Microsoft Windows Server 2008 operating system

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 operating system is the successor of Windows Server 2003 which was released five years previously and also the is the predecessor of Windows Server 2008 R2. Windows Server 2008 is dependent on similar kernel which is used for Vista, it provides the majority of the technical characteristics, security, management and administration offered by it.

The Microsoft Windows Server 2008 includes (the following list is not exhaustive):

• Rewrite for the network layer (IPv6 as well as wireless connectivity native);
• Enhancement of the implementation, retrieval as well as installation dependent on the source image;
• Enhanced diagnostic tools, monitoring as well as reporting of events;
• Inclusion of latest security capabilities including Bitlocker and also ASLR, enhanced Windows Firewall with secure default configuration;
• Technology enhancements include. NET Framework 3.0, particularly the WCF (Windows Communication Foundation), Microsoft’s Message Queuing as well as Windows Workflow Foundation;
• Additionally enhanced kernel, memory management as well as file system: processors as well as memory components are generally classified as Plug and Play gadgets to allow for “hot plugging”. This enables the system resources to get partitioned dynamically making use of Dynamic Hardware Partitioning Module (which is also better known as “Management of Dynamic Partitioning”), each one using its unique partition of memory, processor as well as host bridge I / O and thus are completely separate from one another.

Server Core

Server Core is usually the superior innovative function provided by Windows Server 2008: Server Core installation selection sets up simply the basic minimum functions. for instance Exit Windows Explorer (and for that reason packs more GUI, such as the Ubuntu Server, for instance). It does not include the dot-NET Framework, Internet Explorer (IE), or any other element which is not required for the appropriate working of the kernel. Configuration as well as maintenance shall be performed with use of the command line (which usually needs a competent working knowledge of this tool, and for that reason restricts this kind of capability only for expert users) as well as, it helps connect remotely to the device by way of software program, and some version may also present you with a graphical interface.

The Server Core service offers a number of benefits such as:

• Reduction of the required resources;
• Reduction in maintenance as well as management, because the actual components essential for these roles are actually pre-defined to set up as well as configure;
• Reduction in the resources required for running a range of applications and services over the server;

A Server Core device may be set up for many essential roles:

• Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
• DHCP Server
• DNS Server
• File Server
• Print Server
• Services AD LDS (Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services)
• Services Streaming Media

The Server Core also offers the following optional features:

• Backup
• BitLocker Drive Encryption
• Failover Clustering
• MPIO (Multipath I / O)
• Network Load Balancing
• Protocol SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)
• Removable Storage
• Service WINS (Windows Internet Name Service)
• Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications
• Telnet Client

The Active Directory roles

The Active Directory currently consists of identity services, certificates, as well as digital rights management. In Windows Server 2003, Active Directory allowed network administrators to control networked computers centrally, to be able to determine procedures for a group or users, as well as from a central location, set up new packages on multiple computers. This particular role of Active Directory is now re-branded as Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). A variety of new services have been included, for example:

• Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS)
• Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS)
• Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS – it was originally called Active Directory Application Mode or ADAM)
• Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS)

Services as well as Certificates associated with Identity enable administrators to handle user accounts and also digital certificates that help them to gain access to selected services as well as systems. “Federation management services” allows businesses to share verification data with reliable partners as well as customers, enabling an expert to make use of his own user account as well as password in order to log into the network associated with his client. Identity Integration Feature Pack is provided along with Active Directory Metadirectory Services (ADMS). All these services symbolize a server role.

Continued…

Note: Inorder to avail Windows Server 2008, you are requested to check-out the affordable web hosting packages offered by Eukhost Ltd.

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An Introduction to Windows SharePoint Services and Microsoft Office SharePoint Server

Though a pretty old technology, few individuals still face a confusion and mis-understand WSS as MOSS or Windows SharePoint Services as Microsoft Office SharePoint Servers. This article should help people understand the exact difference between the two.

