server for students intranet pages

[Face-Man]

I've been asked to setup a webserver to host work created by sixth form students for their i-media course. They are working on i-macs and we have an x-serve as well as some win 2k3 servers. firstly this just has to be internal but may need to be on the web once vetted.

 

I've heard of apache but have no experience of deployment and am looking for a solution I can setup and forget about.

 

I'm a complete novice on this side of thing so any ideas/help sheets would be appreciated

[CyberNerd]

We used to do this with apache and mod_userdir with AD authentication.

 

A much better method is to use a Content Management System (CMS) such as drupal , drupaled, alfresco or even joomla (we use drupaled). A CMS is much easier to get additional functionality for collaboration and easier to integrate into your VLE. You should also be able to add the simple html pages as well for the course, but a CMS is better for cross subject collaboration than a webpage .

[webman]

If you're familiar with Linux this might help: FTP and Web server [bishop Barrington IT Wiki]

[garethEds]

I'm looking to do this as well. I have downloaded Ubuntu 8.10 Server and will be installing Apache, MySQL and PHP etc.

 

I don't know much about Linux but am going to use it to learn some new skills.

 

I'm after some sort of Control Panel that will let me setup accounts (as in hosting company) - or failing that giving the kids a way of getting their own webspace area etc.

 

I'm currently searching Google for information and how to documents.

 

Gareth

[CyberNerd]

@garethedmondson If you follow webmans excellent documentation, then you shouldn't need a web interface to manage teh accounts because it links them to A/D automatically. If you want a shiny interface, take a look at some of the CMS i mentioned.

[DrPerceptron]

We've got a super-secret one we use here for intranets...

 

Students come see us, we create a folder, they get a shortcut to and we just let them work it out like that, we use phpMyAdmin to give them a database if they really desire it, but we don't advertise that.

 

Works well, the students have access to the whole thing - assuming they worked that out... if it ever came to opening to our iMedia course, then we just write a script which transferred their site invisibly so that they didn't know how to get to it.

[garethEds]

@garethedmondson If you follow webmans excellent documentation, then you shouldn't need a web interface to manage teh accounts because it links them to A/D automatically. If you want a shiny interface, take a look at some of the CMS i mentioned.

 

Lol - our LEA have it blocked as a proxy site.

 

GJE

[damienharrison]

I did this at a school in Leeds, using IIS, you can set up ftp folders per user logins then the student created a new site in dreamweaver and entered the details, you can then administer the sites placing a link on the intranet or only let the teacher know way I did it was intranet i.e

 

http://web/iMedia/year/%username%

 

that way previous years work can be saved and used as examples of what and what not is expected.

 

Some instructions to set up FTP folders -

Mastering IIS FTP Part 1: Redirecting Users : ASP Alliance

[Zimmer]

We have setup a rather complicated system for our web design students.

 

To cut a long story short the web design students have a 'W Drive' mapped that is the root of their web space. This can only be viewed internally though, for their web space to be accessed externally the site has to be verified my their course tutor. The tutor can then use a section of the staff intranet to enable the website for external access, this is done in the background using VB scripting.

 

Personally the setup has to many complications and breaks to many times for my liking. We also have secure FTP access internally too, this is so the students can setup a site within Dreamweaver emulating 'real life' so to speak.

 

Thinking of going down the Apache route as soon as I get the time, possibly creating a cPanel style management system.

[webman]

Lol - our LEA have it blocked as a proxy site.

 

Lol, wonderful

 

Try this one instead: test [M0PHP Wiki]

[trowe]

I'm looking to do this as well. I have downloaded Ubuntu 8.10 Server and will be installing Apache, MySQL and PHP etc.

 

I don't know much about Linux but am going to use it to learn some new skills.

 

I'm after some sort of Control Panel that will let me setup accounts (as in hosting company) - or failing that giving the kids a way of getting their own webspace area etc.

 

I'm currently searching Google for information and how to documents.

 

Gareth

 

Google webmin and install it in ubuntu.... it may already be in the APT repositories, but I'd check the version first.

[Kamran7860]

I would suggest using Webmin, Virtualmin & Usermin and let the students do what they want.

[mossj]

I was thinking about doing this, and the uni i went to did do this.

 

I figured the best way to move from offline to online would be 'WebDav' (Read and list access, to make sure they don't misstreat the system) if you have a external ISS server, and I beleave this is how my uni did it....

 

I'd be careful when moving online as students need to be aware of copyright and I see too many of them copy and paste from google. Also I somehow suspect that they won't be the ones being held responsible if something was to end up online. It would only take one p*ssed of student to publish something truely bad (hardcore porn, something illegal etc) and I can see something horrific happening.

 

On second thoughts the way I would do it was a intranet thing for use in school, either using XAMP or IIS. Map the drives using a login script so that it goes to a folder they control on the intranet server, and then make a simple vbs script that teachers can use to copy student X's folder across to the internet server, once its checked (but it shouldn't update it automaticly) and the same VBS script should have a second use of deleting the folder if the teacher chooses to (GUI it up in VB, too make it super nice).

 

Anyway this is my next project after Remote folder access (sorted mid-week if all goes well), So will let you know if/how I get it to work.

Edited May 10, 2009 by mossj