Slides for the plenary talk on "IWMW 2000: A Controversial Proposal" presented at the IWMW 2000 event held at the University of Bath on 6-8 September 2000. See http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/webmaster-2000/sessions .html#kelly-1

1. A Controversial Proposal:
Externally-Hosted Web Services
Brian Kelly
UK Web Focus
UKOLN
University of Bath
UKOLN is funded by Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries,
the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) of the Higher and Further
Education Funding Councils, as well as by project funding from the JISC and the
European Union.
UKOLN also receives support from the University of Bath where it is based.
Email: B.Kelly@ukoln.ac.uk
URL: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/
Summary
This talk describes a
variety of externally-
hosted web services
and ponders on their
applicability for UK
HEIs.
Summary
This talk describes a
variety of externally-
hosted web services
and ponders on their
applicability for UK
HEIs.

2. 2
Ring Any Bells?
• You manage a Web service or create
departmental Web pages
• Your job was fun once, but now it's difficult to
keep on top the job
• You need extra resources, but can’t get them
• Your good Unix systems staff have left for $$$$
• There is a software solution, but it's expensive
• You tried to install the 14 day evaluation version,
but couldn't get it to work
• When you eventually got it to work, your PC
wasn't powerful enough to run it
• You can't afford an upgrade to your PC

3. 3
An Answer To The
Webmaster's Prayer?
A solution may be available:
• A solution which is free (in many cases)
• A solution which requires no software installation
• A solution which requires no investment in
hardware
• A solution which exploits the network – and
keeps UKERNA in business
The solution is deployment of externally-hosted Web
services
Sounds great? But will it mean
outsourcing your IT department?
Sounds great? But will it mean
outsourcing your IT department?

4. 4
What Do We Mean?
Remember HTML Validation services:
• Enter a URL into a Web
form and check it validates
• Add an image if your page
is valid HTML
• Link the page to the
validation for on-the-fly
validation - an externally-
hosted web service
Another example is the hit counterAnother example is the hit counter

5. 5
What edge of this spectrum
are you closest to?
Sorry I'm indecisive.
I can't decide.
Your View So Far
Sounds great, no software to install, available
for free. What else can be done in this way?
No way! I don't want to be reliant on anyone
else. Besides, I'll be out of a job if this idea
takes off – this is out-sourcing.
Question
Has anyone
made use of
externally-
hosted web
services?
Question
Has anyone
made use of
externally-
hosted web
services?

6. 6
Hit Counters to Web Stats
Hit counters have developed into comprehensive
Web statistical services
See <http://www.exploit-lib.org/issue5/indicators/>
Comparison of externally-hosted and licensed approaches to be
published in Exploit Interactive in issue 7.
See <http://www.exploit-lib.org/issue5/indicators/>
Comparison of externally-hosted and licensed approaches to be
published in Exploit Interactive in issue 7.
Model
• Link to image
held on remote
Web site
• Follow link to
remote site to
get graphical
display of hits
• Use JavaScript
to record PC
profile
Model
• Link to image
held on remote
Web site
• Follow link to
remote site to
get graphical
display of hits
• Use JavaScript
to record PC
profile
D

7. 7
eGroups Mailing Lists
eGroups lets you set up
free mailing lists
eGroups provides
an email and Web
interface
Calendars, polls and
databases are also
provided by eGroups
How does this
compare with
Listproc or
Majordomo
installed locally?
D
You can use www.smartgroups.com
if you want a UK-based equivalent
You can use www.smartgroups.com
if you want a UK-based equivalent

8. 8
Content Management
Manilla is a Web-based content management tool.
You can buy the software
for $899 or use it for free at
Editthispage.com
D

9. 9
Managing Link Gateways
LinkBank.com
enables link gateways
to be managed:
• Bulk upload
• Email
notification of
broken links
• Summaries of
usage
• User "sort by"
option
D
See also
JumpList.com
See also
JumpList.com

10. 10
User Feedback
User feedback can include
voting systems, quizzes, etc.
D
See <http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/
issue23/web-focus/> and
<http://ezpolls.mycomputer.com/>
See <http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/
issue23/web-focus/> and
<http://ezpolls.mycomputer.com/>
http://www.responders.net/http://www.responders.net/
See also
<http://www.
freepolls.com/>

11. 11
Notification Services
You can register a page
at Netmind.
You will receive a
message when the page
is updated.
The Netmind service is
used at Exploit Interactive
to provide notification of a
new issue.
The Netmind service is
used at Exploit Interactive
to provide notification of a
new issue.
D

12. 12
Server Down - Notification
Recently the
Exploit Interactive
Web server
crashed after a
virus checker
caused memory
leaks.
Internetseer's
free Website
monitoring
service is now
used to check the
site hourly.
Up to 230 URLs
can be checked
for free.
http://www.internetseer.comhttp://www.internetseer.com

13. 13
Submit-it Services
Rather than manually
submitting key resources to
many search engines you
can:
• Purchase and install
an application locally
• Subscribe to a Web-
based service
• Use a free Web-
based service
http://www.scrubtheweb.com/http://www.scrubtheweb.com/
http://www.submitit.com/http://www.submitit.com/
Exploit Interactive has used
ScrubTheWeb – reviewed in
issue 6
Exploit Interactive has used
ScrubTheWeb – reviewed in
issue 6