An Overview

WSS ( Windows SharePoint Services) offers the webmasters the facility of organizing a collaborative information sharing environment over the Windows platform. The SharePoint Services are designed on ASP.NET on the Internet Information Services ( IIS ) server. It comes free with Windows Server 2003. For the purpose of data storage, database such as an SQL Server or MSDE is used. Whereas the MOSS ie. the Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server operated on top of Windows SharePoint Services, ie. WSS functions like a platform for SharePoint Portal Server for facilitation the access to the sites, document libraries, templates, lists, etc. As stated by Microsoft,

“An Effective information sharing and collaboration is rapidly becoming a strategic platform advantage, but that advantage can be compromised if collaboration technologies are deployed in a piecemeal fashion.”

After going through this article a webmaster can get an overview of Windows SharePoint Services and SharePoint Portal Server.

An Introduction to Windows SharePoint Services ( WSS )

The Windows SharePoint Services is one of the components of the Windows Server 2003. WSS makes use of Windows Server, IIS and ASP.Net as a platform. It offers webmasters with simple development and deployment of applications and helps to locate and share the documents in a distributed and a collaborative environment. All this enhances the productivity hence enabling you to achieve the business targets. In short, the WSS enables users to share information, collaborate files as well as collect team knowledge over the Internet or your internal business network.

The Windows SharePoint Services is basically an upgraded version of Windows SharePoint Team Services. The SharePoint Team Services is a team website solution which can be used to improve the team integration and management tasks. You have a host of features: document libraries, contacts, tasks, discussions, and what not! SharePoint Team Services website is easy to customize and offers a seamless and efficient collaboration amongst individuals or multiple teams. It plays a dual function ie. as a product as well as a component. Webmasters can freely download the product, it is offered for free with Windows Server 2003 as well. As said earlier that it also functions as a component is because it is a part of SharePoint Portal Server 2003. As you go ahead with reading this article you’d understand more about SharePoint Portal Server.

What are the features offered by WSS ?

• Ease of Extensibility
• Seamless integration with other tools
• Cost-effective and incremental deployment
• Document sharing, security, organization, management and integration in a collaborative environment

In order to store website settings, data, docs etc. the MSDE or SQL Server is used as the database with an intention of facilitating data security, integrity, manageability and transactional support.

Managing the Content and Configuration of Databases in Windows SharePoint Services

There are two types of databases involved in the operations of Windows SharePoint Services:

1. One database for storing data of one or multiple websites (content) using Windows SharePoint Services.
2. Other database that holds the configuration information.

The configuration db is instrumental in configuration and helps the administration of all the websites that use WSS on a server. Whereas, the content databases hold the data of one or more WSS websites. It depends on the volume and the size of WSS websites supporting the server for WSS.

If you install WSS in your system, you’d have many content databases and just one database that holds the configuration. But if you consequently install SharePoint Portal Server, it wouldn’t use any of those databases but 3 other ie. Portalname_prof, Portalname_serv and Portalname_site, are created with the installation of SharePoint Portal Server which inturn updatethe configuration database that was created previously with the installation of WSS.

An Introduction to SharePoint Portal Server

As earlier stated, WSS is a component of SharePoint Portal Server. The Portal Server runs on top of WSS acting as a base platform for SharePoint Portal Server. It supports integrated document management with flexible document search options.

The Portal Server offers flexibility and allows users to find, share as well as publish information at greater ease. The MOSS can be used for presenting the content in a customized way, also it offers an option to seamlessly integrate with SharePoint Portal Farms, Windows SharePoint Services web sites, backend systems through BizTalk, profile integration with Active Directory, etc.

If users have WSS and SharePoint Portal Server installed in the system, they can get an automatically created folder structure which can be modified as well as a customized template, ie. for both WSS websites as for SharePoint Portal Server pages. Since the Portal Server uses WSS as the base platform, most of the underlying architecture is identical.

Webmasters need to install WSS before installing the SharePoint Portal Server, again due to the fact that the Portal Server runs on top of WSS.

