HOWTO Basics of Network Concierge Virtual Web Servers

1 Introduction

This document defines the basics regarding Network Concierge’s web server hosting capabilities. As a single, dedicated web server, the Network Concierge software when loaded on a standard, custom or rack mounted PC server, can provide web hosting support for multiple independent websites or virtual web servers. There is no built-in software limit as to the max number of virtual web servers supported. The functional limit is more a function of the Network Concierge’s physical memory, disk, and processing core capacities.

For the purposes of this document, we will define a typical system to be a x86 233MHz, 16MB, 2.1GB system with a single internal NIC/HUB card for LAN (Intranet) connectivity and an internal 56K / external ISDN modem for WAN (Internet) connectivity. Given this basic system setup, a conservative maximum of 25 virtual web servers is feasible and has been verified. As a working rule of thumb, you can probably increase this max limit by 25 virtual web servers for each additional 16MB of memory. In addition, if you are an ISP providing 10MB of storage per user and you allocate 1GB of space for web storage, this configuration could support up to 1000MB/10MB = ~100 virtual web servers. As an example, you can scale your network server to handle a larger maximum simply by increasing the base configuration to say a Pentium III 450MHz, 128MB, Dual 10GB hard drives. Now if 10GB is used for web storage @50MB per user then you can support a maximum of ~200 virtual web servers.

For small or medium business, a 10MB or 100MB network can be used for Intranet Web Document/Site hosting. Internet web hosting constraints are more a function of the Internet connection pipe. For example, a dialup 56K analog or dedicated 64KB ISDN connection may be adequate for a low traffic, multiple websites, web server. A dedicated cable, xDSL or other high speed, broadband Internet connection is more suitable for a high traffic web server. Alternatively as your business needs grow, you can develop web content on a local Network Concierge web server and publish to a remote, ISP hosted and maintained web servers if needed. NOTE: You can enable the Network Concierge web-caching feature to improve response times for frequently accessed local/remote web sites.

2 Virtual web servers

Virtual web servers refer to a single computer that appears as multiple independent web servers. All the web servers reside at the same IP address, and have different host names.

If you have created virtual web servers “web1” and “web2” on the Network Concierge “concierge”, with the domain “domain.com”, you reference them as:

· http://web1.domain.com

· http://web2.domain.com

The Network Concierge’s configuration web is referenced as:

· http://concierge.domain.com

The following are invalid references:

· http://concierge.domain.com/web1 <= INVALID!!!

· http://concierge.domain.com/web2 <= INVALID!!!

NOTE: To have virtual web servers accessible from the Internet, you must be running Network Concierge version V1.36 or higher.

3 IP addresses, Host Names, and DNS

To access a web server on the Network Concierge from a client computer, the client must associate the web server name with the Network Concierge’s IP address. This can be done several ways, but the most common method is by using a Domain Name Server (DNS).

A Domain Name Server is a computer that maintains a database of hostnames and IP addresses. When a client needs the IP address for a host name (or web server), it sends the name to a Domain Name Server. The Domain Name server returns the associated IP address to the client. The client can then contact the web server using the IP address. When it sends its request to the Network Concierge, it includes the name of the web server it wishes to contact.

For a single computer (such as a Network Concierge) to handle multiple virtual web servers, the client’s Domain Name Server must associate all the web server names with the IP address of the Network Concierge. For example, if the Network Concierge’s IP address is 111.222.333.444, the Domain Name Server must have the following associations in its database:

· concierge.domain.com = 111.222.333.444

· web1.domain.com = 111.222.333.444

· web2.domain.com = 111.222.333.444

3.1 Network Concierge: Intranet and DNS

The Network Concierge performs many networking services for the Intranet: DNS, DHCP, Web Servers, Mail Server. These are all integrated, so that the different databases are updated automatically.

The Network Concierge is the Domain Name Server for all clients on the Intranet. It maintains the DNS database for the Intranets domain. For example, if you have given the Intranet, the domain name “domain.com”, the Network Concierge will provide address translations for names ending with “.domain.com”, such as “web1.domain.com”. If a request DNS request is sent to the Network Concierge to translate a name in a different domain, such as “anotherdomain.com”, the Network Concierge will forward the request to a DNS server on the Internet.

