Chapter 1 Introduction to iPlanet Web Server

This chapter introduces iPlanet Web Server and discusses some of the fundamental server concepts. Read it to obtain an overview of how iPlanet Web Server works.

This chapter includes the following sections:

• iPlanet Web Server
• iPlanet Web Server Architecture
• How iPlanet Web Server is Configured
• Administration Server
• Server Manager
• Netscape Console
• Sending Error Information

• iPlanet Web Server Features
• Administering and Managing iPlanet Web Servers

• Web publishing—End users can organize and publish their documents from their desktops with a web publishing interface. They can organize documents by type to customize presentation for different purposes, and use text search to manage document content via the Content Management (CM) feature. CM is an NSAPI plug-in that allows you to manage files on a remote server, with drag and drop like capabilities (via a web publishing applet) and index document content in an intelligent way for easier content searching.
• Enterprise-wide manageability—Including delegated administration, cluster management, and LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) support. LDAP integration with Netscape Directory Server enables you to store users and groups in a centralized directory. In addition, you can monitor your server in real-time by using the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). SNMP is a protocol used to exchange data about network activity.

Note that in order to add users and groups to iPlanet Web Server, you must have a directory server installed, such as Netscape Directory Server. If you need to create, locate, or manage records for users and groups on any other servers within your network, you should use Netscape Console with your Directory Server. For more information, see Managing Servers with Netscape Console.

• Security—Users can establish encrypted and authenticated transactions between clients and the server through the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) 3.0 protocol. In addition, iPlanet Web Server employs the following security-based standards: Public Key Cryptography Standard (PKCS) #11, which defines the interface used for communication between SSL and PKCS #11 modules; Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS)-140; and special certificates that work with 40, 56, or 128 bits, depending on the capability of the client.
• Access control—You can protect confidential files or directories by implementing access control (viewing, editing, and version control) by username, password, domain name, or IP address. This feature also represents another aspect of the NSAPI Content Management plug-in, which enables an end user (the owner of a document) to set access control on a document, rather than having to ask the administrator to accomplish the task.
• High performance—Delivers high performance for dynamic and secure content with features such as HTTP1.1, multi-threading, and support for SSL hardware accelerators.
• Standards-based—iPlanet Web Server includes support for a wide range of web software standards, including: JDK 1.2; Servlets 2.1; JavaServer Pages 1.1; HTTP 1.1; and various security-based standards, including PKCS #11, FORTEZZA, FIPS-140, and 128-bit step-up certificates.
• Server-side Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages support—enables development of server plugins, dynamic content, presentation logic, and JDBC database access.
• Server-side JavaScript support—enables development of scripting applications that access the database using native drivers.
• Additional features—Support for multiple processes and process monitors, failover, automatic recovery, and dynamic log rotation.

• iPlanet Web Server Administration Server
• Server Manager
• Netscape Console

• Content Engines
• Server Extensions
• Runtime Environments
• Application Services

• Common Gateway Interface (CGI)

• Netscape Server Application Programming Interface (NSAPI)


• Java Servlets and JavaServer Pages


• SHTML & JavaScript

• CGI Processor

• NSAPI Engine


• Java Virtual Machine (JVM)


• JavaScript Virtual Machine

• LiveWire Database Service

• Security & Access Control


• Session Management Service


• File System Service


• Mail Service

• iPlanet Web Server Component Options
• iPlanet Web Server Configuration Files
• Single-Server Configuration
• Multiple-Server Configuration

• iPlanet Web Server Core
• Java Runtime Environment
• Java and Servlets
• ServerSide JavaScript Database Connectors
• Web Publishing
• SNMP

• alias contains the key and certificate files for all Netscape/iPlanet servers (for example, https-adserv-serverid-cert7.db and secmod.db).
• bin contains the binary files for the server, such as the actual server, the Administration Server forms, and so on. In addition, this directory includes the https/install folder that contains files needed for migrating server settings and default configuration files needed for backward compatibility.
• docs is the server's default primary document directory, where your server's content files are usually kept. If you are migrating settings from an existing server, this directory doesn't appear until you finish the migration process.
• extras contains the log analyzer and log analysis tools.

• The flexanlg directory contains a command-line log analyzer. This log analyzer analyzes files in flexlog format.
• The log_anly directory contains the log analysis tool that runs through the Server Manager. This log analyzer analyzes files in common log format only.
• httpacl contains the files that store access control configuration information in the generated.server-identifier.acl and genwork.server-identifier.acl files. The file generated.server-identifier.acl contains changes you make using the Server Manager access control forms after saving your changes; genwork.server-identifier.acl contains your changes before you save your changes.
• https-admserv contains the directories for the Administration Server. This directory has the following subdirectories and files:

