Introduction
Coweeta LTER serves thousands of pieces of data to researchers and to
the public. In an effort to publish this information in a
customizable and efficient manner, a design decision was made to serve
much of the Coweeta LTER website dynamically, generating pages on the fly
according to the needs of our users. Coweeta LTER utilizes servers
with Windows 2000 operating systems, serving our web site using Apache web
services, PHP, and MySQL. In keeping with our core mission of
making the results of our research and efforts available for the public
good, Coweeta LTER has provided this guide for those who wish to adapt
these technologies to their own needs.
Why Apache, PHP, and
MySQL?
How do Apache, PHP, and
MySQL work together?
What is Apache HTTP
Server?
What is PHP?
What is MySQL?
Why Apache, PHP,
and MySQL?
Ecological science, research, and human knowledge will advance most
rapidly if there is a synthesis of what we learn as individuals into a
larger community. Synthesis of research is the basis for the future
of LTER research, and outside of the LTER core, there is great benefit in
positioning organizations to participate as fully as possible in larger
communities. In order to participate to the fullest extent, there
must be agreement, at some level, of standards that allow networks to
connect. In the human experience, language can be considered a
standard. Two people that can speak the same language can communicate; two
people who cannot speak the same language will have their ability to
communicate sorely hampered.
Coweeta LTER understands very clearly that to participate fully in a
worldwide community there is a need to adopt and adhere to standards.
Even though the concept of standards is an evolving process, we do have
the ability to make decisions now. The basis for Coweeta LTER's
decision to adopt Apache, PHP, and MySQL has its foundation in three
concepts: 1) a mission to select tools for sharing information that
are, with the information currently available, currently the most widely
adopted and have the potential to endure. 2) a mission to select
tools that fit most aptly into a community dedicated to sharing knowledge
for the sake of knowledge alone. This is in no way a rejection of
commercially available tools, but we determined that if we could find
tools that were open source, freely available, and part an ever-growing
world standard, our goals would be met. 3) a mission to select tools
that are scalable; tools that, in theory, will not limit Coweeta LTER's
ability to meet its goals.
How do Apache,
PHP, and MySQL work together? More detailed information is
provided below, but the succinct answer is:
-Apache HTTP Server provides the web service - it is the engine that
allows web pages to be served to the Internet.
-MySQL is the database - it is the engine that stores information -
information that can be gathered and served in human readable formats
across the Internet.
-PHP is the scripting language that connects MySQL and HTML - it is the
engine that tells web browsers what information should be gathered from
MySQL and how this information should be displayed to the viewer.
What is Apache
HTTP Server?
Apache web servers are the
most used servers in the world, so the goal of standard is overwhelmingly
met. Apache has been the most popular web server on the Internet
since April, 1996. More than 64% of web sites on the Internet are
using Apache, thus making it more widely used than all other web servers
combined.
Apache HTTP Server is
a commercial-grade implementation of HTTP (Web) server. A copy of
Apache or other web server is required on any computer that will be used
to serve web pages to the Internet.
Learn more about
Apache
HTTP Server.
What is PHP?
Self-referentially short
for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor, an open source, server-side, HTML
embedded scripting language used to create dynamic Web pages. In an HTML
document, PHP script (similar syntax to that of Perl or C ) is enclosed
within special PHP tags. Because PHP is embedded within tags, the author
can jump between HTML and PHP (similar to ASP and Cold Fusion) instead of
having to rely on heavy amounts of code to output HTML. And, because PHP
is executed on the server, the client cannot view the PHP code. PHP can
perform any task that any CGI program can do, but its strength lies in its
compatibility with many types of databases. Also, PHP can talk across
networks using IMAP, SNMP, NNTP, POP3, or HTTP. PHP was created in 1994 by
Rasmus Lerdorf.
What is PHP's function in generating dynamic websites?
PHP is the scripting code that serves web pages to the Internet. PHP
is the actual language of the web document, but in addition to providing
instruction to web browsers of how to display a web page, PHP also
provides instruction on interacting with databases to dynamically generate
the information.
Learn more about PHP.
What is MySQL?
MySQL is the world's most popular open source database.
MySQL is a type of SQL database
management. A database is an organized collection of information that a
computer uses to select and display data. Databases can help organize and
enhance your site content. Sites with dynamic pages and/or shopping cart
software often need an underlying database structure.
Learn more about MySQL.
System Requirements
Coweeta LTER has implemented and tested our implementation consistent
with the following:
Hardware: PC
with Intel Pentium 3 or later chip, running Windows 2000. It is
believed that Windows 98/NT/XP will also support the configuration in the
Coweeta method.
Software: Apache HTTP Server, PHP 4.x, MySQL versions 4.x.
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