Club Hosting

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The Computer Science Club provides web hosting to other clubs free of charge. We host many club web sites. If you have a question about our hosting service, contact syscom at csclub dot uwaterloo dot ca or visit our office in MC 3036.

Hosting Features

This is not an exhaustive list. Contact us if you want something not listed or installed.

Getting Hosted

To get hosted, you need a club account and one user account for each person who will be updating the club's web site or other files.

The general process to get yourself an account on our systems to host your club website is:

1. Request a free club account on the CSC systems by emailing syscom@csclub.uwaterloo.ca from an official club email (an official club email is one that is posted on your website or Facebook page, for example). Something along the lines of "I am from the ActSci club and am the current webmaster. Can I be registered for a club account to access the ActSci website?" Include the WatIAM userids (Quest ID) of any club reps that should be authorized to manage the club account in your email.

2. For each club rep that needs access, an email needs to be sent to syscom with the following information, if they don't already have a CSC account:

  • a scan or photograph copy of the rep's WatCard,
  • their WatIAM userid, and
  • their acknowledgement of having read, understood, and agreeing with our Machine Usage Agreement.

These can be sent in one email or separately.

3. Once syscom receives these, the users will be given permission to access your club website by adding you to your corresponding club group (for example, the actsci user group).

Club Account

Each club we host has a "club account" that owns and stores club resources. You can request a club account via email or in person. The club account:

  • Is named after the club, possibly abbreviated.
  • Has a home directory named /users/clubname, where club files are stored.
  • Is not permitted to log in. You must use your own user account to login.

The Systems Committee will create club accounts when sent a request from the club's email address to syscom@csclub.uwaterloo.ca. Verification of the club's university affiliation may be required, for instance by contacting the Federation of Students or the club's faculty advisor.

User Accounts

Each user who needs access to the club account must have his/her own user account on our machines. There are two ways to get an account:

  • Become a member of the Computer Science Club. Membership is $2.00 per term.
  • Request a free "club representative" account. These accounts are to be used solely for managing the club account, and expire at the end of the term.

Club representatives can request renewal of their free accounts (for one or more terms) if they still need the account to manage the club account in future terms.

Your user account must also be authorized to change club files. Each club has a "club group" whose members may update the clubs files. We add (and remove) users to the group when we are asked to do so by the club exec. The exec must email the Systems Committee (syscom@csclub.uwaterloo.ca) from a club email address.

Any office staff member may create and renew both member and club representative accounts using ceo. Only Systems Committee members may modify club access lists.

Accessing Club Resources

At this point, you have a user account and a club account, and need to get started with your web site. Before you can do anything, you need to log into our machines somehow.

Shell Access

To gain shell access to your site, you can:

  • Log in using a terminal in the office
  • Log in from anywhere using SSH. We discourage SSH'ing into our web server (caffeine), you should use a different general-use machine (like corn-syrup.csclub.uwaterloo.ca)

The club's files are stored in /users/clubname.

If you want, you can become the club user by typing "become_club clubname". This is not usually necessary, as the permissions should allow you to make changes as yourself.

SFTP File Access

You may access files stored on our servers, or upload new ones, via SFTP and SCP. If you are a Windows user you should use WinSCP or a similar client with SFTP/SCP abilities. If you are using OS X you can use the sftp or scp Terminal commands, or you can install a graphical client such as Cyberduck. Similarly on GNU/Linux you can use the shell commands or a graphical client such as gftp.

Services

Web Hosting

See Web Hosting.

Databases

See MySQL.

You can create a MySQL database yourself through ceo by following these instructions.

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