Advanced

Web
2012
Lecture 2
Sean Costain 2012

How the Web Works Refresh

The web is a matrix of servers that
handle client requests and deliver
the content at a per-request
action.

Sean Costain 2012

Web Content
Web content is data
that is delivered to the
end user through web
pages.

Content is now Dynamic, in that it responds to

user actions.
- Content is normally stored in databases
- MySQL, MsSQL
- Access of Dynamic content requires advanced
languages
- PHP, ASP

Sean Costain 2012

Web Server
A web server is a computer that runs a special service
that is designed to handle web requests.
A web request is a data stream that flows on port 80 or
port 443. The language of the web is TCP/IP.

The main difference

between a pc and a
server is the amount
of requests that the
machine can handle,
and its method of
supplying the
requested
information.

Sean Costain 2012

TCP/IP

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is one of the core protocols of

the Internet Protocol Suite. TCP is one of the two original
components of the suite, complementing the Internet Protocol
(IP), and therefore the entire suite is commonly referred to as
TCP provides reliable,
TCP/IP.
ordered delivery of a
stream of octets from a
program on one computer
to another program on
another computer. TCP is
the protocol used by major
Internet applications such
as the World Wide Web,
email, remote
administration and file
transfer.

Sean Costain 2012

Web Server
TCP/IP Ports
Port 80 http traffic; the primary port used by the
world wide web (www) system. Web servers open this
port then listen for incoming connections from web
browsers.
Port 443 https traffic; secure web browser
communication. Data transferred across such
connections are highly resistant to eavesdropping and
TCP/IP interception.
Has 1056 common ports for
communication
Port 80
Port 443
Sean Costain 2012

Web Server
2 Main Web servers in the world
Apache
IIS (Internet Information Services)

Apache is Open Source

IIS is proprietary and runs
and can be run on pretty
only on the Windows
much any operating
operating system.
system.
Both servers do pretty much the same thing,
handle client requests and deliver content.
Were using Apache (XAMPP) in this course.
Sean Costain 2012

Remote Server
A remote web server is a server that is not running on the
machine you are currently using.
Remote servers are normally production servers, these can come
in various formats such as:
Dedicated Servers
Virtual Servers
Shared Web Space
Dedicated Server
Expensive
Full Control
All the
hardware is for
your use only.

Virtual Server
Medium Price
Full Control over
VM, not physical
config
Other user share
the same
hardware
Sean Costain 2012

Shared Web
Cheap
Control only over
your data.
All resources shared
with other clients,
physical and digital.

Local Server
A local web server is a server that is running on the machine you
are currently using.
Local servers are normally development servers, these can come
in various formats such as:
A server your company controls
A desktop machine you use
Portable on a USB
Local servers are faster than remote servers as the browser
request doesnt have to leave the machine.

Sean Costain 2012

Communication Methods
When it comes to Remote servers, there are a few ways of
communicating with the server. This is all dependent on the
type of server.
Dedicated server : RDP (port 3389), Telnet (port 23), SSH
(port 22), FTP (port 21), File upload through the web (port
80)
All other server types:
FTP (port
RDP21), File upload through the web (port 80)

FTP

RDP, telnet and SSH all allow for access to manipulate the operating system.
FTP and file upload, only manipulate your web files
Sean Costain 2012

Communication Methods
Local servers, on the other hand, are extremely easy to
work with.
You can just copy over the working files or work directly
on them with your web application.
Apache stores its web
pages in a folder called
htdocs.

IIS stores its web

pages in a folder
called wwwroot

Sean Costain 2012

Sean Costain 2012