Wiki.nus transition
This page will be updated with the latest information.
To subscribe to email updates, please watch this page (top right) to be notified when there are edits.
Latest updates
Wiki.nus is now in read-only mode.
You can still export spaces to PDF or HTML as backup.
We will endeavour to keep Wiki.nus accessible in read-only mode until Fri 31 May 2024.
This is the latest we intend to keep Wiki.nus running.
If there are security or other concerns which prevent us from keeping Wiki.nus running, we may have to shut down the service completely before Fri 31 May 2024.
Dear Wiki.nus users,
Announcement of Wiki.nus (Confluence Server) sunset
It is with deep regret that the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT) announces that Wiki.nus will cease in its current form, on 14 February 2024.
We have used Atlassian Confluence to power Wiki.nus since mid-2008. Confluence is installed on our servers on campus.
When we began using Confluence, the license was affordable. Over the years, this price has increased tremendously, but not to a point of being prohibitive.
Atlassian's move to end its server product in favour of cloud services has pushed the price past this point.
Reasons for transition and issues with Atlassian's alternatives
Atlassian, the company which develops Confluence, will be dropping the Server versions of all their software on 15 February 2024.
While Atlassian is dropping Confluence Server, it offers Confluence Cloud in its place.
Untenable cost increases over current price for replacement services
Moving to Confluence Cloud represents a leap in costs compared to their Server product.
To license Confluence Cloud for all campus users is an approximately 70x increase to a seven-figure digit cost per annum.
On this exorbitant price alone, Confluence becomes untenable.
But there are additional factors compounding the cost issue.
Usage patterns cannot justify the high cost
A review of the most visited wiki spaces shows that most wiki spaces have a small number of editors.
It is the audience size that differs.
The wiki spaces can be broadly classified into three use-cases:
Few authors, public readers: Public-facing wiki spaces which are edited by a small group,
Authors are the readers: Collaborative wiki spaces with restricted access i.e. the editors and readers within the same small group, and
Few authors, restricted readers: Restricted-access wiki spaces which are edited by a small group.
The third use-case is particularly challenging. Overall, Wiki.nus does not have a lot of authors or active users - people who create and edit content - compared to the overall NUS population.
As each user for restricted-access wiki spaces need to be licensed, every person that logs in to Wiki.nus as a reader needs to be paid for. Public readers do not need to log in, so are not counted.
Essentially, we would be paying so that permissions can be granted to readers to access certain wiki spaces rather than active editors.
Alternatives moving forward
CTLT has looked a various competing services. Price is always the sticking point.
The reason is - just like Atlassian's pricing - other services charge for every user that logs in to the service, whether they are actively creating or editing content or just a passive reader accessing information.
Besides price, many of these cloud wiki (or wiki-like) services generally top out at 20,000 or 30,000 users, numbers which cannot support the entire NUS community.
We tried to look for an affordable, almost like-for-like replacement for Confluence but have come up empty.
As such, we suggest alternatives based on the three major use-cases.
(1) Few authors, public readers | (2) Authors are readers | (3) Few authors, restricted readers |
---|---|---|
e.g. Canvas Instructor Guide (anyone can read without login) | e.g Internal CTLT wiki for collaboration within the department. | e.g. Digital Assessments staff guide (accessible to NUS staff only) |
| ||
|
|
Confluence Cloud
For public wiki spaces (i.e. readers do not have to log in to read), CTLT intends to subscribe to Confluence Cloud. We are currently in the cloud assessment process for Confluence Cloud.
The cost will be borne by CTLT, and this represents the easiest migration path.
CTLT will contact the owners of public-facing wiki spaces regarding next steps for this.
Blog.nus
An alternative for (1) few authors, public readers is to use Blog.nus. These are WordPress blogs hosted by CampusPress. NUS has subscribed to CampusPress since 2008.
Microsoft SharePoint
For private wikis for group collaboration, SharePoint can be used in cases where you want to restrict editors to a small group but readership to within NUS or smaller units within NUS.
You can request for a SharePoint Site here. If the link does not work, log in to nTouch (VPN/WS1 required off-campus), then search for SharePoint Online, then under Catalog Items look for SharePoint Online - General Service Request.
Canvas Pages
For use within courses, Canvas Pages can be used in a wiki-like manner. Pages can be set to allow student editing. Just like a wiki, there is version history showing the date, time and author.
If you want students to be able to create their own pages, you can set this in the course settings by expanding more options and changing the permission for can create, rename and edit course pages by default.
