Choosing a Dynamic Web Publishing Environment

1
Choosing a Dynamic Web Publishing Environment

• JQ Johnson
• University of Oregon Library
• Presentation for CIT 382, 13 Feb 2001

2
The problem for the UO Library

• Several projects pending that would build dynamic
  web sites
• No consistency in existing software tools
• Need to provide infrastructure training to
  facilitate new technology

3
Architecture
Database Server
Web Server
End user (Browser)
Middleware
Developer (html editor, program editor)
4
Server-side middleware technologies
5
Library environment

• Library has moderately large static website
  (about 25,000 pages)
• Decentralized maintenance by non-programmers
  (librarians). 150 FTE total.
• Small IT support staff. 5 FTE.
• Some projects pushing limits of static website

6
Examples of projects

• Existing projects
• New Media Center DB-driven websites
• Aviation safety research
• Language lesson planner
• Blackboard system
• Potential projects
• Database of licensed online resources
• Visual image archives
• Classroom inventory
• Etc.

7
Existing Library technology

• Web servers
• Apache/Linux (libweb) for general use
• IIS/Windows2000 (nmc) for New Media Center
• Turnkey systems
• Janus OPAC
• Blackboard
• Various experimental servers
• Servers are centrally managed by systems
  department

8
Web publishing/html editing

• Authoring is widely decentralized throughout
  Library
• Workshops teach basic techniques
• Variety of tools
• Text editors (Notepad, vi, etc.)
• Claris Home Page
• Dreamweaver emerging as preferred high-end tool
• Some use of other tools (HomeSite, Golive, etc.)

9
Databases

• Desktop databases
• Excel, Access used for a variety of tasks
• Some other desktop databases, e.g. Filemaker Pro
• Server databases
• Blackboard uses MySQL
• Some use of MS SQL Server
• Some applications talk to Banner (Oracle)
• Database expertise in library fairly limited

10
Programming

• Very few staff have any programming
  background/expertise
• A few in-house applications
• Perl (mostly for web page form processing)
• C, C

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Options for dynamic web sites

• Outsource
• Development
• Delivery
• Centralize development in Systems Dept.
• Provide support decentralize development
• Requires choice of infrastructure
• Database
• Middleware
• Tools
• Training

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Database options

• MS SQL Server
• Runs on Windows 2000 Costs
• MySQL
• Runs mostly on Linux Free
• Oracle
• Runs on anything Costs
• Ad hoc databases (e.g. flat files)
• Desktop databases (e.g. Access)

13
Web server options

• Apache
• Runs mostly on Linux free
• Microsoft IIS
• Runs mostly on Windows 2000

14
Middleware options

• Programming environments
• Perl (perhaps with mod_perl)
• Scripting languages
• ASPVBScript (runs mostly on IIS/ Windows)
• PHP (mostly on Apache/ Linux)
• ColdFusion (mostly on IIS/Windows)
• Java Server Pages (e.g. TomCat for Apache)

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Example querying a database in ASP and ColdFusion

• lt
• Set OBJdbConnection Server.CreateObject("ADODB.C
  onnection")
• OBJdbConnection.Open "nba_membership"
• SQLQuery SELECT id, business FROM directory"
• Set rsCustomers OBJdbConnection.Execute(SQLQuery
  )
• Do Until rsCustomers.EOF
• Response.Write (rsCustomers("ID") " "
  rsCustomers("Business")) ltbrgt
• rsCustomers.MoveNext
• Loop
• gt
• ltcfquery name"rsCustomers" datasource"nba_member
  ship"gt SELECT id, business FROM directory
• lt/cfquerygt
• ltcfoutput query"rsCustomers"gtid
  businessltbrgtlt/cfoutputgt

ASP
Cold Fusion
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Example querying a database in PHP

• lt?php
• conn mssql_connect(libsqlserver.uoregon.edu",
  "user", "secretpwd")
• mssql_select_db("nba_membership")
• SQLquery "SELECT id, business FROM directory"
• rsCustomers mssql_query(SQLquery)
• number_rows mssql_num_rows(rsCustomers)
• for (row 0 row lt number_rows - 1
  row)
• print mssql_result(rsCustomers, row, 1) .
  mssql_result(rsCustomers, row, 2) .
• "ltbrgt
• mssql_close(conn)
• ?gt

PHP
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Page editing options

• MS Visual Interdev (works best with ASP)
• Dreamweaver Ultradev (works well with ASP and
  ColdFusion)
• ColdFusion Studio (works only with ColdFusion)
• Dreamweaver (provides minimal help with
  programming)
• Text editor or tag editor (Notepad, HomeSite)

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Decision making criteria

• Options for different components interact
• Options change rapidly with technology
• Major issues for library include
• Functionality/flexibility
• Price
• Manageability/integration into existing
  environment
• Consistency with campus/industry direction
• Ease of use by non-programmers

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Sample Option 1

• Install PHP (v3) and MySQL on Linux server
• Use Dreamweaver or text editor for PHP
  development
• Provide training in SQL, general programming, PHP
  
• Variants
• Use PHP v4
• Hire student labor for most programming

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Option 1, sampleadvantages/disadvantages

• free
• PHP also good for non-DB dynamic web pages (e.g.
  manipulating XML or managing files)
• PHP is rapidly evolving (either or -, depending
  on perspective), very popular in Open Source
  community
• would allow us to leverage existing investment in
  libweb/Linux
• possibly more consistent with the direction other
  research libraries are taking

• MySQL high performance for simple queries, but
  lacks many features of a high-end SQL
  implementation
• no good visual development environment for PHP
  scripts exists yet. Programmers would have to
  use Dreamweaver (not Ultradev)
• PHP requires some knowledge of programming
• Requires some knowledge of SQL

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Sample Option 2

• Provide ColdFusion, IIS and SQL Server on
  existing Windows 2000 server
• Use Dreamweaver Ultradev for CFM development
• Provide SQL training. Use vendors materials for
  ColdFusion, Dreamweaver Ultradev
• Variants
• Install ColdFusion on Linux, possibly talking to
  MySQL
• Use Allaire ColdFusion Studio or other tools
  instead of Dreamweaver Ultradev

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Option 2, sample advantages/disadvantages

• nice environment for developers
• ColdFusion is mature, stable product (also a
  disadvantage)
• commercial products, so there training
  opportunities, and vendor support available
• Allaire (owner of ColdFusion) and Macromedia have
  announced merger, so synergies likely in future
• SQL Server is a robust, high-performance database

• fairly expensive
• does not leverage staff familiarity with Linux as
  web server
• would not allow us to import growing amount of
  free code written for Linux/PHP.
• apparently Allaire and Macromedia are merging
  because Allaire hasn't been doing well
  financially. Future?

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Decision-making methodology

• Collect data on what we currently do
• Evaluate options
• Read trade press
• Experiment with trial implementations
• Build consensus among stakeholders
• Recommend an option for implementation this term

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Questions for discussion

• What issues should we be considering?
• What additional information is needed?
• What should we do next?

25
References

• Allaire Corp. (ColdFusion) http//www.allaire.co
  m
• Macromedia (Dreamweaver) http//www.macromedia.co
  m
• PHP http//www.php.net
• MySQL http//www.mysql.com
• PHP vs ColdFusion (a typical article on the web)
  http//php.weblogs.com/php_vs_cold_fusion
• Server Side scripting shootout
  http//hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/99/46/index1a.
  html?twprogramming
• Four Scripting Languages speed development
  http//www.zdnet.com/eweek/stories/general/0,11011
  ,2646052,00.html