What are the features of SharePoint Portal Server ?

1. Simple to customize
2. Web Parts – can be customized, pluggable, reusable components that can be used to display specific information on a Web page
3. Integrated document management and scalable, enterprise search options
4. Web based shared Document Repository
5. Message board, Notification of Emails, Events, announcements, contact lists, etc.
6. Offers Content administration and Aggregation

A comparison between WSS and Sharepoint Portal Server

The prime difference between WSS and SharePoint Portal Server is that, the WSS is basically based on the collaboration theme, while the SharePoint Server is based on an aggregation theme and acts as an aggregator of content. Further, WSS offers users to add content, whereas SharePoint Server enables users to very easily navigate and search the content whenever searched for. According to Microsoft,

“WSS is based on a collaboration theme in the sense that it’s designed to store and share list-based data and documents. SPS, on the other hand, is based on an aggregation theme. An SPS portal site is useful for aggregating information and documents from many different places. SPS adds value because it provides users with a quick and easy way to find information and documents that are spread out around a private network or scattered throughout the Internet.”

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You’re new to programming or just avoided learning SQL before, then you have come to the right place, this is something the every new developer faces eventually. I hope this brief overview of the basic syntax of SQL-queries will help interested developers, and anyone who need it.

SQL Database, What is it?

Structured Query Language (SQL) - Standard communication with the database, which is basically supported by ANSI. The most recent version – SQL-99, although a new standard for SQL-200n is in the works. Most databases are firmly adheres to the ANSI-92. It was a lot of discussion about the introduction of more modern standards, but manufacturers of commercial databases deviate from this by developing its new concept manipulation stored data. Almost every single database uses a unique set of syntax, though very much like standard ANSI. In most cases, this syntax is an extension of a basic standard, although there are cases where the syntax leads to different results for different databases. Always a good idea to browse the documentation for the database, especially if unexpected results are obtained.

If you meet with SQL, you should be familiar with basic concepts that must be understood.

In general terms, «SQL database»” is the common name for a relational database management system (RDBMS). For some systems, “database” also refers to a group of tables, data, configuration data, which are an integral part of the individual from other, similar designs. In this case, each installation of SQL database can consist of several databases. In other systems, they are referred to as a table.

Table – the design of a database that consists of columns that contain string data. Usually tables are created to contain relevant information. Within the same database can be created several tables.

Each column represents an attribute or set of attributes of objects, such as employee identification numbers, height, color machines, etc. Often on the column uses the term field, including name, eg “in the «Name»”. Field line is a minimal element table. Each column in the table has a certain name, data type and size. Column names must be unique within a table.

Each row (or record) represents a set of attributes of a particular object, for example, the line may contain an identification number of the employee, his remuneration, his year of birth, etc. Rows of tables do not have names. To contact a specific line, the user must specify some attribute (or set of attributes) that uniquely identifies it.

One of the major operations that are performed on the data, the sample is stored in a database of information. To this end, the user must perform a query (query).

Now let’s consider the basic types of database queries that are focused on the manipulation of data within a database. For our purposes, all examples are in standard SQL, in order to meet any environment.

Types of data queries in SQL

There are four main types of data queries in SQL, which belong to the so-called data manipulation language (Data Manipulation Language or DML):

• SELECT – to select rows from the tables;
• INSERT – add row to the table;
• UPDATE – to change the line in the table;
• DELETE – delete rows in the table;

Each of these requests has various operators and functions that are used to produce some of the data. SELECT query has the largest number of options. There are also additional types of queries, used in conjunction with SELECT, such as JOIN and UNION. But until then, we’ll just focus on the main query.

