Has anybody managed their own moodle site as well as used an external party to host their moodle site?
I am looking for someone who's had experience with both scenarios to let me know what the pros and cons are for each scenario.
This is a topic for "Hardware and performance" https://moodle.org/mod/forum/view.php?id=596, a fairly regular one!
Go through the initial information you'll see when you start a new discussion: https://moodle.org/mod/forum/post.php?forum=94.
No luck with the previous one: "Moodle hosting/administration support" https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=241983 ?
Go through the initial information you'll see when you start a new discussion: https://moodle.org/mod/forum/post.php?forum=94.
No luck with the previous one: "Moodle hosting/administration support" https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=241983 ?
thank you
In reply to Teresa Fryer
Re: To host or not to host a moodle site
(Just in case I have unintentionally caused confusion) I have moved this discussion INTO the Hardware and Performance forum (from where it was before.)
I have never managed my own server, but I have used hosted server companies. I was not sure if this is your question, however. When you say "external party" do you mean a "partner?"
How big do you expect your moodle to become?
What is your experience with computers, and Linux?
Rick, you are managing your own server, arent you? your VPS! and that's what Teresa mentioned (Site and not server) that of course meant what your scenario is meaning managing own server despite hardware, network and power is managed by someone else (Hosting provider).
Yes, my virtual server, but not a physical server. But my VPS comes ready to go. I don't install the OS. Teresa should clarify what she means by site. Maybe a "site" could be a moodlecloud account, for example.
Even that, I would call it a full management, for O/S is one click installed every where, even if you see GoDaddy's VPS service contracts, self managed does comes with O/S installation option as well. main part comes in when you've to setup PHP, Apache and DB and that is what a novice can't surely do.
Yes I agree and that is my main concern as we don't have internal IT support.
My apologies for not being more specific. By site, I meant our moodle site.
Our moodle is hosted by another company (a certified moodle provider) and they control all the template/system administration functions. We have control over front end user functions and I find this very limiting. I need support that has fast turnaround which our hosting company does not seem to be coping with, hence, answers are not answered and changes/development takes too long to implement. I find this very inconvenient as it impacts our business.
I have no experience with Linux and my experience with computers is relatively good but not on the actual programming side.
I've considered moodle cloud options but I see there are limitations and as we are taking our business forward with integrating more technology, working with the cloud limitations will not be suitable for us.
Okay Teresa, now you're talking! Still need to know "how big" so that we might do a better job replying.
I have hosted my own moodle for around 7 years. I have about 15 courses per year, and about 400-500 students per year. I started hosting my moodle on a $5US/month hosted server. When this became too small, I moved to a VPS (GoDaddy) and I pay around $200US/year for this. I think I could easily handle twice my course/student load, if needed. By having a VPS with a hosting company, I don't have to worry about all of the network hardware issues.
I am pretty good with technology, don't mind learning new things (like Linux), and my Moodle has performed solidly for me. Having a great LMS available to myself, which my colleagues don't have, gives me an (unfair) advantage educating my students.
Yes, I really like the freedom of being my own administrator and deciding myself what features I want and don't want. If I were to leave this to an IT department they would probably compromise my capabilities.
Some of how hard things are depends upon your own personal demands for features. I run a pretty standard moodle with only 3 plugins. I also run one of the basic themes (MORE) and customize this only with CSS code. I never touch any of the core moodle code. I also use self-enrollment for students, which has always worked very well.
However, if I were going to do this for a school with 5,000 students, I would probably switch to a third party provider.
Incidentally, I am a professor and not a network support person. As I professor, I do all of this on my own.
Teresa, management comes at different levels, your server management (both in terms of hardware and software), and then topping that comes moodle management (administration), where you mention sites, I assume you are talking about administering moodle while leaving the server hardware and software part to hosting provider.
using third party (which I assume will be partners or qualified moodle hosting providers) will take are of everything for you while you only concentrate on your moodle content and user management (a bit of administering required) this case will be give you peace of mind for everything will be taken care of (provided they have SLA's) but at the same time it comes at cost and that is turning point for plenty of people who start looking for Moodle hosting initially,
If you are comfortable in Moodle installation and administration then very unlikely you'll be looking at your server hardware and software as these things are taken care of by hosting providers (both in case of shared hosting, and managed dedicated hosting), where you can always invest savings towards better server.
I host my own but I also consult for companies that have them hosted. My thoughts are as such: (all of this of course depends on the size of your project and your choice of hosting company)
I really like hosting my own - I have total control and linux servers are really easy to manage. I had never even seen linux before I decided that I would set up a Moodle servers. I now run two servers full time and have three development ones running most of the time too! This would always be my preference.
As for getting a site hosted, there are some advantages. You do (well, you should!) have someone to call when you have issues with the server. They sometimes include tools that make it a little easier to get around. Disadvantages is that you have less control. Sometimes hosts demand that you keep all your files in one place and it is hard to change permissions etc. You are reliant on them for keeping current with PHP, MySQL requirements etc. If they don't then you are stuck not being able to upgrade.
