User manual
Table Of Contents
- Web Technologies Administration
- Contents
- Web Technologies Overview
- Managing Web Technologies
- Managing Websites
- Using Server Admin to Manage Websites
- Changing the Access Port for a Website
- Improving Performance of Static Websites (PerformanceCache)
- Enabling Access and Error Logs for a Website
- Setting Up Directory Listing for a Website
- Connecting to Your Website
- Enabling WebDAV on Websites
- Enabling a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) Script
- Enabling Server Side Includes (SSI)
- Viewing Website Settings
- Setting Server Responses to MIME Types and ContentHandlers
- Enabling SSL
- Enabling PHP
- User Content on Websites
- WebMail
- Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
- Working With Open-Source Applications
- Installing and Viewing WebModules
- Solving Problems
- Where to Find More Information
- Glossary
- Index
8 Chapter 1
Web Technologies Overview
Key Web Components
Web technologies in Mac OS X Server consist of several key components, which
provide a flexible and scalable server environment.
Apache Web Server
Apache is an open-source HTTP web server that administrators can configure with the
Server Admin application.
Apache has a modular design, and the set of modules enabled by default is adequate
for most uses. Server Admin can control a few optional modules. Experienced Apache
users can add or remove modules and modify the server code. For information about
modules, see “Apache Modules” on page 61.
Apache version 1.3 is installed in Mac OS X Server. Apache version 2 is provided with
the server software for evaluation purposes; it is located in /opt/apache2/.
WebDAV
Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) is particularly useful for
updating content on a website. Users who have WebDAV access to the server can open
files, make changes or additions, and save those revisions.
You can also use the realms capability of WebDAV to control access to all or part of a
website’s content.
CGI Support
The Common Gateway Interface (CGI) provides a means of interaction between the
server and clients. For example, CGI scripts allow users to place an order for a product
offered on a website or submit responses to information requests.
You can write CGI scripts in any of several scripting languages, including Perl and
Python. The folder /Library/WebServer/CGI-Executables is the default location for CGI
scripts.
SSL Support
Web service includes support for Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), a protocol that encrypts
information being transferred between the client and server. SSL works in conjunction
with a digital certificate that provides a certified identity for the server by establishing a
secure, encrypted exchange of information.
Dynamic Content With Server-Side Includes (SSI)
Server-side includes provide a method for using the same content on multiple pages in
a site. They also can tell the server to run a script or insert specific data into a page. This
feature makes updating content much easier, because you only revise information in
one place and the SSI command displays that revised information on many pages.
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