Using a SELECT query to retrieve the necessary data

To obtain information stored in the database use the query SELECT. Basic steps of this query is limited to one table, although there are designs that provide a sample from several tables at once. In order to get all the rows of data for specific columns, use the query like this:

SELECT column1, column2 FROM table_name;

Also, you can get all the columns from a table using a wildcard character “*”:

SELECT * FROM table_name;

This can be useful in the case where you are going to choose the data with a certain condition WHERE. The following query returns all columns from all rows, where «column1» contains the value “3″:

SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE column1 = 3;

In addition to “=” (equal), the following conditional statements:

Conditional operators :

=        Well
<>      Not equal
>        More
<        Less
=        Greater or equal
<=      Less than or equal to

Additionally, you can use the LIKE condition BETWEEN and for comparison with the condition WHERE, as well as combinations of AND and OR.

SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE ((Age> = 18) AND (LastName BETWEEN ‘Mac’ AND ‘Dale’)) OR Company LIKE ‘%eUKHost%’;

Which means: select all columns from a table table_name, where the column value is greater than or equal to age 18 as well as the value of the LastName column is in alphabetical range from Shane to Phillips, inclusive, or the value of the Company column is eUKHost.

Using the INSERT query to insert new data

INSERT query is used to create a new row of data. To update the existing data or blank fields should use the query string UPDATE.

Approximate syntax query INSERT:

INSERT INTO table_name (column1, column2, column3) VALUES (‘data1′, ‘data2′, ‘data3′);

If you’re going to insert all the values in the order in which there are columns in the table, we can not specify column names, although it is preferable for readability. In addition, if you list the columns do not necessarily indicate their order of being in the database until the values you enter correspond to this order. You do not need to list the columns in which no information is entered.

Modify existing information in the database are very similar.

UPDATE query and a WHERE clause

UPDATE is used to modify the existing value or free field in a row, so the new values must match an existing data type and provide acceptable values. If you do not want to change the values in all rows, then you need to use the condition WHERE.

UPDATE table_name SET column1 = ‘data1′, column2 = ‘data2′ WHERE column3 = ‘data3′;

You can use the WHERE clause for each column, including the one you want to change. It is used when it is necessary to replace one specific value to another.

UPDATE table_name SET FirstName = ‘Cannon’ WHERE FirstName = ‘Cannon’ AND LastName = ‘Bell’;

Note: The DELETE statement removes entire rows

The DELETE statement removes a row from the database. If you want to delete one single field, you must use the UPDATE query and set this field value, which would be the analogue of NULL in your program. Be careful and limit your request to DELETE condition WHERE, or you could lose all the contents of the table.

DELETE FROM table_name WHERE column1 = ‘data1′;

Once the line has been removed from your database, it can not be restored, it is desirable to have a column called «IsActive», or something like that, you can change it to zero, which would indicate a block of data from this line.

Now you know the basics of SQL database queries, and we’ve reviewed the most important and basic commands used in data queries. A set of basic concepts were not affected (SUM and COUNT for example), but the few commands mentioned above should lead you to action and a better understanding of the remarkable query language named SQL – the database language.

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Main Techniques Of Defense Of The Computer Or Server

Antivirus: Protects your PC from malicious software known as viruses. A good antivirus should be constantly updated to have continuously operating the scanner in real time. To better use the user must initiate a regular scan PC devices (hard disks, CDs, DVDs and floppy disks), to verify the presence of viruses, worms. To prevent the spread of viruses is also useful to check all the files that you receive or that are sent via email by making them check all antivirus successfully configured to do so.

Anti-spyware: software readily available on the web version freeware, shareware or pay. It has become a very useful tool for the removal of “spy files,” the fact spyware that can steal information about the user’s online activities and to send them to an organization that will use them to profit from it.

Firewall: Install and well-configured firewall guarantees a system of access control by checking all traffic flowing through it. Protects against attacks from outside and blocks any programs on your computer trying to access the Internet without the user’s control.

Digital Signature, Encryption: You can protect sensitive documents and data from unauthorized access using special safety mechanisms such as encryption, digital signature, and use of digital certificates and encryption algorithms to identify the certifying authority, a website, a person, or a software.