When a virtual web server is created on the Network Concierge, the DNS database is automatically updated so that the virtual web server’s name is associated with the Network Concierge’s IP address.

When an Intranet client attempts to access a virtual web server on the Network Concierge, the client sends a DNS request to the Network Concierge to get the IP address for the web server. The Domain Name Service on the Network Concierge returns the IP address for the Network Concierge. The client now associates the web server with the Network Concierge’s IP address, and sends the web server access request to the Network Concierge.

3.2 Intranet and Internet: IP addresses, Hostnames & Domains

The Network Concierge has two network interfaces, the Intranet and Internet. Each interface has its own IP address, hostname and domain. The Internet and Intranet IP addresses and domain names must be different!

DO NOT USE THE SAME DOMAIN NAME AND/OR IP ADDRESS FOR BOTH THE INTERNET AND INTRANET!!!!

You can use the same host name if you wish, but it is not necessary, and in some cases (see section 5) not desirable.

The Network Concierge controls the Intranet’s IP address, hostname and domain. These are changeable in the Network Concierge’s configuration web.

Your Internet Server Provider (ISP) controls the Internet’s IP address, hostname and domain. You must contact your ISP to make changes to these parameters.

For example, your ISP may have assigned the following parameters to your Network Concierge:

· IP address = 555.666.777.888

· Host name = computer25

· ISP Domain = ispdomain.com

Computers on the Intranet see the Network Concierge as “concierge.domain.com”. Computers on the Internet see the Network Concierge as “computer25.ispdomain.com”. Unless you a have a registered subnet and domain for the Network concierge (see section 4), Internet computers will not see “concierge.domain.com”.

Likewise, Intranet client computers will now see “web1.domain.com” and “web2.domain.com”.

In order for your virtual web servers to be accessible from the Internet, you must request that your ISP setup their DNS database so that the names “web1.ispcomain.com” and “web2.ispdomain.com” refers to the Internet IP address:

· web1.ispdomain.com = 555.666.777.888

· web2.ispdomain.com = 555.666.777.888

Now people can get to your virtual web servers from the Internet.

4 Masquerade vs. Registered Subnets and Domains

TBD

5 One Trick Pony (or how to set up ONE external web server)

There is one trick that will satisfy most people with the minimal amount of ISP involvement, and paperwork. That is to set up the Network Concierge with a single virtual web server accessible from the Internet using the IP address and host name assigned by your ISP. You can then create a sub-web under the single virtual web.

Let’s assume your ISP has given you the following parameters:

· IP address = 555.666.777.888

· Hostname = computer25

· ISP domain = ispdomain.com

You can have a single web server accessible as computer25.ispdomain.com

If you set up the Network Concierge so that it’s Intranet host name is different than the Internet host name, you can then create a web server with the same name as the Internet host name.

For example, set up the concierge with the following Intranet parameters:

· Hostname = concierge

· Domain = mydomain

Now create a virtual web server with the name “computer25” and with the share name “computer25”.

This web server is now accessible from the Intranet side as “computer25.ispdomain.com” and from the Intranet side as “computer25.mydomain.com”.

You can still access the Network Concierge configuration web from the Intranet as “concierge.mydomain.com”. You can also access it from the Internet using the IP address 555.666.777.888, assuming that you have enabled access from the Internet.

You can create subwebs by simply creating folders in the share “computer25”. For example, create the folders “subweb1” and “subweb2”. You can now reference these webs from the Internet side as:

· http://computer25.ispdomain.com <= top level web

· http://computer25.ispdomain.com/subweb1 <= subweb

· http://computer25.ispdomain.com/subweb2 <= subweb

and from the Intranet side as:

· http://computer25.mydomain.com <= top level web

· http://computer25.mydomain.com/subweb1 <= subweb

· http://computer25.mydomain.com/subweb2 <= subweb