If you do end up with a hosted site, do NOT use any built in installer that they might have. This often causes issues that we, the community, are unable to diagnose because we never know exactly what the installer does.
I've been using Moodle for seven years in a high school setting. I found out today Moodle will be "going away" in January. I am a Moodle user only and I have virtually no knowledge of how I can still use Moodle as my on-line classroom. Can I host Moodle on my own computer? What information will I need to get from the district's Moodle person do make sure I have all the bells and whistles I currently utilize?
I teach in a public school in the US so I have no budget for this.
Any suggestions?
It's sad to know Moodle going away, where it's being embraced by institutes with twice the speed now your school district is letting it go.
anyway, by hosting on your computer I assume that you're referring to computer that you are using at school? Your IT guy will be able to do that for you if they are willing to, rest if you are thinking of setting up at your own house on your computer, then the cost involved will exceed the cost of buying a PRO grade shared hosting and setting up Moodle there.
now how do you want to proceed with it?
I'll contact my IT person today. I'm guessing the answer will be no to me being getting anything set up on my computer. I think the shared hosting sounds like a reasonable option. I'm sure I'll have to pay for this personally, so I'll have to find a reasonably priced option.
Thanks!
Depending on what you class as "bells and whistles" and how many students you might be able to get away with a free Moodle Cloud account. It's a fairly big might as Moodle Cloud is fairly limited IMHO.
I'll have 150+ users so the Moodle Cloud isn't going to work unless I pay! I've got a request into my building administrator right now begging for funds. I set up a class on Moodle Cloud and it appears to have everything I need - after a very quick glance.
Thanks!
Sue, if you tell us more about your actual Moodle usage, that is how many students, what kind of activities they do, etc, then we might be able to give you some practical advice. Also, what do you exactly mean by your own computer? If you can't use the free MoodleCloud service, there will likely be some cost and effort associated with having Moodle for yourself, but let's first hear more about your usage.
I will have 150 students, plus or minus a few. I do almost all of my assessments on Moodle using the Quiz function. I also have many Lessons. Documents the students need are in folders, links to videos, animations, simulations, etc. are provided. Students upload documents - completed lab reports, various worksheets, etc. I use it for announcements.
What are the bells and whistles that you normally use?
Sue,
You wouldn't be able to use your own computer as a Moodle server unless you perpetually kept it on, or at least, kept it on whenever students would be accessing it.
If you are thinking of a low-volume site, one of those $4.95/month hosting services with an automatic Moodle install would probably work for you. It might be out of your own pocket, but the cost would be relatively small. You might also find another teacher or two who would share the cost.
Another consideration, though, would be whether your school system would like their students' personal data on an outside system. There is probably wide variation from one school system to another on policies such as this.
It sounds like finding a hosting service is the way to go. Our district administration suggested that we all use Google Classrooms. They have obviously never compared it to Moodle! If they are OK with using GC, they should be OK with Moodle being hosted off site.
Sue, I will add my 2 cents (US).
My school is a BB school. 8 years ago I decided to run Moodle on my own. I too have around 150 students per semester, maybe 400 or so a year, around 15 courses a year.
I started with running Moodle on a GoDaddy Hosted server, got up to $15US/mo on their best hosted server. My moodle database grew to a point where I exceeded the Hosted server limits, so I upgraded to a VPS. This costs me around $40/month. I cannot pass this cost on to anyone, but I don't mind paying for it myself because moodle makes my courses better than others, and my students love what I do. Moodle gives me a productivity boost that is worth its cost.
Well, installing moodle on a hosted server is not too tough, but tougher on a VPS. However, it works well. Folks here can help. Don't do any one-click installs on any servers, install moodle from scratch. It's not that hard to do.
Of course if you run moodle on your own, you have to accept that you will also become the moodle administrator (and server administrator.) There are other companies beside GoDaddy, but pick a company that knows how to keep their servers running. The good news it that you will have full control of your moodle. You can set it up as you please, pick themes, etc.
If you are looking for a free solution, my solution is not viable.
You can always use MoodleCloud for experimenting, then implementing your desired changes on your production moodle. You can also experiment with Moodle using XAMP on your computer.
Sue
You are lucky. Until January you've some time. You might have a charismatic president by then, who happen to have hoards of money. (You know now what you and your pupils need to do?)
https://moodle.com/cloud/ would have been your free alternative. I hope that your 150 pupils could put aside USD 5.- per month (3,33 penny a month) necessary for a shared site with a mass hosting provider for their education.
BTW, are you sure that you need the same thing as Theresa https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=327851, except that you share the same subject line?
You are lucky. Until January you've some time. You might have a charismatic president by then, who happen to have hoards of money. (You know now what you and your pupils need to do?)
https://moodle.com/cloud/ would have been your free alternative. I hope that your 150 pupils could put aside USD 5.- per month (3,33 penny a month) necessary for a shared site with a mass hosting provider for their education.
BTW, are you sure that you need the same thing as Theresa https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=327851, except that you share the same subject line?