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The Computer Centre is going to replace the current WWW.HKU.HK server on 3 December 2006. The new server is now being setup for users to test their web pages from 1 November 2006.
[ Latest update on 22 November 2006 ]
The server upgrade is now scheduled as follows:
Date: 3 December 2006 (Sunday)
Time: 6:00am to 10:00am
Please submit your data synchronization request by 1 December 2006, otherwise, all your dynamic data will be as of 17 November 2006 after the upgrade. For details, please refer to "Synchronization Request" at the bottom of this page.
There are a number of changes on the new server which require users to pay special attention to:
the operating system of the WWW server has been changed from Tru64 UNIX to IBM AIX,
compiled cgi program may not work on the new server.
Perl has been upgraded to version 5.8.1 and all perl packages reinstalled.
PHP is upgraded to version 4.4.3.
PHP supported web pages (WWW3.HKU.HK) will run on a separate machine from the www.hku.hk.
When uploading webpage using FTP or using telnet, user must use the host name WWW3.hku.hk.
The name HKUSUC.HKU.HK will not be used any more for the new server.
Web page must be referred as http://www.hku.hk/... instead of http://hkusuc.hku.hk/...
If you are still using e-mail address @hkusuc.hku.hk, you must update it to @www.hku.hk immediately,
otherwise, you will not receive any mail after server
upgrade. NO grace period will be given.
The new WWW server will no longer serves as an SMTP server.
The new WWW server will no longer used to receive mail. While retaining the email address
@www.hku.hk, mail will be forwarded to either HKUCC or HKUSUA. Detail arrangment will be notified by
email in due course.
Mysql database server is upgraded from 3.23.54 to 5.0.24.
Mysql support has been relocated to WWW3.hku.hk. The host parameter of all PHP mysql
connect string must be changed to 'www3.hku.hk' in order to connect to Mysql on the new server.
Testing schedule and what webmasters should do
| Date | Description |
| 30 October 2006 |
A synchronization of all data from the existing WWW server to the new server (including webpages and mysql data) will be carried out.
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| 1 November 2006 |
The new server will be open to all users for testing. Users can use their existing username and password to login the new server. During the testing period, please use the DNS name:
www1.hku.hk for www1.hku.hk
www3.hku.hk for www3.hku.hk
to access your web pages, ftp or telnet to the new server.
For users with PHP and Mysql account:
In PHP mysql connection string, please use www3.hku.hk as the "host"
parameter.
To connect to mysql interactively, use telnet or ssh to login www3.hku.hk, then
issue the command:
"/usr/local/mysql/bin/mysql -h www3.hku.hk -p -u username database_name"
[Note: do not use www1 and www3 during the testing phase as they will bring you back to the existing WWW server]
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| 17 November 2006 |
A second data synchronization will be carried out on all data. If you have made any changes to your webpages on the new server, you must make copies of those pages/files. You may also opt out from the data synchronization by sending request to ccsystem@cc.hku.hk.
| | 1 December 2006 |
The testing period will last for 1 month until 1 December 2006. User should modify their cgi program/web pages/applications during this period such that they can work on the new server.
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| 3 December 2006 |
The upgrade will start at 6:00 am till 10:00am in the early morning of 3 December 2006. Static web pages will remain up during the upgrade while dynamic pages (cgi programs and php webpages) will be unavailable.
The upgrade process will take around 4 hours to complete. After the upgrade, all web pages will be served on the new server.
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As a webmaster, it is very important and is your responsibility to make sure a smooth transition to the new server. You should take note of the following points:
1) Access your web pages on the new server from a browser. Make sure all your pages work. (If you have
URL links in your web pages pointing to the existing web server, make sure you are testing the
target pages on the new server, not on the existing one.)
2) Recompile (if necessary) all cgi programs.
3) If you are using 'www.hku.hk' as the SMTP gateway in your cgi programs to send email, change it to
'mail.hku.hk'.
