What is ASP.Net?

Question: I have heard of ASP, but what is ASP.Net?

Answer: ASP.Net is the official successor to the ASP (Active Server Pages) scripting language. Rather than being a simple scripting language, ASP.Net is a web application framework that combines the Microsoft .Net Framework technology with scripting languages and other non-scripting languages.

ASP.Net is released with the .Net Framework and allows web developers to build dynamic websites, web applications, and web services. It features an event-based programming model and can utilize a variety of programming languages, including C#, J#, and VB.Net.

This Common Language Runtime allows programmers to use any language supported by the .Net Framework. Windows server system administrators can install ASP.Net as part of the .Net installation, and developers can use Microsoft Visual Studio to develop dynamic websites with ASP.Net technology.

How to Make an Entire Directory Path

Question: How do I create an entire path of directories?

Answer: On a desktop computer, anytime you want to create a folder, you have to go through a series of clicks, type in the name, and press Enter. If you want to create a series of nested folders, you have to go through that process several times for each one. That is time consuming and not something you want to have to do on a server.

There are times when creating an entire path of directories may be very useful. For example, if you have a website photo gallery and want to setup the album directories, you will want to be able to quickly create those paths. You can do this easily from the command line and do not need to repeat steps.

On a Linux server, to create an entire path of directories, enter from the command line:

mkdir -p photos/2010/albums/zoo

On a Windows server, just reverse the slashes:

mkdir photos\2010\albums\zoo

This will automatically create the photos, 2010, albums, and zoo directories. With one quick command, you saved yourself four steps.

Schedule Tasks on a Windows Server

There are two ways to schedule a task on a Windows server: graphical (from the system tools menu) or from the command line.

Graphical

1. If you have direct access to the system tools menu, click the “start” button and then go to Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Scheduled Tasks.
2. Click “Add Scheduled Task” and click “Next”
3. Select the program you want to run
4. Give the task a name
5. Select the date and time options
6. Enter your password and then click “Finish”.

Command Line

Use the command schtasks. From the command line, enter a string like this:

schtasks /create /tn "Webapp Task" /tr "webapp-prog.exe" /sc hourly

This would schedule the job to execute every hour.

For more information about schtasks, see the Microsoft documentation

Photo Source: Flickr

Windows Command Line Tools

With a remote dedicated server, sometimes being able to access it from the command line can be your greatest asset. Like Linux and other Unix-like operating systems, Windows servers also have command line programs that can make managing your server from afar a lot easier.

Attrib – Allows you to display and modify file attributes
Chkdsk – Checks the disk and lists any errors found
Comp – Compare the contents of two files or groups of files
FTP – File Transfer Protocol – similar to Unix command-line FTP
Hostname – Shows the local system’s name
Ipconfig – Shows the current network configuration settings
Net Pause – Pauses a running service
Net Continue – Resumes a paused service
Rd/Rmdir – Removes a directory
Ren – Renames the specified file

These are just a few of the useful command line options. For a more extensive list, see techotopia

How to Restart Services on a Windows Server

Services are memory resident programs that normally run constantly, as long as your server is on. Programs like your web server, database server, DNS system, and others are all services that start at boot time and continuing running at all times.

Whenever you change configuration for a service or need to reinitialize it, you should perform a service restart. This is much more convenient than what people normally do with desktop computers, which is to restart the entire system. On a server, you want to keep the server running and just restart the necessary service. This is a much faster and less invasive solution.

To restart a service, you can use the “net” command to stop it and then start it again: “net stop service” followed by “net start service”. For example, if you want to restart DNS, the commands would be:

net stop dns
net start dns

That is all it takes for basic restarting of Windows services. For more information on advanced tasks consult your Windows Server documentation.

Photo Source: Flickr

How to Schedule a Reboot on a Windows Server

In a previous post, I explained how to use the “at” command to schedule a reboot on a Linux server. On a Windows server, you can accomplish the same thing. Scheduling a reboot is helpful for those rare occasions when you make changes to your server that require a reboot. A major system security update is a perfect example.

In those instances, it is not wise to reboot your server in the middle of the day, at the height of website traffic. By scheduling your reboot, you can minimize the number of website visitors affected by any downtime. Also, if something goes wrong, any extended downtime will be during off hours.