Backup: more than a defense system is a useful way of recovering data that may be lost or damaged. The backup is to perform a backup of the data of a personal computer or otherwise considered important to prevent data from being lost or illegible.

Honeypot: a honeypot (literally “honey pot”) is a system or piece of hardware or software used as a “trap” or “bait” for purposes of protection against attacks by hackers. Usually consists of a computer or a site that seems to be part of the network and contain valuable information, but which in reality is quite isolated and has no sensitive content, or critical, could also be a file, a record, or an unused IP address.

Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is a software and hardware device (sometimes a combination of both) used to identify unauthorized access to computers. Intrusions, it could be those produced by crackers experts, automated tools or by inexperienced users who use semiautomatic programs. IDSs are used to detect all attacks on computer networks and computers. An IDS consists of four components. One or more sensors used to receive information from the network or from computers. A console used to monitor the network and computer and an engine that analyzes data collected from sensors and shall identify any flaws in computer security. The scan engine is supported by a database where are stored a set of rules used to identify security breaches.

Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) are tools, software or hardware, dedicated to analyze the traffic of one or more segments of a LAN in order to identify anomalies in the flow or probable computer intrusions. The most common NIDS are composed of one or more probes located on the network, which communicate with a centralized server, which typically relies to a database. Among the abnormal activity that may occur and be detected by a NIDS include: unauthorized access, spread of malicious software, scan abuse of privileges belonging to persons authorized to intercept traffic (sniffing), denial of service (DoS).

Steganography: Steganography aims to keep it concealed the existence of data to those who know the key likely to extract them, while the encryption is not to make the data accessible to those unfamiliar with the hidden key. Cryptanalysis is an attack on the cryptography, which aims to extract the encrypted data without the key. The objective of Steganography is therefore to extract the hidden data, but simply to prove its existence.

Authentication system: it might be useful, especially on farms, the use of software for secure authentication with a second factor authentication based on a set of characters arranged in a pattern divided into rows and columns known by the user who will then enter into a combination of values to demonstrate that they possess the correct data. Another system, more sophisticated, is that of user recognition by using the fingerprint as a form of authentication.

Study: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons.

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Different methods of publishing sites using Plesk control panel..

Here’s a brief documentation on creating & publishing sites using different methods. Once you add a Domain in Plesk control panel, you can create your site content (Web pages, scripts & graphic files that compose your site) on your home or office computer & then publish it to the web server in any of the following ways:

* Through FTP connection (most common & easiest way),
* Through Plesk File Manager,
* Through Adobe Dreamweaver or Microsoft FrontPage software.

Let’s go through each of the following processes one-by-one.

1) Publishing Sites Through FTP:

1. Connect to the server with any FTP client program, using FTP account credentials that you specified during setup of hosting account or obtained from us in the welcome email. Ensure that the passive mode is enabled if you are behind a firewall.
2. Upload files & directories that should be accessible through HTTP protocol to the httpdocs directory.
3. Place your CGI scripts into the cgi-bin directory.
4. Close your FTP session as you’re done with publishing the site using the FTP method

2) Uploading Sites Through Plesk File Manager:

1. Log in to Plesk control panel.
2. Click the domain name you need.
3. Click File Manager in the Hosting group.
4. Create & upload files & directories.

Place the files & directories that should be accessible via HTTP protocol to the httpdocs directory. Place your CGI scripts into the cgi-bin directory.

* To create a new directory within your current location, click Add New Directory in the Tools group, specify the directory name & click OK.

* To create new files in the required directory, click Add New File in the Tools group, in the File creation section specify the file name, select the Use html template check box, if you want file manager to insert some basic html tags to the new file, & click OK. A page will open allowing you to enter the content or html-formatted source of a new file. After you are done, click OK.

* To upload a file from the local machine, click Add New File in the Tools group, specify the path to its location in the File source box (or use Browse to locate the file), & click OK. You can upload up to 3 files at once through three separate File Source boxes. If you are uploading an archive file (.zip or .rar), select the corresponding Upload archive & extract it check box to extract the uploaded archive contents in the folder where the file was uploaded.