Microsoft Loop * This option is not available until further notice
Comparison chart
Confluence Cloud | Blog.nus | Microsoft SharePoint | Canvas Pages | Microsoft Loop | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Use case | (1) Few authors, public readers | (1) Few authors, public readers | (2) Authors are readers (3) Few authors, restricted readers | (2) Authors are readers | (2) Authors are readers (3) Few authors, restricted readers |
URL | |||||
Subscription cost | Free (provided by CTLT) | Free (provided by CTLT) | Free (provided by NUS IT) | Free | Free* (provided by NUS IT) |
Migration path | Wiki spaces can be exported from Wiki.nus, then imported into Confluence Cloud. | Content will have to be copied manually from Wiki.nus to Blog.nus. If you require student assistants to help copy your content over, please let CTLT know. | Content will have to be copied manually from Wiki.nus to SharePoint. If you require student assistants to help copy your content over, please let CTLT know. | Content will have to be copied manually from Wiki.nus to Canvas. If you require student assistants to help copy your content over, please let CTLT know. | Content will have to be copied manually from Wiki.nus to Loop. If you require student assistants to help copy your content over, please let CTLT know. |
How to start | CTLT will contact owners of public-facing wiki spaces. | Request for a SharePoint Site here. If the link does not work, log in to nTouch (VPN/WS1 required off-campus), then search for SharePoint Online. Under Catalog Items look for SharePoint Online - General Service Request. | You can create Pages in your existing Course(s). | When you first log in to Loop, you will be prompted to create a space. | |
Notes | This option is only for public-facing wiki spaces. |
|
Notes
Subscription and migration costs
CTLT intends to subscribe to Confluence Cloud on a limited basis for public-facing wiki spaces. For the public wiki spaces that move to Confluence Cloud, CTLT will bear the subscription cost. Migration should be relatively straightforward and not incur costs. However, you are responsible for reviewing the import so that the content is as you want it to appear.
The other alternatives listed above are offered by NUS IT (SharePoint, Loop) or CTLT (Blog.nus) at no cost to users. If you decide to use student assistants to assist with migration, CTLT will bear the cost.
If you decide to subscribe to services outside of the list, e.g. Notion, Coda or others, your department will bear the subscription and migration cost (if any) for the service.
NUS Cloud Policy
CTLT plans to proceed with cloud assessment for Confluence Cloud.
Existing alternatives already in use in NUS - e.g. SharePoint, Loop, Canvas - have already undergone cloud assessment. Please ensure the chosen service is assessed to meet or exceed the data classification level of your data.
If you decide to subscribe to a cloud service outside of the alternatives provided, you will have to go through cloud assessment in accordance with NUS Cloud Policy before you subscribe to the service.
Hybrid-permission wiki spaces
If your wiki space combines three of the major use-cases e.g. a section for internal collaboration within your department, then other pages which are accessible to a larger audience, then you will have to split the wiki space and find alternatives following the respective use-case.
If your public-facing wiki space also has private pages where the same wiki editors collaborate, this use can be accommodated.
Migration of content
For wiki spaces moving to Confluence Cloud, wiki spaces can be exported from Wiki.nus to a file, then imported to Confluence Cloud. This is relatively straightforward. CTLT will assist with migration to Confluence Cloud, if needed.
For migration to Blog.nus, SharePoint, Loop or Canvas Pages, you will be able to avail of student assistants to assist with copying content, the cost of which will be borne by CTLT.
While Confluence offers exports to HTML, XML and PDF, your ability to import these into other services are likely limited unless the service you choose to migrate to offers Confluence migration from the XML export. Nonetheless, you are encouraged to export the data so that you have a backup.
Migration tips
Before migration:
Remove all users except the main admin. Grant access in your chosen service later.
Page permissions should be removed.
Space and Page Watchers should be removed.
No new wiki spaces on Wiki.nus
As of the time of this announcement, we have disabled the ability to create new wiki spaces on Wiki.nus.
Conclusion
We do not take this decision lightly.
As one of the heaviest Wiki.nus users on campus, this affects CTLT deeply as well. On average, four out of the top ten most visited wiki spaces every month belong to CTLT.
We empathise with the pain that you feel as we navigate towards divergent alternatives, away from what was an affordable, user-friendly and effective service.
Do contact us at CTLT Helpdesk for assistance.
We can arrange to meet on your options moving forward.