits to the system files using the FTP account via the web site IP address. This ensures smooth operation of the website once the migration and propagation is complete (Linux Home Networking, 2011). We can then test the server from a remote client by running the www.tonyschips.com domain name. We will edit the etc/host file in the web browser to map the domain name to the IP address of the new server. We will also add an entry for the email@tonyschips.com mail. The clients will always refer to these files before checking the DNS. Hence we can use them to predefine some of the DNS lookups at the local client level (Hangkiat, 2014). Once the testing is complete and everything is in order, we will coordinate with the service provider to update the domain registration DNS records for www.tonyschips.com to point to the new in-house web server. The results of the migration will be available in one minute based on the specified TTL. We can then set the TTL back to the original value to reduce the amount of DNS query traffic hitting our DNS server. We can finally test the website and ensure that everything is working as usual. This can be done by remote access to the site that determines whether the customers will be able to access the resources in the website. The best operating system to use in this web architecture is the LINUX and Windows operating system. LINUX is ideal given its robust nature and the fact that Fedora is free hence significantly reducing the costs of migration. On the other hand Windows operating system is universal and available to many users but slightly expensive. For the web data base, SQL provides a more reliable and easy to use platform. Additionally, SQL is mostly used by most external web hosting service providers. Alternatives to self hosting Self hosting has its advantages and a fair share of disadvantages. To begin with, self hosting allows more flexibility and control of the web site, enhances reliability and availability and reduces the cost among other advantages. However, it requires enhanced security that could be difficult to provide particularly for the confidential data and information on customers and processes. additionally, self hosting results to the loss of services provided by external host companies such as cloud computing, data back-up, security auditing, load balancing, DNS services, data base services, redundant hardware and technical support among others. There are other alternatives to self hosting that could result in better service provision and convenience than self hosting. They include (Linux Home Networking, 2011); i) Virtual hosting This alternative allows us to get hosting services from virtual hosting companies that charge as little as $120 annually to host our web site and provide additional back up, security and technical support. Virtual hosting companies however will not allow us much control over our website and the associated activities. To get hosted by a private virtual hosting company, we will have to register with the company by signing up with the company. We then register a domain name with domain providers such as register.com VeriSign. We then upload our web pages to the virtual hosting directory. ii) Dedicated hosting Dedicated hosting alternative to self hosting a website basically entails purchasing, leasing or renting a dedicated server with an internet data center. The company will then pay for the needed space that the server files will occupy in the data center; the costs also include the power consumed and the amount of internet bandwidth that the company will use. Dedicated hosting also accords the company additional service such as monitoring, back-ups, on call engineering time, bandwidth graphing and firewall management at an additional fee. These services can be fairly expensive going up to $2,000 a year for the mentioned services for 1Mbps of bandwidth. This service also offers the company some liberty for customization. Gantt Chart for implementing the website migration System architecture The ideal architecture for the organization is client-server two tier architecture. This architecture entails a central server where several clients can access the information in the central server by making requests to the server. Customers can access details of items they wish to purchase by making inquiries to the database through the website. They can then submit their orders through the online portal to the server where the respective employee will process the order and schedule delivery if the items to the customer. The client server architecture is most suited for this website given the central nature of operations in the company. The diagram below illustrates the client-server architecture Use case Diagram The diagram illustrates the activities that take place as the customer makes an order for a bag of chips from the company using the website. The order is received and processed before an invoice is displayed to the customer who then makes a purchase. The customer then makes payment which is processed by the accountant by verifying with the credit card company. Once funds are received, the administrator then releases the goods and is received by the customer. Support operations The internal hosting and implementation will require several support operations that must be implemented to ensure that the website runs smoothly. First the company will need maintenance and regular monitoring support to ensure that that all the programs are running smoothly and that no hitches are experienced. In the initial setup, the service was provided by the external host but since the hosting has migrated this support is needed. Secondly, back up of both web files and database files is needed to ensure that there is continuity in case of any interference on the resident files and database on the server. This can be achieved through cloud storage using reputable companies that are experienced in offering such services. Thirdly, the company will also need security support to ensure that the websites and the crucial web files and databases are secured from unauthorized access. Finally, we will need technical support in terms of hardware and software support and maintenance. Additional hardware and software will be needed to implement the internal hosting, therefore we will need technical support during installation and periodic maintenance. Evaluation of the new web site and success of the project The new website will be evaluated mainly on the functionality and usability. The evaluation will be based on several parameters; i) Efficiency How efficient is the web site in serving the company’s needs and the user’s needs as well. This can be determined by the cost incurred by the company in running the web site through the internal hosting as compared to the previous external hosting. On the users side this can be measured by how fast can the users accomplish their normal tasks. ii) Reliability How reliable is the website in terms of availability, is the availability enhanced after the migration or is there any changes to the reliability of the website. The reliability of the web site can also be measured by the delays experienced by the customers and remote users while making orders and purchases of the products. iii) Consistency Is there consistency in the structure and functionality of the website? Do the customers and the staff in the company and the general public have access to the new website and how do they accomplish their tasks. Is the any change in the way customers and the general public view and use the website? iv) Customer satisfaction A good and the best evaluation strategy is to determine whether the customers are satisfied with the changes made and how it affects their tasks during ordering and purchase of the respective products. References Hangkiat, L. (2014). 5 Steps to Migrating Website Without (or Minimal) Downtime. Retrieved June 5, 2015, from Hongkiat.com: http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/website-migration-guide/ Linux Home Networking. (2011). Quick How To. Retrieved May 5, 2015, from linuxhomenetworking.com: http://www.linuxhomenetworking.com/wiki/index.php/Quick_HOWTO_:_Ch01_:_Reasons_For_Hosting_Your_Own_Web_Site#.VXBFzeF9e01 Read More