Effective Oct.1, 2011, UAB will begin phasing out personal pages on homepage.uab.edu to ensure greater information technology security and better manage its overall Web presence.
Content hosted on the homepage.uab.edu server will not be accessible outside the UAB computer network after that date, and users will not be able to view or edit pages off campus unless they access the site through a UAB VPN connection.
Also starting Oct. 1, Web content on the homepage.uab.edu server that has not been updated within the past 18 months will be deleted. This process will be repeated each month.
No new sites will be created on the homepage.uab.edu server, effective Jan. 1, 2012.
Effective June 1, 2012, all sites hosted on the homepage.uab.edu server will be deactivated and all content will be deleted. To preserve your content, contact AskIT for a backup of the content to be shipped via UAB Dropbox. Users also may request AskIT to permanently redirect their URLs to alternate locations.
Web development as coursework or job-training requirement
Server space on homepage.uab.edu will be available for UAB academic and training needs through June 1, 2012. Request space at https://padlock.dpo.uab.edu/mk_account.html. The sites will not be accessible outside the UAB computer network except using the UAB VPN, and directories not edited for 18 months will be purged from the server automatically.
Content that is strictly personal and not related to UAB business can be posted on many public sites:
Facebook - Enables users to create profiles with photos, personal interests, plus contact and other personal information and communicate with other users through private or public messages or a chat feature.
WordPress - This popular tool for blogs and small Web sites supports easy-to-use features, such as themes to customize your site, share videos and images and view statistics on site visits.
Google Sites - A structured wiki and page-creation tool is offered in the Google Apps Productivity suite. Google Sites also offers free Webhost and Website Editing Software.
Windows Live Skydrive - This file storage and sharing service enables users to upload files to the computing cloud and access them from a browser. Keep files private, share them with contacts or make them public. It also supports Office Web Apps, featuring common Office applications on the Web that you can create and edit using a browser.
Faculty and staff content intended for UAB audiences only
If your content is only intended for UAB internal audiences and limited to UAB business-related matters, there are centrally supported solutions:
Blackboard Learn - Class-management software with many features, including class notes, media streaming, quizzes and forums.
SharePoint - For non-classroom Web content and collaboration, all UAB employees have access to a personal SharePoint workspace ("MySite") online at https://mysite.ad.uab.edu/personal/{BlazerID}. This site supports personal profile information, tools to support file sharing (both personal as well as shared with colleagues), surveys, discussion forums, PowerPoint slide libraries, wikis, blogs, calendars, links to other SharePoint workspaces and more. For more information, contact AskIT. Initial site storage is limited to 25MB, but this level may be increased on request. Although these sites are not "public" (BlazerID is required to access), they are not restricted to on campus or VPN only.
UAB business-related content for external audience
If your content is limited to UAB-business related matters and requires access by external anonymous audiences, please contact your department's Web manager for proper departmental procedures regarding Web presence. If you are unsure of whom to contact or have been given approval to create a website, please complete the website request form on the UAB Branding website at www.uab.edu/web. Direct questions regarding public-facing websites to Web Communications at webcenter@uab.edu.
Users needing personal page sites should pursue alternatives to homepage.uab.edu for hosting content.