* To view or edit an existing file, click its name. When editing an HTML file, Plesk opens internal WYSIWYG editor by default. If you want to edit the source code of the HTML file, click Html. To return back to WYSIWYG mode, click Design.

When you upload web content through File Manager or FTP, your control panel automatically sets the appropriate access permissions for files & directories.

* To rename a file or directory, hover on one of the icons which displays the ‘Rename’ text. Type in a new name & click OK.

* To copy or move a file or directory to another location, select the required file or directory using the appropriate check box, & click Copy/Move. Specify the destination for the file or directory to be copied or renamed to, then click Copy to copy, or Move to move it.

* To update the file or directory creation date, click Change Timestamp. The time stamp will be updated with the current local time.

* To remove a file or directory, select the corresponding check box, & click Remove selected icon. Remove Selected. Confirm removal & click OK.

3) a. Publishing Sites from Microsoft FrontPage:

Microsoft FrontPage deals with two kinds of Web sites: disk-based & server-based. In short, a disk-based site is a FrontPage Web site you create on your local hard disk & then later publish to a Web server. A server-based site is one you create & work with directly on a Web server, without the extra step of publishing. Here’re the instructions on publishing only disk-based web sites.

You can publish disk-based web sites either through FTP or HTTP. The server your account is hosted on is running FrontPage Server Extensions, hence you would publish your site to an HTTP location. For example: http://your-domain.com/MyWebSite. If your server supports FTP, you would publish to an FTP location. For example: ftp://ftp.your-domain.com/myFolder.

After publishing, you can manage your site through FrontPage Server Extensions.

To access FrontPage Server Extensions management interface:

1. Log in to Plesk.
2. Click the domain name you need.
3. Click FrontPage Management in the Hosting group.
4. According to the Microsoft FrontPage support settings of the domain, one of the following icons will appear next to Add New FrontPage Subaccount:
   • Click FrontPage WebAdmin to manage a site, which is not protected by SSL.
   • Click FrontPage-SSL WebAdmin to manage an SSL-enabled site.
5. Type your FrontPage administrator’s login name & password, & click OK.

For instructions on using FrontPage server extensions, see online help (FP WebAdmin > Help) or visit Microsoft web site.

3) b. Publishing Sites with Adobe Dreamweaver:

Before publishing a site from Dreamweaver, you need to define the site properties, that is, you need to tell Dreamweaver where your site files are located on your computer, & to specify the server to which you want to publish the site.

1. To define a site in Dreamweaver:
2. From the Site menu, choose New Site. The Site Definition screen opens.
3. Click the Advanced tab.
4. In the Local Info category, specify the following:
   • Site name. This will show in Web browser’s title bar.
   • Local root folder. This is the folder on your computer where all of your site files are stored. For example c:\My Site
   • Default images folder. Specify the folder where your site’s graphic files are stored. For example c:\My Site\images
   • HTTP address. Specify your domain name. For example, http://your-domain.com
5. From the Category menu, select the Remote Info item.
6. From the Access menu, select the FTP option. Most likely, your server supports publishing through FTP (File Transfer Protocol, commonly used for transferring files over the Internet).
   • FTP host. Type your FTP host name without the ftp:// prefix. For example, your-domain.com.
   • Host directory. Specify the directory on the server where your site will reside. In most cases, this is httpdocs.
   • Login & password. Specify the login name & password for access to the FTP account.
   • Use passive FTP. Select this option only if your computer is behind a firewall.

Specify the following settings:

7. To ensure that you specified the correct login & password, & that Dreamweaver can connect to the server, click the Test button.
8. To save the settings, click OK.

Now to publish your site:

9. Open your site in Dreamweaver.
10. From the Site menu, select the Put option (or press Ctrl+Shift+U simultaneously), this will make the files to be published over the server.

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