Standard Change - Purchase progcode Cloud Hosting Service

[stephenscapelliti]

UPDATE - MARCH, 15, 2023

Updated as a Standard Change to capture additional cloud hosting provider needs

Hosting Service	Owner	Date	Comments
Digital Ocean	@stephenscapelliti	March 8, 2019	Previously implemented per below discussion
Azure	@jpb5013	March 15, 2023	New cloud service as part of community operations for Project.Gallery Project

Description

This is a proposal to purchase a 1GB “Standard Droplet” account from Digital Ocean for access by ProgCode Operations Staff and other community members in fulfillment of the ProgCode mission, with the option of continuing the account, increasing capacity at a later date, or cancelling the account.

This is a proposal to establish a budget for Digital Ocean in the amount of up to $15/month for one 1gb/1core server ("Standard Droplet") and one 2gb/2core server or any similar combination within that budget, and to allow the Directors discretion to adjust that amount downward - with community input - if experience indicates that usage requires a lower expenditure, with the option of continuing the account or cancelling the account.. Any increase above $15/month would require an amendment to this issue and a community vote to implement. - This issue was amended on 2019.04.06 pursuant to the Community Operations meeting on 2019.04.01.

Problem

ProgCode has relied on Heroku for hosting of the ProgCode website and other projects (such as Progbot, Toolkit scrapers, PhoneYourRep), due to the available features. Heroku is affordable and cost-effective for our particular uses. Digital Ocean and other hosts offer a more-cost effective hosting option for projects which do not require the same features offered by Heroku. Recent discussions have included expansion and revision of the ProgCode website, the establishment of a chat resource (such as Discourse), and a searchable Slack archive backup.

Benefit

A Digital Ocean account would enable ProgCode to implement some of the above-mentioned projects to benefit the community at a lower cost than if we increased usage of Heroku for those same projects. A minimum plan of 1GB will cost $5/month or $60/year. It can be increased, if necessary, to 2GB, which will cost $10/month or $120/year. A discount is offered to non-profit organizations, which might reduce the cost further, if ProgCode qualifies.

Expenditure Analysis

This proposed solution would require a minor annual expenditure (between $60/year for 1GB and $120/year for 2GB $180/year for one 1gb/1core server and one 2gb/2core server or similar combination - amended 2019.04.06).

The requirements of Issues #198 and #236 are applicable, as follows:

Proposals seeking consent for implementation of budget requests and/or change process should not contradict ProgCode core objective and should pass this four-pronged test when considered by operations:

1. Is this proposal non-partisan in nature? Yes
2. Is this proposal aligned with ProgCode's mission of removing the influence of big money in politics? Yes
3. Does this proposal seek to empower the grassroots by supporting the creation of open source tech? Yes
4. Is this proposal sponsored or funded by an outside organization? If yes, the source of the funding must be disclosed. No

Plan

• Community discussion of all elements of this proposal at the 03.11.2019 Community Operations Meeting.
• Vote for consent to implement proceed to investigate the capacity needs for the standard change to purchase a month-to-month 1GB Standard Droplet Digital Ocean account for access by all ProgCode Staff and community members assisting the staff, for the benefit of and use by the ProgCode community.
• Vote for consent to proceed for the standard change to purchase the capacity needed from Digital Ocean at a later date.
• Notify the community of the vote taken by posting a #team-announcement and sharing the video URL in #operations immediately following the 03.11.2019 Community Operations Meeting to allow additional votes & feedback during the standard 72-hour waiting period before ratifying the vote.
• Vote for consent to implement the standard change to purchase the capacity needed from Digital Ocean at a later date.
• If vote for consent to implement passes, purchase a month-to-month Standard Droplet Digital Ocean account in for the ProgCode Administration account in whatever capacity is approved in a community operations meeting.
• Grant login access to the Digital Ocean account to all current and future ProgCode Staff members, and to others assisting staff, on an as-needed basis.
• Staff will investigate non-profit and other discounts which may be available to ProgCode and make application as needed to qualify.
• Operations Staff to create a standard process for use, maintenance, and security of the ProgCode Digital Ocean account.
• Keep this issue open for possible amendment a later date, for continuing the account, increasing capacity at a later date, or cancelling the account.

Decision Making

Consent to implement a standard change per the Change Process

Optional Information

Reference link(s)

• Digital Ocean Features
• Digital Ocean Pricing
• Change Process

Community Discussion History:

• 02.26.2017 - Issue 81 "Funding Framework"
• 05.15.2017 - Issue 198 "Four Pronged Test for Mission Alignment"
• 06.18.2018 - Issue 236 "Standard Change - Budget Expense Requests"
• 02.25.2019 - Issue #253 "Upgrading our Tech Stack and available hosting resources"
• 03.07.2019 - Discussion of Digital Ocean at Progbot meeting beginning at the 27:20 mark.