Web Servers / Deployment
Alastair Dawes Original by Bhupinder Reehal
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What is a web server?

Computer with a software package

Manages and shares web based applications

Files retrieved via a web browser

Using HTTP protocol

Accessed via IP address/Domain name

Types of Servers


Local
Service Providers
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Issues with Web Servers

Local Server
Security
 Maintenance


Service Providers
User Support
 Limited support of technology
 Sensitive information exposed

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Local Servers

Testing purposes


Windows


Time consuming to upload to external server
IIS
Download and Install web server software
Apache Web Server
 Abyss Web Server X1

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Apache Web Server
“. . .63% of the web sites on the Internet are using
Apache, thus making it more widely used than all
other web servers combined"
Apache.org

Install server before any other technologies



PHP
MySQL
Configure themselves for the server
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Using Apache Web Server Software

Database and PHP hosted on
Server

PHP executed on Server

Install




Web Server Software
MySQL Database
PHP
Front end for MySQL database
(optional)


MySQL Control Centre
MySQL Administrator
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Using Internet Information Server
(IIS)

Installed on Windows 2000 server by
default

Use Add/Remove to install components

Use Inetpub root directory to store files

To access files

http://servername/filename
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Web Server Requirements

Server must support
Database
 Server Side Scripting Language


Unable to communicate without support

If using a Service Provider

Where will the database be stored?
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Database with a Service Provider

Most provide a GUI

Create database and tables online

Update database via service provider
website

Import and export your database
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How secure is your web server?

Public websites are hacked on a daily basis

Hackers may be seeking to:


Embarrass an organisation
Placement of illegitimate material

Can your files be easily accessed?

How will you protect your server?

Firewall Security
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Firewall Security

Protect using
Software Firewalls
 Hardware Routers
 Wireless Routers


Protects against unauthorised access and
viruses

Windows XP in-built firewall
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Software Firewalls

Good for single computers

Pro’s
No requirement for additional software
 No requirement for additional computer wiring


Cons

Speed – uses system resources
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Hardware Routers

Provide protection for multiple computers
 If
they have a hardware firewall

At least 4 network ports

Requires wiring
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Wireless Routers

Allows wireless connection

Excellent for laptops,
PDA’s etc

Unauthorised access

Encryption




Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA and
WPA2)
Neighbours
People outside home
Not always available with
built-in firewall
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Importance of a Firewall

Hackers with malicious intent
Delete information
 Crash machine
 Steal personal information

 Passwords
 Credit
Card Numbers
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Maintenance

Keep software up to date
Web Server software
 Firewall security
 Virus checkers


Regular virus checks

Regular Back-ups
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How will your web files be
accessed?

Client/Server Communication

A web browser is a client
program that requests services
from a web server

Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP)

The web server responds to the
request

File requests also made using File
Transfer Protocol (FTP)
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Client/Server Communication
Example
Client requests details from bank using HTTP
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Web page deployment

Web files need to be:



Stored
Retrieved
Updated

How will files be transferred?

Local Server


Transfer to root folder
External Server

FTP
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What is FTP?
File Transfer Protocol
 Transfers files between server and client
 Two Basic operations

Downloading
 Uploading

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How to use FTP

Requires username and password



Easily accessible using web browser

Different protocol identifier e.g. HTTP or FTP

ftp://username:password@webaddress.com
Command Line


Anonymous – not secure
Using and ‘Get’ and ‘Put’
FTP Programs


Provide a GUI
CuteFTP, FileZilla, SmartFTP
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Using a web browser - IE
Upload
Download
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Using Command Line
Open FTP connection
Enter username and
password
Use ‘Get’ command to
download a file
Use ‘Put’ command to
upload a file
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Using an FTP program SmartFTP
Username
Client
Files
Password
Files on
Server
Transfer
Queue
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Summary

Web server setup

Protecting your server

Maintenance

Web page deployment
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