We are often asked about features that are available on self-hosted WordPress installations versus what is available through UCI Sites. We have a comparison table below to help explain the differences.
We hope this helps explain the differences. If you have any questions, please contact us. You may also want to read our FAQ.
| UCI Sites | Self Hosted | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | OIT hosts the site through CampusPresss using WordPress Multisite | You host the site, either through your department or you have to pay for hosting. |
| Technical Maintenance & Security | Our vendor, CampusPress, takes care of technical maintenance including updates, backups, spam, security, etc. | Requires technical knowledge to set up and run. You are responsible for technical maintenance including updates, backups, spam, security, etc. Sites that are not actively maintained are routinely hacked. |
| Secure Login | Your login is secure using UCI’s Single Sign-on using your UCInetID and password. | Logins are not secure unless you have an SSL certificate. Most sites will have a local login and password. |
| User Accounts | User accounts are based on UCInetID. Only UCI affiliates may be members of a site. | You create the user accounts, so non-UCI members can have access. |
| Custom Themes | You cannot upload or customize themes. We provide the themes. You cannot modify the themes but can use custom CSS to override the styles. | You can upload and customize themes. You are responsible for vetting themes for compatibility and security. You are responsible for keeping themes patched and up to date. |
| Custom Plugins | You cannot upload or customize plugins. We provide the plugins based on what works best for most of our user base. | You can upload and customize plugins. You are responsible for vetting plugins for compatibility and security. You are responsible for keeping plugins patched and up to date. |
| Domains | Sites use the domain of sites.uci.edu/sitename/. We do offer custom domains to allow you to use a custom domain. See our FAQ. | You can choose your own domain. |
| FTP Access | You don’t control the software or the database, so FTP and shell access are not included. For security and performance reasons, custom themes or plugins cannot be uploaded to UCI Sites . | You do control the software and database. FTP and shell access may be available depending on your hosting environment. |
| Cost | Free. OIT covers the cost of running the service and hosting. | You will need to find a host and pay for the costs of web hosting. You will need to go through the UCI procurement process to onboard a new vendor. |
| Media Upload Quota* | Unlimited | Depends on host |
* Media Uploads include images, files (PDF, Word, Excel), etc. Anything store in your Media Library. It does not include your content.