Your responsibility with WordPress on DoIT Web Hosting

WordPress is a PHP application with a MySQL database and not static files. We do not restrict your ability to choose plugins & themes, but we suggest plugins that are well established with high reviews and are in active support. It is the customer's responsibility to manage content and updates to WordPress. Failure to update WordPress and its components, could result in a vulnerable site that may be suspended or may be categorized as inappropriate use by our service's Web Hosting - Terms of Use policy. For more information see our Web Hosting - Guide for Using Open Source Packages.

The Web Hosting team does not have dedicated staff to assist with WordPress related troubleshooting. If you have never maintained a WordPress site before, we highly recommend the free central campus service called WiscWeb where all WordPress updates are handled for you and you just need to focus on creating and managing your content.

If you are unsure about your website hosting options, require development services, etc. please reach out to our Client Engagement group at the follow email: webplatform-solutions@doit.wisc.edu

WordPress administration

The Web Hosting service uses Plesk to manage all customer installs of WordPress. Plesk has specific tools to help manage WordPress, namely the Plesk WP Toolkit. You have the freedom to use this toolkit or manage WordPress more traditionally from the WordPress admin. The WP Toolkit provides a high level view of your WordPress site as a whole and offers many features not included in the WordPress admin.

Plesk offers a built-in WordPress Toolkit, which can be used (or not used) by customers to manage, secure and migrate WordPress content for their sites.

Plesk's WP Toolkit Documentation

The tool-kit also provides options for Copying Data or Cloning:

Web Hosting - Clone/Copy of WordPress sites

Securing WordPress

It is recommended that all WordPress sites turn on automatic updates for WordPress, themes, and plugins, this can be accomplished in the WordPress admin or via the Plesk WP Toolkit. This will greatly reduce the risk of your site becoming vulnerable to web based attacks. We also recommend some form of security plugin to help filter out bad traffic to the site. See the follow KB about the WordFence security plugin:  Web Hosting - Wordpress Security with WordFence. This plugin is used by many of our customers and is one we recommend.

Using WordPress with NetID (Shibboleth)

New WordPress sites are configured to support NetID, but do not have it enabled by default. You have the option of securing the entire site with NetID or specifically the WordPress Admin via plugin. If securing the entire site, you can request this setup when requesting an account or email Web Hosting Support. If using NetID for the WordPress admin, see the following KB:

Web Hosting - WordPress NetID Login via Shibboleth

WordPress Development

The Web Hosting staff does not design, develop, or troubleshoot our customer's sites. For assistance with content management and development of custom WordPress sites there are several options: 

1. Join the Wordpress collaboration groups on campus
2. DoIT Academic Technology provides Wordpress development for academic departments on campus. They are available for consultations.
3. Web Development Services