Cloud Hosting Terms of Use
Updated: December 2025
Overview of Service
Website cloud hosting is administered, maintained and provided by the Digital Service department within the Joint Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing division. Websites are hosted on cloud-based servers provided by select vendors under contract with the University of Missouri. The following sections detail responsibilities of Digital Service and campus units.
Responsibilities of Digital Service
ADMINISTRATION – Digital Service administers the cloud hosting services for University of Missouri websites. Administration includes creation of cloud hosting accounts, assigning rights to web developers, ensuring cloud hosting accounts are billed to campus units (via MoCode), etc.
CLOUD HOSTING SUPPORT – Digital Service support for cloud hosting includes the following: establish technology standards for cloud hosted websites, ensure all cloud hosting technologies are properly updated and conform to University of Missouri security protocols, ensure cloud hosting services are highly available, troubleshoot and resolve issues, ensure websites (code and databases) are backed up, ensure content managers can authenticate and update content, and other tasks as required. After business hours cloud hosting support ensures that websites are up and accessible but does not attempt to fix content or features. Cloud hosting support is provided to campus units with a support MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) on a 24/7 basis. Campus units without a support MOU receive support during normal business hours (Mon-Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, excluding holidays) and best effort after hours, weekends and holidays.
CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (CMS) – Digital Service provides standard CMS installs for WordPress and Drupal. These installs are updated with all core CMS and security patches following WordPress and Drupal best practices and are made available to Campus unit or outside vendor web developers after appropriate testing and quality assurance.
HTML WEBSITES – Digital Service provides simple static HTML website hosting on a dedicated cloud hosting service. Campus units are provided with accounts and instructions on how to maintain these sites.
DOCUMENTATION – Digital Service provides documentation about website cloud hosting. The documentation is provided to web development professionals to enhance their ability to productively manage and support their departments’ website on the university’s cloud hosting service.
VERSION CONTROL – Digital Service uses git and a cloud-based GitLab instance. Campus unit or outside vendor web developers must make use of the Digital Service GitLab instance (licenses required) to manage CMS websites on cloud hosting.
Responsibilities of Campus Units
PREREQUISITES – Campus unit websites that are being considered for cloud hosting will be evaluated by Digital Service and may require updates and/or customization prior to migration. After migration, websites are required to adhere to standard versions of technologies and supporting software/services to ensure availability, security, and functionality.
Campus units will certify that they have adequate web developer resources available to maintain their website(s). Developer resources must be well versed in the use of Git and GitLab, acquire proper licenses for all technologies Digital Service mandates for management of cloud websites and be experienced in CMS development (WordPress or Drupal). Digital Service can be contracted with for website management and support (Digital Service support information).
Websites and web developers that do not meet these prerequisites are not candidates for Digital Service cloud hosting.
FUNDING – Campus units are required to provide monthly funding for all cloud hosted websites and services. Each website hosted by Digital Service requires one active MoCode for use to rebill hosting account costs.