HTTP Web Serving Explained (sort of).

Your website on Sphynx is available for anyone and everyone on the Internet to connect to, as long as they know your "address" or URL. A webserver is a computer, actually any type of computer, running software that serves html documents and graphics to connected users' browsers. Currently the most efficient OS for a webserver is some flavor of UNIX.

On top of Unix, Windows NT or the MacOS, depending on what type of webserver hardware you have, is run special web serving software like NCSA HTTP, CERN, WEBSTAR for Mac, or Netscape's server software (as opposed to its well known browser). The webserver computer is connected directly to the Internet at all times.

One area or directory level on the webserver computer contains subdirectories with people's websites and pages. The serving software (NCSA HTTP) answers requests by browsers and sends those remote browsers pages in text form and graphics in binary form.

If someone browsing the web at home requests a file or page above the http directory level, the serving software refuses the request. A typical http branch directory tree looks like this:

 /-(System Root)
 |________________ to other directory trees on the system -->
 |
usr
 |
local
 |
etc
 |
httpd (Server Root)
 |_________________________________________________________ . . a few others
 |            |             |             |            |
htdocs     cgi-bin         conf         icons         logs
 |
 |
 |___________________________________________________________ . . .etc
 |           |              |             |            |
user1       user2          user3         user4        user5

Do you see the cgi-bin directory one level above the web documents directories?

cgi-bin is simply a standard name for the directory or folder where executable cgi (common gateway interface) binaries and scripts are kept.

If you leased a "site" on Sphynx's server you would be, say "user3". You'd be able to use some cgi scripts and programs in the cgi-bin directory to do things like process forms or count hits.

If you leased a "virtual server" from us, you would own an entire directory structure. Not only would you be able to host pages in the lower directories, you'd be able to decide what cgi scripts or programs you were going to run.

With a Sphynx Server 1 option (25MB account) you are the superuser of the virtual system, meaning you have full access to all your own directory structure, configuration files, etc. etc.
With a Sphynx Server 2 option (75MB complete virtual server) not only does that hold, but you can create user accounts for others and decide what directories they have access to.

As a "site" user, you use ftp -file transfer protocol to connect to your site, upload new pages, delete old pages, make new subdirectories. (AOL subscribers: You can use AOL's built-in ftp client to do this.)

As a "server" user, you both ftp and telnet to your server and manage files and run programs, compile C source, etc. All the software you will need is included in the package. For simple web-serving you really don't have to learn much beyond ftp and a few simple shell commands you will do via telnet. If you're willing to put in time and effort, you can implement a shopping cart system, full searchable database system, or other web-based applications.

Copyright © 1996, Sphynx Web Solutions. All rights reserved. All brand names and product names used on these web pages are trademarks, or trade names of their respective holders. Direct questions or comments to webmaster@sphynx.com.