To schedule a reboot, enter the Windows command prompt and run the following command:

c:> at 4:00am c:\admutils\psshutdown.exe -r -f -c -t 10

In this example, the server will reboot at 4:00AM. As with any server, make sure that your system time is correct. Otherwise, you might end up performing the reboot at an inopportune time.

Source: nixCraft
Photo Source: Flickr

Security: Windows and Linux Executables

Servers handle command and application execution differently, depending on the operating system. From a security perspective, executable files should be tightly controlled. Only the server administrator should be allowed to install and run executables, and the server should not respond to file execution from within unauthorized directories.

On a Windows server, file executables typically have .exe, .com, or .bat extensions. Without question, any emails or other transfers that contain such attachments should be blocked. Many attackers have adapted to mail scanners that block those extensions and will often send files with alternative extensions like .zip, but the files are still actually executables. You can decide what types of files to restrict and how to scan and monitor incoming files.

On a Linux server, any file can potentially be executable when it is assigned the correct permissions. In fact, standard executables have no file extensions at all. This means you have to be extra cautious about unauthorized scripts. You can deny executable privileges to any directories/partitions except the ones owned by root. This should greatly reduce the chances of security exploits. Usually, a Linux mail server will still receive Windows virus executables intended for home Windows computers. You should, therefore, configure a mail scanner to detect them and quarantine them.

Photo Source: Flickr

Migration from One OS to Another

Migrating a server is never really a good idea, but in some cases, it may be just what you need for business growth or website stability and security. Depending on your needs, you may be switch from Windows to Linux, Linux to Windows, Solaris to BSD, or any number of possibilities. When you do switch, there are a few issues you should consider.

1. Find out what is compatible and what will not convert over to the new system. HTML files and other static material will. But will scripts written in PHP, ASP, Perl, etc. be lost?

2. Test any data conversion before pulling the plug on the old server. Just because your old Solaris server ran MySQL does not mean that your data will work without any glitches on the new Linux server with MySQL. They may be different versions or have different settings enabled. Test and retest.

3. Try out the new server and learn its administrative ins and outs. Do not wait until you have a security problem to realize you have no idea what to do.

4. Consider the financial ramifications. While moving from licensed software to free software is probably a good step in the long run, you still might have expenses. Make sure you take those into account.

5. Finally, make sure you have backups of everything and a backup plan if it all falls apart. Good luck!

Photo Source: Flickr

4 Top Hosting Control Panels

Choosing the right control panel for a dedicated server can be one of the most important things you do. The right choice can increase productivity and generally make your life easier. Here are a few of the most popular:

cPanel and WHM (Web Host Manager)

cPanel is one of the most widely used hosting control panels and is a favorite among unmanaged server data centers, as they can offer it to their clients and not require much external support. It primarily runs on Linux. Starting price: $425 per year.

Plesk

Plesk is another widely-used control panel, sold by Parallels. It runs on Windows, Linux, and other Unix operating systems. Starting price: $839.88.

Virtualmin

Virtualmin is a free and open source option for web hosting, created by the makers of Webmin. The company also offers a paid license that includes support called Virtualmin Pro. Starting Price: $0 or $138.00.

SysCP

SysCP is another free open source control panel, primarily for Linux operating systems. It offers support for third-party modules and automation. Starting Price $0.

In addition to the above, some web hosts offer powerful custom-designed control panels, although they still often offer a choice for the dedicated server clients.

Common extra dedicated server features

An unmanaged dedicated server is almost like a bare-bones computer. While you get all of the essentials required to call it a server, there are many features that you will want to add. Some of them are free and/or open source, while some require purchase or even subscription services. It is important to know this before getting a dedicated server, thinking that you are getting a complete product.

A good web host will list some of their extra available features, including prices. Here is a brief list of options you might want:

• cPanel or other control panel
• SSL certificates
• Additional IP addresses
• Load balancing for two or more servers
• Anti-virus protection for mail servers
• Routine backup storage
• Additional RAM
• Additional hard drive
• Windows Server 2008
• KVM over IP
• Additional badwidth/data transfer

For prices check your web host’s website.

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons