Web Server Primer

eCommerce Technologies

A Primer on Web Servers

MIS 4453 -- Spring 2003

Instructors:Kelly Fish, Ph.D.John Seydel, Ph.D.

Student Objectives

Describe interaction between browser and serverCompare and contrast web server software commonly availableSelect appropriate web server based upon organizational needsIf time permits: create shape-tweened Flash graphic

First, Some Administrative Stuff

Customization (remember the 7 Cs?)Summary of exercises so far: Exercise 1 – Create personal profile pages (p.

22) Exercise 2 – FP exercise (modified from p. 36) Exercise 3 – site reorganization Exercise 4 – basic Flash (animated logo, page) Exercise 5 – more Flash (rollover button, etc.)

Current homework (Exercise 5) detailed at course website

And now, Quiz #2

Web ServersBasics

AKA “HTTP servers” Service requests from clients (browsers) Forward (if necessary) to

Database servers Application servers

Provide administration and security features for web management

Process differs for static and dynamic web pages Static pages: never changing; brochureware Dynamic: content (and even display) based upon

interaction with user Draw information from databases Update databases

eBusiness: integrates servers, applications, and databases among users and suppliers

eBusiness Data Access

Server Selection, Step-by-Step

Determine “user” requirements Customers Company

Identify applications software needed Specific applications (ASP.NET, PHP, . . . ) Web server software

Determine OS requirementsDevelop hardware specifications

Server Hardware

Just about any computer can be a server Powerful multi-user hardware Lightweight personal machine

Vary based upon OS (not really hardware, but treat as such) Number/power of processors RAM Hard drive space

Organizational needs will dictate the appropriate configurations

Server Software

Top four: Apache (open source) – 11.1 million sites IIS (Windows) – 4.1 million sites Zeus – 0.3 million sites SunONE (replaces/extends iPlanet) – 0.2 million

sites

Features to expect User management, authentication, etc. Cookies support Editing features Server-side script processing (e.g., CGI, ASP, PHP)

See www.netcraft.com/survey

Apache Server

OS supported Windows, OS/2, Unix, Linux Most common: Linux

Open source – what’s that mean?Robust design and extensibilityNot a dummies tool No GUI No browser-based maintenance Essentially all command line driven

Internet Information Server

Actually Internet Information Services (IIS 5)On the plus side Intuitive: GUI Essentially as powerful/capable as Apache Incorporates WebDAV (web-based distributed

authoring & versioning)Emerging standard for simplifying intranet constructionand enabling multiple users to publish to common webserver

Additional benefit: Supports ASPDownside: works only on Windows (what else would you expect from Microsoft!)Growing in popularity (?)

Other Web-Related Servers

Create multi-tiered architectureInclude Application servers (sometimes middleware) A/V servers (especially valuable for

streaming) Database servers Exchange servers (support collaboration;

email) Proxy servers (involve cache management) Security servers (e.g., firewalls)

Offload processing and storage From server From client

Can be in same or multiple boxes

Multi-Tiered Internet Database Access Architecture

Choosing Your Server (Revisited)

First, what applications will be needed? ASP Cold Fusion CGI Extensions: FrontPage, DreamWeaver, . . .

Then, what server software is required to run those applicationsNext, what OS will support that server software?Finally, choose the hardware that can support

Software configuration Traffic expected Connection with database and applications Network

Server Selection Considerations

Keep in mind that eCommerce requires more power, memory, speed than static web applicationsNeeds assessment Site traffic

Concurrent users Bandwidth could be limitation Plan for three years growth

Scalability (size) Extensibility (functionality)

Hardware/software selection: popularity, capacity, reliability, performance, compatibility, upgradeability, price, support

See server ratings (sites on page 88)

Summary of Objectives

Describe interaction between browser and serverCompare and contrast web server software commonly availableSelect appropriate web server based upon organizational needsIf time permits: create shape-tweened Flash graphic

How About Questions Concerning Homework Exercises?

Flash Basic animation (logo) Adding objects to web pages Rollover buttons (see handout at

website) Shape-tweening

FrontPageXHTML/HTML in generalOther . . . ?

For Next Time

Install and experiment with IIS on personal machine (see pages 89-94)Read Chapter 6Complete Exercise 5 per specifications at website

Flash exercises Animated conference logo Rollover button Installed on web pages

Chapter 3 Hands-On Exercise Scan/convert conference images Use PhotoEd and Flash (not PS Pro)

Another Flash exercise: try to create shape tweened graphic

Appendix

What Happens When You View a Web Page?

The same process applies whether you Click on a link or Type a URL into the address bar

HTTP request is then sent to server at designated URL Includes header info Requests file

Server then returns HTTP response Includes header info Contains file

Repeated as client (i.e., user agent) interprets file

Browser/Server Interaction

HTTP Request Example

Request:GET/index.html?name=julie+smith&ID=12234

/HTTP:/www.astate.edu

/HTTP1.1

Header:Useragent: IE 5.0

Accept: */*

Date: 10/24/02

Body:(empty)

querystring

HTTP Response Example

Response:HTTP1.1/200

Header:Server: IIS 50

Date: 10/24/02

Body:<html>

. . .

</html>

Servers at Active Websites

Source: www.netcraft.com/survey

Zeus Web Server versus Apache

Effective Site Customization?

Basic Shape Tweening Exercise

Open new file and Turn on grid/snap Zoom to 75%

Create circle near center (red stroke & gradient fill)On timeline, select frame 10

Click on Insert | Blank Keyframe Press Onion Skin icon

Use line tool to draw triangle slightly larger than circle (black stroke)Use bucket tool to fill triangle with gray gradient fillSelect frames 2-9 (press Control key and then drag)Click on Windows | Properties and then set Tween box to ShapeTurn off onion skinningRun the animation

With control bar (Window | Toolbars | Controller) Or drag playhead on timeline

Some Enhancements

Turn on looping (Control | Loop Playback)Reverse the action Copy frame 1 to frame 20 Select frames 11-19 (press Control key

and then drag) Click on Windows | Properties and then

set Tween box to Shape

Now, run the animation