The Internet Application Development Online Portfolio (IADOP) supports the CIS2336 Class. For the portfolio, students utilize virtual Linux Servers running Apache Web Services. The servers are preconfigured with a Cpanel front end, PHP middleware, and MySQL databases. These virtual servers are Hosted by HostGator a Houston-based provider of shared, reseller, virtual private server, and dedicated web hosting. As of 2013, HostGator was hosting over 9 million domains. (HostGator has also employed a noticeable number of our students.)

IADOP FAQ

When did the relationship with HostGator begin?

The relationship with HostGator begain approximately 2 years ago. That is, it began one or two semestions prior to my involvment with CIS2336.

How did the relationship with HostGator begin?

At that time, HostGator offered a "University Partner's" program that provided students with free virtual Linux servers. [1] By using this program, the previous instructor was able to expand the scope of this class beyond HTML and CSS markup languages to include experience with PHP middle ware, Apache Web Servers, MySQL databases, and the cPanel utility. 'Hands-on' experience with this technology has proven invaluable in preparing students for future classes in the curriculum where they have to develop more sophisticated online applications.

During the University Partner's program, who controlled the security (privacy) settings on the student's web servers?

Each student was the exclusive administrator of their own web server. From a technological perspective, each student had exclusive contol of the system's access settings (chmod). This means that each student had the technological ability to make their system open, private, or password protected.

During the "University Partner's" program, who supplied the content for each student's portfolio?

Each student had exclusive access to their own web server. And each furnished all of their own content.

Who was considered the owner of the information on each student's server?

The student's systems utilized Discretionary Access Control (DAC). In this type of access control the person that originates the information and can control access to it is considered the information owner. That is,the 'Data Owner' as defined by NIST, would be the individual student.

Durning the "University Partner's" program, was any of the student work ever on a UH system?

No. No student work was ever hosted on any UH system. Nor was it ever under the control of a UH employee.

Durning the "University Partner's" program, were any grades or any scores ever hosted on a student's server?

No. No grades or scores or other University educational records were ever hosted on a student computer.

When did the University Partner's progam change?

October 2013, HostGator posted that they were not accepting new enrollments. But that current enrollments would be honored until the end of the term.

Then, our HostGator Coordinator, Robert Taylor, was transferred to another department. Later in the semester, it became clear that students would not be able to utilize the University Partner's program in the Spring.

When did you find out that the University Partner's progam was over?

January 2014.

What did you do then?

Since Spring semester had already started, made the decision to purchase one year of a reseller's license from HostGator and to continue to provide the students with their own virtual web servers.

From a students perspective, what changed?

Two differences. One,the students obtained their domain information from me rather than from HostGator. Two, when the students forgot their password, I would change them. (I didn't have the capability to look up their passwords, I could only make new ones.)

Does UH FERPA policy forbid student use of third party sites, such as Google Sites, YouTube, or similar social media sites?

UH provides guidelines for following Federal FERPA regulations. Guidelines specifically address student records such as "grades or scores" and "papers with names and grades". Guidelines do not address student use of third party sites. Nor, do they address the sharing of ungraded student work.[2]