Intranet Servers |
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At the centre of all school Intranets is a server that hosts web and mail services. (Although many schools will only be interested in the web portion of these services.)
This page provides information about Web Server and Mail Server software for Macintosh, Windows and Linux computers in a school environment.
The Internet Protocol (IP), that provides these services, is "platform independent". The
platform of the computer you are using to receive information (the "client")
does not need to be the same platform as the computer sending the information
(the "server"). So long as they are both using the same protocol - TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol).
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The platform requirements shown below refer to the server. Once this software
is enabled on the server, then any computer on the network can access the information stored on the server (web pages, e-mail, etc),
regardless of the platform of the client.
Macs can serve Windows machines, and vice-versa - or any combination
of platforms can co-exist on your network! (For example, the majority
of web servers on the internet are Unix computers). So long as the "client" is
configured to access the IP address of the server (eg: 10.72.54.30).
It is assumed that a compatible network, such as Ethernet, exists between
the various machines. |
- OSX Server users please note -
- Mac OS X Server includes a Web Server and a Mail Server (along with File Sharing, Print Sharing, and a wide range of other services, accessible through Server Admin). None of the Web or Mail servers listed
below are required if you are using a Mac OSX Server, unless you want
to setup an independent server for Web or Mail services.
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- Proxy Servers
- The caching facilities of
a Proxy server, used in conjunction with a school Intranet setup as an Internet "gateway", may significantly improve the speed of access
to Internet web sites which are visited regularly by students
from within a school Intranet. See Wazza's
Proxy Server Page for more info about setting up a Proxy server.
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A web server is the key element in your school Intranet. Mac OS X Server includes an integrated web server solution, and a publishing space for each student and teacher.....
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- Mac OS X Server
- Configuring OSX Server Web Service for an Intranet (pdf - 357k)
Creating an Intranet user, setting up a site, then configuring this site to be the school's default intranet site.
See also:
- xSUIM and SWIG to create Intranet index pages for all your OS X Server users.
- Wazza's frameworks and tutorials page, to get your server content started.
Mac OS X - Setting
up Mac OS X Personal Web Sharing (pdf - 446k)
If you don't have a dedicated server, a standard Mac OS X computer
(an iMac, eMac, Mac Mini, etc) includes the renowned Apache web server, and can be used as an efficient school web server. Includes info about getting your content started using a templete created using iWeb.
Windows XP- Setting
up an Internet Information Services Web Server (pdf - 400k)
Turn a Windows XP computer into a fully functioning IIS web server for your
school intranet.
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- xSUIM
- (OSX Server User Import Manager)
- For NSW DET schools. (Needs Filemaker). Imports users from OASIS into Workgroup Manager, as well as keeping your user accounts (and Intranet index pages) synchronised with your school's OASIS admin records.
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SWIG - (Student
Web Index Generator)
- A spreadsheet that exports a web index page, providing links to student web pages on an OS X web server.
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Stu's
EduWeb (Win) - A Windows application that creates an Intranet framework similar to an OSX Intranet. Includes an OASIS export report that extracts all your student's names, grades and classes from
the NSW DET OASIS system.
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- The options below need only be considered if an OS X Server is not available.
Apple
Personal Web Server
- Mac OS X client
software includes the renowned Apache web server, accessible
through the Sharing area of System Prefs. (See Wazza's
Notes - pdf,
446k)
WebStar- Top end web server,
includes a caching proxy, and a full range of services. Commercial software - approx $US250.
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- Windows
IIS server
- Win XP includes
a built-in
web server (ISA) which is
not installed by default. You can install the ISA web server by going to the Control panel > Add
Programs > Add
Windows Components,
and installing IIS.
Abyss
Web Server- Very small, fast
and neat!
Xitami
Web Server- Small and fast.
Pi3
Web Server- Easy to setup and
configure. Available for Win and Unix platforms.
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While most school systems provide a system-wide mail solution for students and teachers, a locally hosted mail server be a useful option for some schools.....
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- Wazza's OSX Server Mail QuickStart
(pdf - 216k)
- Details about starting the OSX Server Mail service, enabling the WebMail service, enabling users' Mail accounts, accessing mail through a web browser.
Mac OS X Server already has SquirrelMail installed. In a nutshell (pun intended!) to turn it on:
- Open Server Admin;
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Select Web in the left hand pane;
- Select Settings in the button bar;
- Select Sites in the button bar;
- Select your web site;
- Click on the pencil to edit that site.
- Select Options and enable WebMail;
- Restart your server.
Some other Mac Options:- PostFix
Enabler (OSX)
- Enables
the hidden Unix mailserver - SMTP, POP3, and IMAP - on any
OSX 10.3/10.4 (non-server) computer. (Shareware).
Eudora
Internet Mail Server (OS9)
- Formerly
known as the Apple Mail Server. Allows staff and students
on your Intranet to send e-mail to each other, just as if
they were on the Internet.
Unbelievably simple to setup - start the application, add
some user names, and your Mail Server is up and running!
Very low overheads - less than 1Mb RAM required. (Freeware)
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- InetSERV
- Mail
server for Windows. Very easy to setup. Double-click it and
it is running! (Freeware.)
JustPOP3- Not
a mail server, JustPOP3 is an e-mail checker/reader, runs
on Win9x, and can be used in conjunction with a mail server.
When new mail arrives it can play audio, beep or remain
silent. If minimised, the icon in the taskbar will flash
when mail arrives.
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Much
of the Internet and associated infrastructure grew up in
the Unix world. In fact the majority of commercial ISPs
still use Unix applications such as Apache and Squid to
power their operation.
True Unix is very much still a tech tool, with a "command
line" interface. However, some of the "user-friendly" distributions
of Linux provide the non-techos amongst us with
an opportunity to experiment with some of this great software.
Why would you want to use Linux? Linux software runs very
snappily on older computers. Web servers, proxy servers,
ftp servers, etc provide very reliable, and surprisingly
quick performance on "last generation" (PII/PIII)
PCs, which might otherwise be not of much use.
And the software is generally open-source.
If you want to have a play with Linux servers on your Intranet,
here are some good places to start: |
- Red Hat Linux
- Purchase
the full OS, and GUI interface on CD at newsagents for
approx $AUS20. (This freely available Red Hat distribution
is now known as Fedora,
as Red Hat has become a commercial product).
Apache- The
"industry standard" web server. Included with
the Red Hat installation. (Also now part of Mac OS X).
Squid- Lightning
fast and super reliable proxy server.
Download:
Choose the Squid RPM Installer Package.
DansGuardian- A content
filter which can be used with Squid.
Download: go to Downloads/stable/Red
Hat, for the RPM
DansGuardian
WebMin module (Use WebMin to admin DansGuardian).
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- Proftpd
- An
FTP server, which you will need if you want to use ftp to
upload your web site files to your Apache server.
Download:
navigate to - distrib/packages/RPMs.
WebMin- WebMin
provides a web interface to the administration of the above
software, plus lots of other Linux packages. Essential if
you want to avoid most of the command line stuff!
Download:
Choose the "noarch" RPM Installer package.
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