Set up a server where Eyeo staff can host Shiny apps

[fhd]

We need a place to host ​Shiny apps.

(While not a requirement here, it would be neat to be able to host static HTML, Python or Node.js-based internal apps, too.)

These apps should be accessible to all Eyeo staff, but also restricted to it - for security and confidentiality reasons. Using the Eyeo Google accounts for this would be ideal, but HTTP Basic Auth would do the trick too.

Deploying apps by pushing to some repository sounds like the cleanest solution, but manual deployment via scp/ssh would also suffice for now.

[greiner]

Depending on the use-cases that you have in mind and the possible implications of introducing such a system I have the following two questions:

1. Shouldn't FTP generally be sufficient for that purpose?
2. On which server do you plan to host this?

Also if possible, any examples or further details would be very much appreciated to evaluate the scope of this.

[trev]

Shouldn't FTP generally be sufficient for that purpose?

No. FTP is a permanent security hazard, due to bots trying to guess passwords. Plus, clients (particularly the ones supporting FTPS) tend to be too complex. Plus, we would need an additional way of securing data against unauthorized access.

So far the idea is something like pastebin for binary files. ​bepasty sounds like what we need, but there is no demo so someone needs to try it out. We probably want to wrap it into Google authentication to make sure only Eyeo staff can actually access it (both for upload and viewing).

On which server do you plan to host this?

We shouldn't reuse servers here, we can get a new server for that app.

[greiner]

I wouldn't consider this issue "ready" yet before the use-cases have been clarified. Depending on those the choice of server, authentication, software, etc. may vary significantly. Therefore it's difficult for me and others to discuss any suggested software right now without a basis to compare them on.

Furthermore if this is a time pressing issue please increase the issue priority accordingly.

[AAlvz]

I agree that the use cases needs to be clarified to get a better approach, but since

We basically just need to find some web app that allows people to upload files
So far the idea is something like pastebin

It seems like Gistbox ​http://www.gistboxapp.com/ may be something you like and may fill the needs. Any kind of text or code can be classified there with labels and between groups. There's also a chrome extension. You may want to give it a look...

[fhd]

I wouldn't consider this issue "ready" yet before the use-cases have been clarified.

True, I learned and thought more about those in the mean time, updated the description.

Depending on those the choice of server, authentication, software, etc. may vary significantly.

Not the choice of server - infrastructure issues are generally about first creating a dedicated Puppet node with the necessary configuration. After the review, we'll provision a fresh server in the data centre.

Furthermore if this is a time pressing issue please increase the issue priority accordingly.

Um, sure. I would, if it was.

It seems like Gistbox ​​http://www.gistboxapp.com/ may be something you like and may fill the needs.

Guess the description really wasn't clear enough, gists are not really what we're after here.

[fhd]

Reformulating a bit to avoid premature generalisation - what we _need_ right now is a way to host Shiny apps, everything else would be nice to have.

Also adding Matze, he agreed to work on this.

[matze]

FYI: Kirill and I have agreed that we delay this issue until we have the results from the analysis server evaluation - which may render this ticket obsolete.