Granting access to server

How to handle outsourcing

[Musicarl]

Hello.

We're running MySQL databases and need some code converted to PHP. It's fairly simple stuff for someone who knows what they're doing, so I'd rather keep our usual developer busy on other projects and hire someone else.

Since the code will need to work with our databases, is it standard proceedure to grant the developer access? I'm not sure how else to do it, but I'd rather not give away the password to our server without working with someone first.

Also, if anyone knows a great place to find a PHP developer, that would be most helpful.

[txbakers]

If you can set up a development environment on your server, then you can grant access only to that portion. I got into an argument with a sub-contractor over access to my server. He wanted full access, I told him no. He got mad, I fired him.

Subs should NEVER have full access to anything. If they mess with something critical they can say "Gee, I'm sorry" but it's your business that could be destroyed.

[Musicarl]

Thanks TX.

I can see how setting up a test folder with its own password for the developer would work, but is there a way to create a MySQL table (or database) with a separate password.

This sounds like a good solution.

[dataguy]

I would create a clone of the web site and database and put it on a separate server before I would hand over any passwords to a sub-contractor. I would probably also only give a limited amount of data in the cloned database since the data is the heart of my web business and I wouldn't give anyone the opportunity to copy it.

This keeps the development neat and separate, and when it's finally complete I am free to make changes as I move the new design over to production, so the contractor doesn't know everything about how the production site functions.