Home Web Server Question

[MoFunk]

I have a little web server that I am playing with and I am running WinXP Pro. I am starting to get more into and am wanting to expand on it. With that being that case, should I start using Win2K Server for this machine, or is WinXP Pro just as good for that? More for security reasons.

 

[soni]

The biggest change will be more simultanious connections (XP supports 10) and multple websites with differenct hostnames.

Safety should be the same.

 

[MoFunk]

Thanks Soni.

 

[JackMDS]

The word Server commonly used as a very broad term.

Most of the Home/SOHO owners refer as Server to a computer that is part of peer to peer Network and is use to store files etc.

Peer to peer is not a Real Server arrangement, WinXP is not server software.

The so called my "WinXP Server" probably should be referred to as my WinXP Storage Computer.

Win2000 Server & Win2003 are real server.

Should you use Server, or peer to peer Storage computer?

It depends on what you need to do.

 

[SNC]

One word: Apache

 

[ToxicWaste]

Originally posted by: SNC
One word: Apache

Not if he writes in .asp or .aspx. So, write in .php.

P.S. SNC, those are some DAMN fine SETI stats! Beats me by an order of magnitude and you only started 6 months before me...

 

[MoFunk]

I would love to set up Apache and run all php and stuff, but I have like 10 free minutes to myself in the evening and have no time to learn it. I have a redhat box that I was barely able to get seti running on and have NO time to learn how to do anything else. I am going to be setting up a smoothwall system though so maybe that will a start.

 

[Nothinman]

Safety should be the same.

Yes, little to none out of the box. IIS takes a decent amount of work to properly secure.

Installing Apache will remove any of the limtations MS imposes on you with IIS/PWS on workstation OSes and you'll have a better base to start with.

 

[skyking]

this looks helpful.
Apache would be a big help for your security and stability, and it is all laid out here.

 

[Fuzznuts]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
The word Server commonly used as a very broad term.

Most of the Home/SOHO owners refer as Server to a computer that is part of peer to peer Network and is use to store files etc.

Peer to peer is not a Real Server arrangement, WinXP is not server software.

The so called my "WinXP Server" probably should be referred to as my WinXP Storage Computer.

Win2000 Server & Win2003 are real server.

Should you use Server, or peer to peer Storage computer?

It depends on what you need to do.

Thats a bit harsh. Any PC can be a "Server" OS is irrelevant as is network topology. A server is simply a program on a machine or a machine dedicated to one task. of course you can have multiple "tasks" on one machine. it is still a server regardless of OS. heres a quote for the web defining servers

A computer on a network that is dedicated to a particular purpose and which stores all information and performs the critical functions for that purpose. For example, a Web server would store all files related to a Web site and perform all work necessary for hosting the Web site. Most congressional offices have at least one server that is dedicated as both a network server and a file server. This means that, in it's network server role, the computer is responsible for holding the files and managing the processes that enable everyone in the office to access and use the network. In it's file server role, it holds the central computer files and the CMS database. Back to top

All of the above roles COULD all be done on a winxp box. For example i install BF1942 on my windows xp based "Computer" i then run bf1942 as a dedicated server to allow for internet play for other gamers. In the case the network is peer to peer and the os as you see it is not a server OS. so how would you define the bf1942 dediacted server?

Pesonally i would define it as a server

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: skyking
this looks helpful.
Apache would be a big help for your security and stability, and it is all laid out here.

Amazing, one of the very few logically organized a well laid Linux site.

If you get lost in most of the "obligatory confabulated" Linux sites go the above.

 

[WannaFly]

Originally posted by: soni
The biggest change will be more simultanious connections (XP supports 10)

Actually, XP will support many upon many of TCP connections. The 10 connection limit is from Local resource sharing.

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: JackMDS

Originally posted by: skyking
this looks helpful.
Apache would be a big help for your security and stability, and it is all laid out here.

Amazing, one of the very few logically organized a well laid Linux site.

If you get lost in most of the "obligatory confabulated" Linux sites go the above.

it is a nice site.
One of the biggest hurdles for the first time apache user is the conf file. The default file has 1100 lines or so, it has everything you can do with apache in there. 1100 lines is quite intimidating, and it is easy to get lost editing it, or troubleshooting a problem.
Compare that to this trimmed version:


Looks like around 100 lines

 

[Nothinman]

Actually, XP will support many upon many of TCP connections. The 10 connection limit is from Local resource sharing.