4) If you are still using @hkusuc.hku.hk as e-mail address, change it to @www.hku.hk immediately.
5) If you have setup any cronjob, set it up again on the new server.
6) If you have setup ACL (access control list), set it up again on the new server. (After logging in to the new
WWW server, use the command 'aclput' to setup ACL. For details, use the command 'man aclput' to get
the manual page of aclput)
7) Backup all files that are changed on your local PC.
8) Make sure all updates to your cgi program on the production server is also updated to the new server as
no data synchronization on dynamic data (i.e. /web/docs/accountname/cgi-bin and
/web/docs/local/accountname/cgi-bin) will be carried out after the second data synchorinzation on
17 November.
9) You may request a data synchronization of dynamic pages from your top level directories to be done
on the day of server upgrade. Please refer to "Synchronization Request" at the bottom of this page.
10) All static web pages (i.e. /web/docs/accountname and /web/docs/local/accountname) will be
synchronized from the existing WWW server to the new server on the day of server upgrade. Please refer
to "Synchronization Request" at the bottom of this page for details.
For webmasters having PHP pages, they should also note the following points in addition to those listed above:
A) You must bear in mind that PHP pages will be served on a separate server (www3.hku.hk) from the
one serving ordinary web pages after the upgrade.
B) Make sure all your PHP web pages are working on the new server.
C) If you are using 'www.hku.hk' as the SMTP gateway in your php pages to send email, change it to
'mail.hku.hk'.
D) Modify your PHP-Mysql connection string, using 'www3.hku.hk' as host during the testing phase.
Make sure you can connect to the Mysql database from your PHP pages.
E) Make sure you can access data in the Mysql database and all tables are correct.
F) Modify your PHP codes and Mysql database tables if necessary.
G) If you have setup cronjob specifically for your PHP pages, you have to set it up again on www3.hku.hk.
H) If you have setup ACL (access control list), set it up again on the new server.
I) You may request a data synchronization from your top level directories (i.e. /web/php/accountname) to be
done on the day of server upgrade. Please refer to "Synchronization Request" at the bottom of this page.
J) You may request a data synchronization of all your data in the Mysql database to be done on the day
of server upgrade. Please refer to "Synchronization Request" at the bottom of this page.
K) On server upgrade, change your PHP-Mysql connection string and use 'www3.hku.hk' as the "host"
parameter.
Syncronization Request
Data synchronization on 17 November 2006
Synchronization of all data (including static web pages, dynamic pages, php pages and Mysql data) from the existing WWW server to the new server will be carried out in the morning of 17 November 2006. If you have made any changes on the new server, make sure you have backups on your local PC and reapply the changes afterwards.
You may opt out from this data synchronization by sending request to ccsystem@cc.hku.hk.
Data synchronization on the day of server upgrade (3 December 2006)
Data synchronization on static pages (i.e. /web/docs/accountname and /web/docs/local/accountname) from the existing WWW server to the new server will be carried out on the day of server upgrade. You may opt out from this data synchronization by sending request to ccsystem@cc.hku.hk.
Synchronization on dynamic data (including cgi programs, php pages and Mysql data) will be carried out only on request with the following limitations:
1) The data synchronization will overwrite all data on the new server with possible orphan files or database
tables.
2) For cgi and php pages, synchronization will start from your top level directories
(i.e. /web/docs/cgi-bin/accountname, /web/docs/local/cgi-bin/accountname and /web/php/accountname).
3) For Mysql database, synchronization will be done on database level (i.e. all tables within your database).
Request of synchronization of individual tables or excluding a particular table from a synchronization
request will not be entertained.
4) If you have make any changes on the new server, make sure you have backups on your local PC and
reapply those changes after synchronization.
5) Request should be sent in written to ccsystem@cc.hku.hk with details on which directories to synchronize.
If you have any enquiries, please contact Mr. Kenneth Yip at 28597973 or Mr. Charles Cheung at 28592488 during office hour. You may also send e-mail to ccsystem@cc.hku.hk.
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