• For Unix/Linux platforms, this directory contains shell scripts to start, stop, and restart the server and a script to rotate log files.
• conf_bk contains backup copies of the server's configuration files.
• config contains the server's configuration files: admpw, cron.conf, dsgw.conf, dsgwfilter.conf, dsgwlanguage.conf, dsgw-orgperson.conf, dsgwserarchprefs.conf, magnus.conf, magnus.conf.clfilter, mime.types, ns-cron.conf, obj.conf, obj.conf.clfilter, servers.lst. Working copies are kept here. For more information on magnus.conf and obj.conf, see the NSAPI Programmer's Guide for iPlanet Web Server.
• logs contains any error or access log files.
• startsvr.bat is the script that starts the Server Manager. The Server Manager lets you configure all servers installed in the server root directory.
• stopsvr.bat is the script that stops the Server Manager.
• https-server_id.domain are the directories for each server you have installed on the machine. Each server directory has the following subdirectories and files:

• ClassCache contains classes and Java files, generated as result of the compilation of JavaServer pages.
• conf_bk contains backup copies of the server's configuration files.
• config contains the Administration Server configuration files.
• logs contains the Administration Server log files.
• search contains the following directories: admin and collections
• SessionData contains session database data from MMapSessionManager.
• startsvr.bat is the script that starts the Server Manager. The Server Manager lets you configure all servers installed in the server root directory.
• stopsvr.bat is the script that stops the Server Manager.
• manual contains the online manuals for the product.
• plugins contains directories for Java, search, and other plugins. This directory has the following subdirectories:

• content_mgr contains directories for your server's content.
• htaccess contains server plugin for .htaccess access control and htconvert, an .nsconfig to .htaccess converter.
• include contains various include files.
• lib contains shared libraries.
• nsacl contains information for your server's access control lists.
• loadbal contains the required files for the Resonate load-balancer integration plugin.
• nsapi contains header files and example code for creating your own functions using NSAPI. For more information, see the iPlanet documentation web site at: http://www.iplanet.com/docs
• samples/js contains the Application Manager and the samples for server-side JavaScript. Note that this is available only if JavaScript was installed.
• search contains information for your server's search plugins.
• snmp contains information for your server's SNMP plugins.
• setup contains the various iPlanet Web Server setup files.
• userdb contains user databases and related information.
• LICENSE.txt is the license file.
• README.txt is the readme file that contains a link to the iPlanet Web Server, Enterprise Edition 4.1 Release Notes.

• startconsole launches a browser to the Administration Server page.

• ClassCache contains classes and Java files, generated as result of the compilation of JavaServer pages.
• conf_bk contains backup copies of the server's configuration files.
• config contains the Administration Server configuration files.
• logs contains the Administration Server log files.
• SessionData contains session database data from MMapSessionManager.
• restart is the script that restarts the Server Manager.
• rotate
• start is the script that starts the Server Manager. The Server Manager lets you configure all servers installed in the server root directory.
• stop is the script that stops the Server Manager.

http://myserver.mozilla.com:1234

• Servers
• Preferences
• Global Settings
• Users and Groups
• Security
• Cluster Mgmt (Cluster Management)

• Accessing the Server Manager
• Using the Resource Picker
• Wildcards Used in the Resource Picker

1. Install and start your iPlanet Web Server.

The Administration Server displays the Servers page.

2. In the Manage Servers area, select the desired server and click Manage.

iPlanet Web Server displays the Server Manager Preferences page, as shown in the following illustration:

Figure 1.1    The iPlanet Web Server Server Manager

• Turn iPlanet Web Server on/off
• Server settings


• Restore configuration


• Performance tuning actions


• Native thread pool


• Generic thread pool


• Global MIME types


• Network settings


• Error responses


• Dynamic configuration files


• Restrict access


• Encryption preferences


• Stronger ciphers

• Programs
• Servlets


• Security


• Status


• Styles


• Content Mgmt


• Web Publishing


• Search

1. If necessary, edit your master.ini file to allow the Quality Feedback Agent to send data through your firewall to the Sun-Netscape Alliance. For more information, see Editing master.ini.
2. Edit magnus.conf to enable the Quality Feedback Agent (plus any optional parameters) for your iPlanet Web server. For more information, see Editing magnus.conf.

1. If you are using an HTTP proxy, or both an HTTP and SOCKS proxy, open the file master.ini in the server_root/bin/https/bin directory.
2. Add the following three lines of code to your master.ini file, using your proxy host name, domain, and port:

UseUserHTTPProxyInfo=1

UserHTTPProxyHost="yourproxy.yourdomain.com"

UserHTTPProxyPort=xxxx

UseUserSOCKSInfo=1

UserSOCKSHost="yourproxy.yourdomain.com"

UserSOCKSPort=xxxx

• TalkbackMaxIncidents: If the server crashes more often than this number within a time interval, the Quality Feedback Agent will be turned off automatically. The default is 5.
• TalkbackInterval: The interval used by the parameter above, in seconds. The default is 86400 seconds (24 hours).