Comprehensive Guide to OJS Hosting Plans by OJSPlus

In the rapidly evolving world of academic publishing, managing a journal efficiently requires reliable and versatile tools. Open Journal Systems (OJS), an open-source software for managing and publishing scholarly journals, has become the go-to platform for many institutions and publishers. However, effectively running an OJS journal necessitates not just familiarity with the software but also a robust hosting solution tailored to the specific needs of your journal.

OJSPlus specializes in providing hosting solutions specifically designed for OJS, ensuring that your journal operates seamlessly with robust support, advanced features, and reliable service. Whether you are a small society publisher, a large university, or a commercial institution, OJSPlus offers hosting plans that cater to a variety of needs. This article delves into the details of the hosting plans available, helping you choose the right plan to match your journal’s requirements.

Understanding OJS Hosting by OJSPlus

At OJSPlus, we understand that every journal has unique needs. Our hosting solutions are designed to accommodate various types of publishers, from small academic societies to large-scale institutional publishers. Our hosting plans are not just about providing server space; they include comprehensive support, training, and customization options to ensure that your journal not only functions smoothly but also meets the highest standards of academic publishing.

We offer three primary hosting plans: the OJS Enterprise Plan, the OJS Professional Plan, and custom options tailored to specific needs. Each plan includes a range of features designed to enhance your journal’s performance and provide the necessary tools and support for your editorial team.

The OJS Enterprise Plan: A Comprehensive Solution for Large Publishers

The OJS Enterprise Plan is the most extensive hosting plan offered by OJSPlus. This plan is tailored for institutions and publishers that require a high level of support, customization, and advanced features. If you are managing a large journal or multiple journals and need a solution that offers comprehensive support, the Enterprise Plan is designed for you.

Key Features of the OJS Enterprise Plan

1. Introductory Training

• Description: The Enterprise Plan begins with a comprehensive introductory documents. This training session is designed to familiarize your editorial team with the OJS platform, covering essential features, workflows, and best practices. It ensures that your team can hit the ground running, minimizing the learning curve associated with adopting new software.
• Benefit: This initial document lays a strong foundation for using OJS effectively, helping your team to understand the platform’s capabilities and how to leverage them for optimal journal management.

2. Training

• Description: The Enterprise Plan includes training system. This training can be customized to address specific needs or challenges your team may encounter, ensuring that they continue to develop their proficiency with OJS.
• Benefit: Ongoing training helps your team stay up-to-date with new features, troubleshoot issues effectively, and maintain a high level of operational efficiency.

3. Third-Party Plugins Integration

• Description: OJS supports a wide range of third-party plugins that enhance the functionality of your journal. The Enterprise Plan includes support for integrating essential third-party plugins that can streamline workflows, improve user experience, and add valuable features to your journal.
• Benefit: Integration of third-party plugins allows you to customize your OJS installation to better meet the needs of your authors, reviewers, and readers.

4. iThenticate Plugin for Plagiarism Detection

• Description: Academic integrity is paramount in scholarly publishing. The Enterprise Plan includes access to the iThenticate plugin, a leading plagiarism detection tool. This plugin helps ensure the originality of submissions by checking manuscripts against a vast database of academic content.
• Benefit: Using iThenticate reduces the risk of publishing plagiarized content, protecting your journal’s reputation and upholding high ethical standards.

5. Standalone Installation

• Description: Each OJSPlus installation under the Enterprise Plan is standalone, meaning it is dedicated solely to your journal or journals. This setup ensures optimal performance, greater control, and increased security, as your installation is not shared with other users.
• Benefit: Standalone installations offer superior reliability and can be customized more extensively than shared environments.

6. Choice of Free OJS Theme

• Description: Visual appeal is crucial for attracting and retaining readers. The Enterprise Plan allows you to choose from a range of free OJS themes to customize the appearance of your journal, ensuring it aligns with your brand or institutional identity.
• Benefit: A well-designed theme enhances the user experience and can contribute to a professional, polished image for your journal.

7. SSH & MySQL Access

• Description: For institutions that require advanced management capabilities, the Enterprise Plan includes SSH (Secure Shell) and MySQL access. This access allows your IT team to manage the server and database directly, offering greater control over the technical aspects of your OJS installation.
• Benefit: Direct access to the server and database can be crucial for institutions that need to implement custom configurations, troubleshoot complex issues, or perform in-depth data analysis.

8. Crossref Membership and Extended DOI Support

• Description: The Enterprise Plan includes membership with Crossref, enabling you to register and manage Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) for your journal’s content. Extended support for DOIs ensures that your articles are easily discoverable and accessible.
• Benefit: DOIs are essential for the proper citation and indexing of scholarly articles. Extended DOI support helps enhance the visibility and impact of your journal’s publications.

9. ORCID Plugin Setup Support

• Description: ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) integration is increasingly important in academic publishing. The Enterprise Plan includes support for setting up the ORCID plugin, which allows authors to link their work to their ORCID profiles.
• Benefit: ORCID integration enhances author recognition and ensures that your journal’s contributions are accurately attributed, supporting the integrity of the academic record.

10. DOAJ Application Support

• Description: The Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) is a critical index for open-access journals. The Enterprise Plan includes support for applying to DOAJ, helping you navigate the application process and meet the necessary criteria.
• Benefit: Inclusion in DOAJ increases the visibility and credibility of your journal, making it more accessible to a global audience.

11. Minor Customizations

• Description: The Enterprise Plan includes minor customizations to your OJS installation at no extra cost. These customizations can range from small tweaks to workflows to changes in the journal’s appearance.
• Benefit: Customization ensures that your OJS installation meets the specific needs of your editorial team and aligns with your journal’s branding.