And the limit still applies to IIS on XP < Server.

 

[RhythmAddict]

Originally posted by: ToxicWaste

Originally posted by: SNC
One word: Apache

Not if he writes in .asp or .aspx. So, write in .php.

P.S. SNC, those are some DAMN fine SETI stats! Beats me by an order of magnitude and you only started 6 months before me...

Or coldfusion

 

[Nothinman]

Or coldfusion

Coldfusion supports Apache.

 

[RhythmAddict]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

Or coldfusion

Coldfusion supports Apache.

Thats what I meant, buddy. CFM will support * or win.
Perhaps I was unclear.

 

[MoFunk]

Looks like that devside page has a package you can download that has apache, php, mysql and some other stuff ready to roll! I have loaded php and mysql with phpmyadmin on a win2k server with IIS before so that would be no big deal, but I have no experience with apache. I will give apache a crack on my 2k server box, but it's nice to have that as a safety net.

 

[skyking]

the big deal at that site are those pared down conf files, IMO. Nice!

 

[Nothinman]

Thats what I meant, buddy. CFM will support * or win.
Perhaps I was unclear.

Yes, you were.

And I'd like to add that I have a nice, little hatred for ColdFusion and would recommend perl, php, hell even shell scripting before it.

 

[RhythmAddict]

yes, perhaps i was.
CFM is extremely powerful, and has many less security holes typically then say, php. Of course, the best prevention is always good coding and up to date software.'

Might want to nix the attitude, buddy.

 

[MoFunk]

Originally posted by: skyking
the big deal at that site are those pared down conf files, IMO. Nice!

It does look like a very good site. I am going to give it a shot. Wish me luck.

 

Originally posted by: RhythmAddict
yes, perhaps i was.
CFM is extremely powerful, and has many less security holes typically then say, php. Of course, the best prevention is always good coding and up to date software.'

Might want to nix the attitude, buddy.

Amen, and about ten times as efficient (when it comes to coding)

 

[DamienVorlion]

Amazing, one of the very few logically organized a well laid Linux site.

http://www.devside.net

..is more of a windows site.

Building a Server, a Step-by-Step Instruction Guide

Windows 2000/XP Instructions

Source Build - Compiling, Installing, and Setup

Building - Perl 5.8.2 Updated December 17, 2003
Building - Apache 2.0.48 with mod_ssl and mod_deflate Updated October 30, 2003
Building - Apache 2.0.48 Updated October 30, 2003
Building - OpenSSL 0.9.7c Updated September 30, 2003
Building - MySQL 4.0.17 Updated December 17, 2003
Building - mod_perl 1.99_11 Updated December 17, 2003
Building - Apache::ASP 2.55 Updated September 23, 2003

Binary Install - Installing and Setup

Install - MySQL 4.0.17 Updated December 17, 2003
Install - PHP 4.3.4 Updated November 4, 2003
Install - Analog 5.32 Updated October 10, 2003

Most of the instructions are for win32, with VS.NET compiler for source builds

And the package is for Windows 2000/XP

Apache 2.0.48
httpd.conf (optimized and minimized, setup for php, cgi, mod_deflate, mod_perl, and Apache::ASP)
mod_deflate (zlib 1.1.4)

Perl 5.8.2
libwww-perl
libwin32
HTML::Template
HTML:arser
SOAP::Lite
Compress::Zlib

mod_perl 1.99_10

Apache::ASP 2.55

PHP 4.3.4

MySQL 4.0.17
DBI
DBD::mysql
DBD::mysqlPP
Net::MySQL

phpMyAdmin 2.5.4

analog 5.32

There are plenty of Linux instructions also, but it looks mostly like a win32 server site.

 

[Nothinman]

CFM is extremely powerful, and has many less security holes typically then say, php. Of course, the best prevention is always good coding and up to date software.'

Might want to nix the attitude, buddy.

My attitude is fine, I dislike things (like ColdFusion, IIS, Windows, the default *BSD userland, etc) and I voice that, especially when I'm bored at work. And this time it's my opinion that free things like perl and php are generally better than their closed alternatives and given a choice I would use php, mod_perl, a free JSP engine, etc before ColdFusion or VB/ASP.