Python Web Hosting
Anchor offers support for Python hosting on all of our shared website hosting and dedicated servers. In fact, we use Python for all of our own internal development including this website.
Deployment details
Python is installed as a CGI within each user account rather than the more common approach of using a module in the web server. This provides significant security benefits; an exploit in Python code on another users account will not be able to affect your site as all code executes with only user level privileges.
Operating Python as a module presents a significant security risk not only through exploits. Since the code is executed by the Apache user, the Apache system user must have access to every users code, any user with an account on a shared server can easily produce a script which is executed by the Apache user to provide them with access to other users databases and code.
The use of a CGI deployment allows the flexibility of operating a number of different Python versions on the one server. Anchor offers a number of vendor supported versions. If your requirements are not met by these you are able to install your own custom compiled version within your account, without any assistance from Anchor.
Python hosting is only supported on our Linux shared web hosting servers. It is not currently available on Windows web hosting servers.
Application versions supported
- Python: 2.4.3, 2.3.4, 2.2.3, 1.5.2
- MySQL: 5.0.22, 4.1.12
- PostgreSQL: 8.1.9, 7.4.8
- Apache: 2.2.3, 2.0.52
Note: Python versions listed are those that are installed on a system wide basis, custom versions can be installed upon request at no additional charge.
Python modules and configuration options
Python modules such as PIL and Elementree are installed on a per user account basis. You can either install them yourself (no assistance from Anchor required) or you can request Anchor to install them for you.
Many popular Python frameworks such as Zope, Plone, Pylons, Django & Turbo gears are also supported.
Environment details
Python applications can be hosted in both shared web hosting and dedicated server environments.
Shared environments utilise:
- High end server grade hardware
- Rackmounted equipment
- Dual CPUs
- ECC Memory (4GB minimum)
- SCSI HDD in RAID1 configuration
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux
- Redundant Hot Swap power supplies
- Fully redundant network infrastructure
- Continuous (24x7) server health monitoring
- Daily data backups
Account features
- Full shell access via SSH
- Command line database interfaces
- Detailed website statistics updated daily
- Choice of database engine PostgreSQL or MySQL
Python hosting is available on all of our shared web hosting plans.
Application update policy & process
Anchor continuously monitors and applies updates to all vendor supported applications deployed on Anchor infrastructure to maintain stability and security.
We do not apply major updates to any application which can affect the stability of live/deployed client services.
Versions
Anchor is constantly deploying new shared web hosting servers equipped with the the latest stable application versions as supported by the operating system vendors. In this way if you need a major version upgrade it can most often be accommodated.
Scalability
As your Python application becomes more demanding Anchor can walk you through the process of supplying more resources on the shared environment or perform a seamless migration to your own dedicated server.
