Web Models

Most educational institution's web sites can be classified as one of three implementation models:

• Centralized - most web services, web authoring and web hardware are maintained by a central group of people. Individual departments do not maintain web servers. This model usually represents smaller colleges and technical schools.
• De-centralized- most web services, web authoring and web server hardware are maintained by individual departments and programs. A "centralized" web server may exist, but the content represented by the centralized server is small compared to content maintained by the departments. This model usually represents large universities.
• Hybrid - combines aspects of both models above.

• High control of accessibility
• High control of style
• High control of backup
• Unified design

• Slower request response
• Lack of variety
• Usually less content
• When main system goes down,the entire web is down

• More responsive to content
• High variety
• Usually more content
• System redundancy

• Low control of accessibility
• Low control of style
• Less reliable backups
• Lack of coherent site design