Over the next 24-48 hours, we will be migrating to a new provider.  We are doing our best to keep downtime to a minimum, but as can sometimes happen, short downtimes may occur.

Currently, we are migrating the code and data to the new provider to begin testing.  Once this is done, the old site will become unusable, databases resynced, and our domain will be pointed to the new site.  Sometimes, DNS takes approximately 1 hour to propagate, so this downtime may affect you during this transition.  However, to ensure we do not loose data, this downtime is unavoidable.  We will do our best to ensure this downtime occurs during non-peak times.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me here or at vatusa6[at]vatusa.net.  I apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

Services that can/will be affected:
- Division email
- Forums
- Division Training Wiki
- Division Website

All,

The Data Services team is proud to announce the new Unified Login Scheme.  It builds atop of VATSIM's SSO by providing a true-to-definition Single Sign-On system for the entirety of the division.

Reasons for facility websites to switch:
- Ease of use.  Users no longer have to worry about remembering different passwords.  Now all they need is to remember their VATSIM password and can login across the division sites that support ULS as well as VATSIM passwords.  It differs from VATSIM's SSO implementation by not requiring login at every site.
- Provides information about the user.  You get access to their VATSIM name, rating, email address and VATUSA information including their home facility, their position within the facility, etc.
- It's easy to setup.  In the manual I've included a code sample showing ZMP's configuration.  This setup works on all websites using my code base with minimal effort.  Any other webmasters desiring assistance, do not hesitate to contact me and I will do my best to help you.  This code base will work on most sites using SMF as well.
- Security.  You no longer have to worry about tracking and securing passwords.  Using ULS, you can easily set it up for not only your website, but forums, training software, etc.
- ULS is only available to VATUSA Facilities and Services.  ULS will not be available to 3rd Party sites including, but not limited to: vataware, vatview, vattrack, vroute, vattastic.

To view the ULS Manual, go here: http://vatusa.net/VATUSA6/M1022%20-%20ULS.pdf.

VATUSA's systems are now on a unified login.

If you are logged in to the forums, you are logged in to the website as well and vice versa.  Stay tuned for a division wide unified login system.

This week finishes the last bit of code changes and begins the testing phase for the new authentication system and forums.  VATUSA will soon be getting new forum software.  Some things to know:

- Posts will be converted, but may or may not be associated with your CID when you login.  What does this mean?  You may not be able to edit posts you wrote once the conversion happens and they may not be counted in your post count.  I will do my best to convert this, but my focus is on making sure we don't lose posts in the conversion.
- Members will be created as they login to the new forum.  Your account will use SSO, and when you login for the first time, your account will be created, proper permissions assigned and other information retrieved from CERT via SSO.  The way the forum now has users is broken up in such a way that it is highly inefficient to try and convert and there are a number of people who are no longer members that shouldn't be in our user table anymore.  Additionally, there are a number of users who aren't part of the division as full members that CERT does not allow us to get information about except by SSO.
- After conversion, you will not be able to send private messages to a user via the forums until after they login.
- The forums will not allow you to change your password.  Its integration with SSO requires you to login via VATSIM.

This is the first phase of the new site roll out.  Once I schedule the conversion time, I will add a news post to inform users of the forum downtime while the conversion happens.  I expect less than an hour downtime while I convert the data to the new forum software, but need to shutdown the forum so data isn't lost.

Thank you all for your enthusiastic support and input.

We have decided due to unforeseen circumstances to close voting early.  The results were fairly conclusive, but a wrench was thrown into our process.

The clear leader was a submission that blew all the other submissions and the incumbent out of the water.  However, it was brought to our attention that the logo may infringe on a copyright.  Throughout discussions with the logo's original author, which was used in no other location than apart of a portfolio for an advertising agency, we made clear we were a non-profit component.  However, the author wanted to talk about payment and we felt that our logo should belong to us and not be a copyrighted item that we received permission to use (which could later be rescinded at any time).

The tallies then placed the incumbent in second place.  It has been agreed by the staff to cease the voting and leave the incumbent in place.

Vote tallies:
#1 - 6 - 8%
#2 - 41 - 55%
#3 - 9 - 12%
#4 - 6 - 8%
#5 - 13 - 17%

Again, thank you all for your input and your support.  Unfortunately, we were not expecting to run in to this issue.

[size=]Submission period has closed[/size]

When Don posted the logo voting on the General Discussion topics, no one thought we would generate the amount of input, submissions or support that we did.  The overall amount of inputs were outstanding, so much so that we're going to open voting up but have it be structured with a pre-voting submission period first.

The process:
1. The submission period, which extends 7 days from today.  All submissions must be made prior to 11:59pm US Eastern time on the Feb 26.  No exceptions there.
2. After the submission period ends, the staff will review all submissions to ensure all logo submissions are politically correct, in good taste, and confirm to VATSIM policies.
3. All logos found to be in full compliance with #2 will then be presented to all members.  Utilizing the SSO solely for the purpose of preventing voter fraud, we will allow members to view all submissions and place their vote (including the incumbent).  Voting will cease 5 days after it begins.
4. After the voting is up, the staff will review the top 3 contestants.  The popular vote winner will be rescreened to ensure compliance with #2.  If it does it, it will be discarded and the 2nd best will be reviewed.  If the second fails, then the 3rd, and so on and so forth.

The rules:
1. All logos shall not exceed 150 pixels in height nor 500 pixels in width.  These are already fairly high numbers.
2. Logos need to be simplistic yet descriptive.
3. Logos shall be submitted in GIF, JPG or PNG format.  Winners will be prompted to provide PSD or similar formats, and it's requested that these be submitted when requested.
4. If your logo is selected, you will receive credit for the logo but you immediately surrender all ownership and trademark rights to VATUSA.  The logo and portions thereof will only be used for VATUSA and will be not duplicated, reused or retransmitted outside the scope of VATUSA and her projects.
5. All submissions need to be sent to vatusa12[at]vatusa.net prior to the deadline listed above.  Any submission not received at that email address by the deadline will not be considered.
6. It's encouraged that members read http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/06/12...signing-a-logo/ prior to designing their submission(s). [Thanks to Merik Nanish for the link!]

We're looking to let the community get involved and have a say in our direction.  We are here, like you, to enjoy this hobby and make it the best we can be.  I am really looking forward to seeing all the submissions and ideas you all have.

Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments or concerns.

[size=]Submission period has closed[/size]