14. 14
Search Engines
If you are one of the 50 HEIs
without a search facility on your
Web site, why not let a third-
party index your Web site?
All you need is a few lines of
HTML
Nene College and St. Mary's
College use FreeFind and Derby
University uses AltaVista
Nene College and St. Mary's
College use FreeFind and Derby
University uses AltaVista

15. 15
Content
Free news feeds, classified ads,
jokes, cartoons, quotations) can
be included on your Web site
http://ezpolls.mycomputer.com/http://ezpolls.mycomputer.com/
http://notinmybackyard.com/http://notinmybackyard.com/
Get Guardian news feeds for free from
<http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/free/>
Get Guardian news feeds for free from
<http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/free/>

16. 16
Calendars
Why bother with Outlook when you
can get calendar facilities for free?
See also http://www.when.com/ &
http://www.ft.com/personaloffice/
See also http://www.when.com/ &
http://www.ft.com/personaloffice/
You can also add your
own local news feeds
You can also add your
own local news feeds
<http://my.netscape.com/><http://my.netscape.com/>

17. 17
File Store
Your file store can be stored remotely
Note:
• Tools can
integrate with
Windows
Explorer
• Growing
interest in
Storage Area
Networks
(SANs)
Note:
• Tools can
integrate with
Windows
Explorer
• Growing
interest in
Storage Area
Networks
(SANs)
See <http://www.idrive.com/>See <http://www.idrive.com/>

18. 18
Your Intranet
Why not host your
Intranet remotely?
Intranets.com provide:
• Document
management tools
• Email capabilities
• Group calendars
• Instant messaging
• …

19. 19
Issues
Many externally-hosted web services are available, but:
• What about the dependencies of the network(s)?
• What about the reliance of the third-party? Will
the company stay in business?
• The interface isn't as rich as desktop applications
• If the service is funded by advertising revenue,
with use contravene the JANET AUP?
• Will large-scale use of such services generate
large network bills?
• Is my data secure and private?
• Is my data reusable and available in an open
format?
• Is is sensible for a mission-critical service?
Remember the WebTechs incident?Remember the WebTechs incident?

20. 20
RDN Include
The Resource Discovery Network Centre (RDNC)
coordinates the work of RDN hubs, such as SOSIG,
EEVL, BIOME, etc.
Institutions may be reluctant to link to hubs as they
want users to stay on the
University Web site.
The RDNC is
developing the RDN-I
(Include) service to
give the appearance
that the hub is located
within the institution.
The RDN will be providing
an externally-hosted service
The RDN will be providing
an externally-hosted service

21. 21
The DNER
The DNER:
• JISC-funded initiative managed by Lorcan Dempsey
• Distributed National Electronic Resource
• Seamless access from institutions to national
resources (MIMAS, BIDS, EDINA, etc)
• Based on intelligent server software (broker) and
support for standards (XML, Dublin Core, Z39.50,
etc.)
• An example of Business-to-Business application
JISC's vision for the DNER has many
similarities to the externally-hosted Web
services we have seen, but based on open
standards.
JISC's vision for the DNER has many
similarities to the externally-hosted Web
services we have seen, but based on open
standards.

22. 22
What About The Users?
"I use the external services because the University
doesn't allow me access to install on the server and
because it doesn't make any appropriate tools
available."
Tom Wilson, Department of Information Studies,
University of Sheffield
"Our search facility is currently hosted by atomz.com ,
some calendering by Yahoo!, so I'm increasingly drawn
to externally hosted solutions... more time to catch up
on other, more pressing work, until they all stop
working."
Ian Usher, Webmonger, Department of Geography, UCL
At one university 60% of UGs arrived with a HotMail account,
which they used in preference to the University email account.
• Should the university support use of HotMail?
• Can they afford not to?
• What will happen when they arrive with a calendar service?
At one university 60% of UGs arrived with a HotMail account,
which they used in preference to the University email account.
• Should the university support use of HotMail?
• Can they afford not to?
• What will happen when they arrive with a calendar service?

23. 23
ASP
Application Service Providers (ASP):
• Commercial sector already moving in this direction
• Sun promote access to StarOffice across network
in preference to MS Office on local PC
• Futurelink.net renting MS Office across network
for £79 / month
• Search Yahoo! for ASP for directories
Are Athens and Mailbase early
examples of ASPs?
Are Athens and Mailbase early
examples of ASPs?

24. 24
Conclusions
Externally hosted web services:
• Are available in many different areas
• Arguments against their use (reliability, privacy,
trust, performance) should diminish as they mature
• Their usability will improve as W3C developments
(DOM, XHTML, SVG) become more available
• Your user community will use them (are using
them) in any case
• Of particular interest to the FE community?
• Will we see a move towards use of Application
Service Providers (ASPs)?
• A valuable resource for the Web Manager
• What "the Joined-Up Web" is about?