ColdFusion Hosting FAQ

Full backups are taken weekly; incremental backups are done daily. Backup tapes are kept for 30 days.
Recovery of file(s) or directories is done upon request through the ASR system.

Q. Can I have my own URL for my ColdFusion application?

Yes, within some constraints.

Q. Will I have access to a test server for development of my application?

No. We have a staging server that is used for short term testing of code prior to moving it to the production server. This staging server is not intended for development work.

Q. How much disk space do I get for my application?

Every application gets up to 500 MB disk space. If more space is needed it can be provided at an additional charge.

Development

Q. What databases can I utilize in my ColdFusion application?

We support connections to Microsoft SQL, Oracle, DB2, and Microsoft Access.

Q. Will I be able to run custom CF tags?

Custom ColdFusion tags can be run only after they are tested on the ColdFusion test server. The custom tags should be stored on the server in your directory.

Q. Will I be able to use all ColdFusion tags?

On the shared ColdFusion servers you will not have access to CFRegistry, CFAdminSecurity, CFExecute, CFContent.

Q. Can I use client and session management in my ColdFusion application?

Yes, you can use both client and session variables in your application. However, because session variables are stored in the memory of the server, there may be some limits on their use.

Q. Will I be able to connect to the CF server using ColdFusion RDS?

RDS will not be enabled on the ColdFusion servers. Shared drives and possibly FTP will be used in place of RDS to facilitate transfer of data to the server.

Q. Will I have Administrative access to the ColdFusion server?

No. For security reasons, administrative access is limited to the ColdFusion support staff.

Hosting Service

Q. How do I pay for the ColdFusion Hosting service?

The charges are posted each month to your CIT account. If your organization does not have a CIT account, you can request that an account be setup for your organization when you sign up for the ColdFusion Hosting service.

Q. Can I have a dedicated server for my ColdFusion application?

Yes, dedicated servers are available. Contact the ColdFusion staff for prices at Datacenter@list.nih.gov.

Q. Do you provide support for ColdFusion coding?

No. We only provide support for hosting the ColdFusion applications, not for the ColdFusion code within the application.

Q. Can I get ColdFusion development tools from CIT?

Adobe/Macromedia’s Dreamweaver is used for application development. It can be obtained by anyone within DHHS through the Information Systems Designated Procurement (iSDP) project run by CIT. Go to http://isdp.cit.nih.gov.

Support

Q. How do I make requests for service for my hosted application?

The Application Service Request (ASR) system provides a web-based interface to authorized persons for requesting services.

Q. How does the ASR system work?

The owner of the ColdFusion application is initially authorized to use the ASR system and to authorized other persons to use the system to make requests.
An authorized person can access the ASR web interface and enter a request for CF service.
The ASR request generates a Remedy ticket that is used to track the work and also sends email to a listserv list of staff and persons associated with the application.
Progress and then resolution of the request are documented in emails sent to the listserv list.

Q. Whom do I contact if I’m interested in the ColdFusion Hosting Service and need more information?

Please email the ColdFusion Hosting staff at Datacenter@list.nih.gov and someone will contact you.