URL Guidelines

UCANR Communication Services and Information Technology (CSIT) currently manages approximately 200 unique URLs using UC Davis host clerk and Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS). The URLs are primarily used for Site Builder sites. Aside from the pre-created CE county URLs, we host UC Davis department URLs and a variety or programmatic URLs for division personnel.

Site Builder creates a standard URL for all new sites with the prefix http://ucanr.edu/sites/foldername. Therefore, new requests for URLs come in regularly, prompting us to create guidelines for how new domains can be created and/or added to our server. These are organized by three specific request types: those looking to create a subdomain of ucanr.edu, those looking to create a subdomain of ucdavis.edu, and those looking to use a custom domain.

UCANR.EDU Subdomain Requests

CSIT will create subdomains for CE programs without additional approval. Many counties have split their 4H and Master Gardener web sites from the home CE site to allow for more content and better organizational capabilities.

CSIT will assign domains with a format consistent to the existing county site. If cecounty.ucanr.edu is the main CE site, the 4H site will be 4hcounty.ucanr.edu and the Master Gardener site will be mgcounty.ucanr.edu. If the county or multi-county partnership (MCP) name is lengthy, the requesting program can ask for an abbreviated subdomain, which will be subject to approval by the IT manager or CSIT director.

Any additional request for UCANR.EDU subdomains are subject to approval by the IT manager. When making a request for a subdomain, please take into consideration your local identity. For example, if you are seeking to acquire a subdomain for your rabbit program in Yolo County, please request rabbitsyolo.ucanr.edu rather than rabbits.ucanr.edu. If you are operating a statewide or broad program, using rabbits.ucanr.edu would be appropriate.

UCDAVIS.EDU Subdomain Requests

CSIT does not create subdomains ucdavis.edu. If you have an existing subdomain and you wish to use it for a Site Builder site or other ANR application, CSIT systems administrators will coordinate with you and UC Davis Host Clerk to point the URL to CSIT servers.

Custom Domains

CSIT will not create or manage any custom domain, such as 4Hcounty.org. If you have a custom domain and would like to use it for your Site Builder site, you can have your domain registration company redirect the site to your Site Builder default URL. CSIT strongly advises that personnel not register custom domains. If these registrations lapse, your domain could be purchased by an outside party quickly and pointed to a different location. Once the custom domain is transferred, it is very difficult to rectify the situation if not impossible.