At 4:46 PM -0500 9/8/98, Rich Roth wrote: >The issue of web based relates to how do you configure the web server you >are changing, what if changes stop the server -- can the GUI be that >trustworthy.. Also, what kind of security can be offered, simple password >is probably not sufficient. The answer has been to have a mini-server as >part of the UI tool. Even one written in perl would be an option. > >Also, a SSL type server is really needed to make the tool trustworthly, if >it is used from remote sites -- which is pretty important.
If one has IP addresses or ports available (even only on localhost), one can run a separate instance of Apache - for instance port 443 (SSL) on a certain IP. I'd prefer a web server whose security is well known, rather than an ad hoc one. I've been pretty happy forwarding port X via SSH from my workstation to the server, and having a web server config tool that runs on a web server instance that is only available on Port X on localhost. (This doesn't happen to be an Apache thing, but the method applies) Then I run Netscape on my workstation, e.g., http://workstationIP:portX/. This is forwarded by SSH to the remote server. By using SSH, I don't even have to worry about firewalls in between (once it got set up) In this approach, all other instances of Apache would be completely open/configurable/restartable - almost as if one were running locally on the machine. Of course, I'd be circumspect about changing the configuration for the maintenance instance!! GEB Gary E. Bickford, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sr. Systems Administrator, Connect Schlumberger http://www.connect.slb.com
