Services

Aalto vhosts - Server for static pages

With the Aalto vhosts service users can, free of charge, publish a static website, for instance when the need for site updates ends. The contents of sites added to the service can be edited on the basis of files.

How to add a website to vhosts?

Send a service request: [email protected]

The message must contain the following information:

  • The desired name of the website, in the format site.aalto.fi
  • User IDs that must be able to edit the website
  • Administrator’s user ID that can manage the editing rights

How to add content?

Log-in to the webfiles.aalto.fi server with your with an Aalto user ID.

To log-in to the server use a programme that supports the Secure FTP (SFTP) protocol, for example, the WinSCP-programme that is available on Aalto Windows devices.

Note that you cannot use an internet browser for logging in to the webfiles.aalto.fi server.

Only the SFTP protocol is operation, a mere unencrypted FTP protocol does not work. In Dreamweaver, for example, the Secure FTP setting must be enabled.

Features

Aalto vhosts is a service by Aalto University’s IT that publishes static websites. A static site is a file on a server. It always looks the same in a browser; it only changes if the file is edited on the server. The content cannot change automatically.

The service offers the following functionalities:

  • A public website whose address can be, for example, in the format: site.aalto.fi
  • SSI support.

The service does not support any individual software package specifically. Instead, the content producer must be familiar with the basics of file-based website maintenance to use the service. The content of the service is updated by adding or editing pages and other files at webfiles.aalto.fi by means of the SFTP (Secure FTP) / SSH protocol.

The service is intended for employees, teachers and working groups at Aalto University. Users who are specified during the establishment of a website and defined on a site-specific basis are entitled to write content for the service. Before a website is published, the user must agree upon the site’s publication address with Aalto Communications at: [email protected]. Aalto Communications will examine and accept or reject all site names visible to the outside world.

  • The content in the service is mostly mere static content; the only exception is SSI support that is available for .shtml files automatically and for .html/.htm files upon request.
  • Users can use SSI at their own responsibility, Aalto IT does not provide user support for this feature.
  • PHP is not available.
  • databases are not available.

Support for the SSI technology is available for site templates, for example. Users can limit access rights to the content by themselves, by using the htaccess technology. There is a maximum of 100 Mb of disk space available for each website. If you need site-specific exceptions in terms of the disk space, please contact IT Servicedesk which will consider the case.

Limitations

Website content producers are personally responsible for the content. Aalto University does not have a position on the content and will only intervene, if necessary, in cases involving material that is in clear violation of operating rules, copyrights etc., on a case-by-case basis.

Support

If you have any questions or you are experiencing problems, please send a service request here: servicedesk.aalto.fi

This service is provided by:

IT Services

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