Naming Conventions

When you first create a Google Site, you will, by default, be given a URL that begins, (https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu).

However, often it's important to have a URL that helps the user identify the site owner, group or department. For these instances we have a handful of domains for web addresses at U-M, that you might utilize including:

• umich.edu

• med.umich.edu

• medicine.umich.edu

  • lab.medicine.umich.edu

• i.medicine.umich.edu

Information on what domain to use & when can be found below.

Note: we do not recommend you purchase a domain name like a (.com or .org), since that will not help your site with SEO and there are problems associated with purchasing a domain name.

U-M Top Level Domain (umich.edu)

First-level domain names are reserved for Schools, Departments and other Regents approved sites. Exceptions are for websites that provide services campus-wide .

If you think you need a first-level URL read SPG 601.15-1 & work with ITS.

Michigan Medicine Patient Facing Sites (med.umich.edu)

This domain is reserved for websites that are patient facing or serve multiple units or departments in the Medical School, like a service or a core. The steps to create a custom url in this space are the same as for medicine.umich.edu below, the one exception is the team that handles the request.

If you are developing a website and want a custom url that falls under these specifics, please contact HITS A DNS Service Catalog Item has been created to increase efficiency and accuracy of requests. The intake form can be found in ServiceNow by navigating to " Home -> IT Service Catalog -> Networks -> DNS Request". Please note that DNS requests are implemented, Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm.

https://wiki.med.umich.edu/display/UMHSHELPDESK/DNS+Requests

Medical School Sites (medicine.umich.edu)

Google Sites is a great option for building a lab or research website. There is a large SEO (Search Engine Optimization) value proposition for using this ([Last Name].lab.medicine.umich.edu) naming convention. Having your lab's name as a key words in the url will help search engines find the site & being part of a strong domain like (medicine.umich.edu) will help people find your site more than having a shorter url. HITS can help you with your options for a custom web address.

Lab Site Naming Convention (lab.medicine.umich.edu)

1. [Last Name].lab.medicine.umich.edu

2. For Common Last Names [e.g. Smith]

   1. [First Initial] [hyphen] [Last Name].lab.medicine.umich.edu

   2. [First Full Name] [hyphen] [Last Name].lab.medicine.umich.edu

Note: We are starting to provision so many custom URLs & starting to bump into common last names that we need to use the above system. All we can do is treat this on a first come first serve basis, or the next possible step might be to introduce the department designation (subdomain). At that point, length is an issue and we’ll just have to work with the faculty member to get them something acceptable.

How To Request A Lab URL

1. Email Request to Department of Communication Web Center (doc-web-support@umich.edu)

Subject: Mapping a URL For Google Lab Site

Hello Department of Communication Web Center

Google Site: https://sites.google.com/umich.edu/PI-NAME

New URL: PI-NAME.lab.medicine.umich.edu

Please set the CNAME value of (ghs.googlehosted.com.) for this google site

2. Email Request to ITS (4help@umich.edu)

Subject: Mapping URL for a Google Site

Hello ITS Collaboration Services,

Please map this new URL

Google Site: https://sites.google.com/umich.edu/PI-NAME

New URL: PI-NAME.lab.medicine.umich.edu

HITS has already set the CNAME value to (ghs.googlehosted.com.).

Internal Site (i.medicine.umich.edu)

If you are creating an internal website please contact HITS to see what your options are. The naming convention is often (Department-Name.i.medicine.umich.edu).