Website Hosting Migration Project
Project Overview
The Web Support Team is leading a project to move our website hosting from the current on-premise solution to a cloud-hosted service. This will apply to all websites and content published via the Web CMS to the subdomain https://www.qub.ac.uk. This also includes any websites published from the Web CMS to dedicated domain names.
The new cloud hosting service will be provided by Terminalfour and the implementation phase of the project will begin on Monday 23 March 2026.
There will be no change to how users log in to or use the Web CMS as part of this migration. This project will align the hosting of the Web CMS and published websites in the cloud. The diagram and information below will outline how this change will work.
Communication
Throughout the project, updates will be issued via email to all registered Web CMS users to provide progress updates and confirm completion. For any queries or support, please contact the Web Support Team via the IT Service Desk.
At present, our websites use a mix of cloud services and on-campus servers. When content is published in the Web CMS, it is first processed in the cloud and then transferred at intervals to QUB-managed servers, where it becomes visible on https://www.qub.ac.uk.
Under the new cloud hosting arrangement, this extra transfer step will no longer be needed. Once content is published in the Web CMS, it will be delivered directly from cloud infrastructure and made available on https://www.qub.ac.uk.
From a user perspective, there will be no visible change to how our websites look or how they are accessed. The web address will remain the same only the behind-the-scenes hosting location will change.
Impact of the Change
There are a few things that staff will need to be aware of in relation to the implementation phase of the project. They are as follows:
Web CMS - Content Publish Pause
Web CMS content publishing is expected to be paused from 1.00pm on Friday 20 March 2026 to allow system configuration updates to be completed in advance of the hosting migration.
Intermittent Downtime - Main Website
To accommodate the move to cloud hosting, there may be intermittent periods of downtime for the main website (https://www.qub.ac.uk) on Monday 23 March 2026. This is a normal part of hosting migrations while changes propagate and new settings take effect. Any interruption is expected to be minimal and short-lived.
Web CMS websites with Dedicated Domain Names
A number of websites published via the Web CMS use dedicated domain names (for example https://www.queenssport.com). We have been working, and will continue to work closely with Terminalfour throughout the preparation and implementation phases to ensure that consistent configurations and settings are applied across all such websites.
As with the main website, there may be periods of intermittent downtime while these changes take effect, but this is expected to be minimal.
Websites Outside the Web CMS
Any websites or resources not published by the Web CMS but currently hosted under the https://www.qub.ac.uk subdomain, will no longer be accessible at that location following the switchover.
To ensure continued access, we have been working with our Digital and Information Services (D&IS) colleagues to migrate these websites and resources to a new subdomain, https://resources.qub.ac.uk, where they will remain available.
If you have any queries about a website or resource hosted under https://www.qub.ac.uk, please contact the Web Support Team via the IT Service Desk.
Project Benefits
A number of benefits relating to infrastructure and existing services will be realised during the migration project and in the period following its completion. Key benefits include:
Access to Additional System Features
Moving to cloud website hosting will enable the use of additional system features such as CDN/PXL, improving the delivery of media assets in two key ways:
- Content Delivery Network (CDN): Globally distributed CDN servers will reduce latency by serving assets from locations closer to website visitors, improving overall website performance.
- Image Optimisation (PXL): PXL will enhance how images are delivered across devices. A single image can be automatically output in multiple sizes and formats, with appropriate compression applied to improve load times and user experience.
Improved Publishing Model
The move to cloud website hosting will introduce a publish-to-live model, streamlining the publishing process and enabling content to go live more quickly. Once a Channel Publish has completed, updated content will be synced immediately to the live website, removing the need for scheduled transfers.
Sanitising and Servicing Redirects
Over time, a large number of redirects have accumulated. The Web Support Team (WST) has reviewed and refined this list, reducing it by approximately 70%. Following the migration, we will also be able to manage the full life-cycle of new and existing redirects directly within the Web CMS.
Additional Benefits Post Migration
Migration to cloud hosting with Terminalfour also creates opportunities to review and implement additional system settings that will further improve processes for service users.
During the maintenance window in early December 2025, the Web CMS was upgraded to the latest version. This upgrade introduced a number of new features designed to enhance content creation and asset management, which we are keen to review and roll out where appropriate.
Once the migration has been completed, the WST will begin work to improve automation and implement enhanced assets to further support service users.
Next Steps
The Web Support Team (WST) has completed a number of tasks and work items to progress this important project since it began in November 2025. This has included work to decouple content, review and refactor existing solutions and test and implement system settings and configuration updates.
We are continuing to work with Terminalfour and D&IS colleagues to deliver this project. The remaining phases are outlined below.
Final Testing Phase
Over the coming weeks, we will complete the final testing phase. This includes configuring and testing the Web CMS development environment to publish to the new cloud hosting infrastructure. These activities will allow us to validate key system assets, functionality, and existing solutions, as well as review the new cloud infrastructure and its associated configurations.
Implementation Phase
Subject to the successful completion of final testing, the migration implementation phase will take place on Monday 23 March 2026.
Post Implementation Review
Following the migration, the Web Support Team (WST) will carry out comprehensive system and website checks in collaboration with Terminalfour and university stakeholders. Once these checks are complete, we will issue an update confirming when Web CMS publishing will be re-enabled.
Support and Queries
If you have any questions about the Website Hosting Migration Project, please log a call via the IT Service Desk and a member of the team will be in touch.