Additional Services Available with the OJS Enterprise Plan

In addition to the comprehensive features listed above, the Enterprise Plan offers several additional services at discounted rates:

• Custom Feature Development: If your journal requires unique features that are not available in the standard OJS installation, OJSPlus can develop custom features tailored to your specific needs.
• Custom Theme Development: For journals that need a unique look and feel, we offer custom theme development services. Our design team can create a bespoke theme that reflects your journal’s identity and enhances user experience.
• Standalone Server and Sandbox Testing Site: For institutions that need to test new features or workflows without affecting their live journal, we offer standalone server setups and sandbox testing environments.

Annual Fee and Contact Information

The OJSPlus Enterprise Plan offers a highly customized hosting solution with a focus on support, performance, and advanced features. Due to the tailored nature of this plan, pricing varies based on your specific requirements. Please contact us at support@ojsplus.net for more information on the annual fee and to discuss your needs.

The OJS Professional Plan: Essential Support for Core Functionality

For publishers who require robust hosting with a focus on core functionalities but may not need the extensive features of the Enterprise Plan, the OJS Professional Plan is an ideal choice. This plan offers essential support and reliable performance, ensuring that your journal operates smoothly without the need for extensive customizations.

Key Features of the OJS Professional Plan

1. Introductory Webinar Training

• Description: As with the Enterprise Plan, the Professional Plan begins with an introductory webinar to guide your team through the initial setup and usage of OJS. This training ensures that you are well-equipped to manage your journal from day one.
• Benefit: This session helps your team quickly become familiar with OJS, enabling them to manage submissions, peer reviews, and publishing processes efficiently.

2. Third-Party Plugins Integration

• Description: The Professional Plan includes support for integrating essential third-party plugins that enhance the functionality of your OJS installation.
• Benefit: Plugin integration allows you to extend the capabilities of your journal, improving workflows and user experience.

3. ORCID Plugin Setup Support

• Description: Like the Enterprise Plan, the Professional Plan includes support for integrating the ORCID plugin, helping you connect authors’ work with their ORCID profiles.
• Benefit: ORCID integration is increasingly important for ensuring accurate author attribution and enhancing the visibility of your journal’s content.

4. iThenticate Plugin for Plagiarism Prevention

• Description: Maintaining the integrity of published work is essential. The Professional Plan includes the iThenticate plugin, which helps detect and prevent plagiarism in submissions.
• Benefit: By using iThenticate, you can uphold high ethical standards and protect the reputation of your journal.

5. Standalone Installation

• Description: Each OJS installation under the Professional Plan is dedicated solely to your journal, ensuring reliable performance and security.
• Benefit: A standalone installation offers better control and customization options compared to shared environments.

6. Choice of Free OJS Theme

• Description: Customize your journal’s appearance by choosing from a range of free OJS themes included in the Professional Plan.
• Benefit: A well-chosen theme can enhance the professional look of your journal and improve the overall user experience.

Additional Services Available with the OJS Professional Plan

The Professional Plan also offers additional services that can be added to your hosting package:

• Custom Feature Development: If your journal requires additional features, OJSPlus offers custom development services to create functionalities that meet your specific needs.
• Custom Theme Development: For a unique look, our design team can develop a custom theme that aligns with your journal’s branding and enhances its visual appeal.

Annual Fee and Contact Information

The OJS Professional Plan provides essential hosting and support for publishers who need reliable service without the extensive customization options of the Enterprise Plan. To discuss pricing and your specific requirements, please contact us at support@ojsplus.net.

Discounts and Migration Assistance

OJSPlus understands that managing multiple journals can be challenging, both in terms of logistics and budget. To support multi-journal publishers, we offer discounts for hosting five or more journals. Additionally, we provide migration assistance for publishers who are already using OJS but wish to transition their existing installation to our hosting environment.

Discount Opportunities

1. Multi-Journal Discounts

• Description: For institutions or publishers managing multiple journals, OJSPlus offers discounts on hosting services when you host five or more journals with us.
• Benefit: Multi-journal discounts make it more affordable to manage multiple publications, reducing the overall cost of hosting.

Migration Assistance

1. Seamless Migration Services

• Description: If you are already using OJS but want to switch to OJSPlus for hosting, we offer migration services to transition your existing installation to our environment. This service is available for a one-time flat fee.
• Benefit: Migration assistance ensures a smooth transition, minimizing downtime and preserving all your existing data, settings, and configurations.

Choosing the Right OJS Hosting Plan

Selecting the right hosting plan for your OJSPlus journal is crucial to ensuring its success. Whether you need the extensive features and support of the OJSPlus Enterprise Plan or the essential functionalities of the OJSPlus Professional Plan, OJSPlus is here to help you make an informed decision.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

If you have more questions or need further clarification about our hosting plans, we encourage you to explore our website. We cover a range of topics, including:

• Differences between the Enterprise and Professional plans
• Details on third-party plugin support
• Information on custom feature development
• How to apply migration assistance

Contact Us for Personalized Assistance

At OJSPlus, we are committed to providing the support you need to manage your journal effectively. If you are unsure which plan is right for you or have specific requirements that need to be addressed, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our team is available to discuss your needs and help you select the best hosting plan for your journal.

Contact Information:

• Email: support@ojsplus.net

We look forward to assisting you and ensuring that your journal thrives in today’s competitive academic publishing environment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, OJSPlus offers robust, tailored hosting solutions for Open Journal Systems that cater to a wide range of publishing needs. Whether you are a small society publisher or a large institution, our Enterprise and Professional plans provide the necessary tools, support, and features to ensure your journal’s success. Contact us today to learn more and find the perfect hosting plan for your journal.