This page lists frequently asked questions and answers for web site developers.

FAQ

General Questions

1. What is my username and password?
2. What OS is running?
3. What version of Apache is installed?
4. What version of PHP is installed?
5. What version of MySQL is installed?
6. What version of Perl is installed?
7. How much memory does my server have?
8. How much bandwidth can I use?
9. How much disk space do I get?
10. Do I have root access to my server?
11. Is my server backed up?
12. Can I install other software on my server?
13. How do I manage users on my server?
14. Will my old website URL work if I received a new domain?

Accessing Your Web Site

1. How do I access my website?
2. Is Telnet or FTP allowed?
3. Is SSL available?
4. How do I configure Dreamweaver to use SFTP?
5. Where do I put the files for my website?
6. Where do I put CGI files?
7. Where are my logs located?
8. Is there any type of log analysis?
9. What htaccess commands do I have access to?
10. Is Samba available?
11. Is WebDav available?

Managing and Using MySQL

1. Is MySQL running by default?
2. What database do I use?
3. What user do I use?
4. Can I get other databases added?
5. Does my MySQL data count against my quota?
6. How do I access phpMyAdmin?

Using PHP

1. Is PHP running Safe Mode?
2. Why is my PHP script not running?
3. Where can I find my PHP errors?
4. Is Registered Globals turned on?

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General Questions

1. What is my username and password?
   • Your username and password is your NetID and NetPassword. If you change your NetPassword, your password on your virtual server changes as well. If you are unsure what your NetID is, please see:
   • Determining your NetID (PDF)
2. What OS is running?
   • Each virtual server is running Fedora 7 GNU/Linux .
3. What version of Apache is installed?
   • Each server is running Apache 2.2.x.
4. What version of PHP is installed?
   • Each server is running PHP 5.x in Safe Mode.
5. What version of MySQL is installed?
   • Each server is running MySQL 5.x.
6. What version of Perl is installed?
   • Each server is running Perl 5.x.
7. How much memory does my server have?
   • By default each server has 256MB of memory.
8. How much bandwidth can I use?
   • By default each server is allocated 10mb/s worth of bandwidth.
9. How much disk space do I get?
   • By default each server has 250MB of disk space quota. This includes the OS, all logs, MySQL data and the website. If your site was migrated from Archive you will have as much space as you did there. If you would like to see how much space you are using, run the following command from the command line: 'df -h'. This command will show you how much space you have, and the percentage used.
   • If you need an increase in disk space, please fill out the following form with the name of the website included:
   • Mass Storage Request Form
10. Do I have root access to my server?
    • No. Root access is not shared.
11. Is my server backed up?
    • Yes. Each server is backed up nightly. If you need a file restored, please fill out the following form:
    • File Restoration Form
12. Can I install other software on my server?
    • Yes, but please bear in mind that maintenance of a software package is an ongoing responsibility. If you are installing a software package then you need to periodically check for patches and new versions and have a regular update schedule. The most frequent cause of web site defacements is unpatched software with known security vulnerabilities. If you are installing homegrown software consider who will fix it in a year, or two, when a flaw is discovered or some incompatibility with the latest version of server software causes it to not work. We cannot undertake to fix user installed software that stops working when we install a necessary server software update.
13. How do I manage users on my server?
    • Use the following forms to request that accounts be added or deleted:
    • University Web Space Change of Ownership
    • Student Organization Web Space Change of Ownership
14. Will my old website URL work if I received a new domain?
    • Yes. If you had to get a new domain because of moving to the new environment, the old URL will get redirected to the new URL. For example: www.msstate.edu/dept/its/ would redirect to www.its.msstate.edu/. Such redirects will be removed at some point in the future.

Accessing Your Web Site

1. How do I access my website?
   • To view your website, simply go to the domain you were given. Going to the IP address will not get you to your website. To upload files you must use either SCP or SFTP. These both use encrypted logins so no one can capture your password when you type it. You will need to log in with your NetId/NetPassword.
2. Is Telnet or FTP allowed?
   • Telnet and FTP are not allowed as these are unsecured protocols.
3. Is SSL available?
   • SSL is available on request. We offer a free SSL certificate that works with most applications and browsers. If your application requires a Thawte or Verisign certificate you will be charged for the certificate. Please note that if you use NetID/NetPassword authentication it is REQUIRED that you use SSL. Also note that this service is not intended for the transmission or storage of sensitive information such as grades, social security numbers or credit card data.
4. How do I configure Dreamweaver to use SFTP?
   1. Open Dreamweaver.
   2. Go to Site => Manage Sites....
   3. In the Manage Sites window, click on the site name, then click Edit... Or click New to define a new site.
   4. In the Site Definition window, click on the Advanced tab.
   5. In the left-hand column under Category, click Remote Info.
   6. In the Remote Info panel, click on the check box next to Use Secure FTP (SFTP).
   7. Click OK.
5. Where do I put the files for my website?
   • You will have a link in your home directory. This link will be your Fully Qualified Doman Name minus the .msstate.edu. This link will go to /var/www/fqdn/html. Place your website files in this directory. For example: The website www.its.msstate.edu has a link in my home directory called its/ that links to /var/www/its.msstate.edu/html/.
   • If you are using SSL, there is a slight difference. Inside your home directory you will have a link called "ssl-fqdn". For example: The SSL files for www.its.msstate.edu has a link in my home directory called ssl-its/ that links to /var/www/its.msstate.edu/ssl/
6. Where do I put CGI files?
   • If you choose to use CGI scripts you will notice a cgi directory under your html directory. This is where you put your CGI Scripts. Here is an example on how to access them. www.its.msstate.edu/cgi.
7. Where are my logs located?
   • Your logs are under /var/www/fqdn/log/. For example /var/www/its.msstate.edu/log/.
8. Is there any type of log analysis?
   • Yes, a nightly Analog analysis is run. You can access the log stats by going to your website with /statistics/ after it. For example, www.its.msstate.edu/statistics/
9. What htaccess commands do I have access to?
   • All htaccess commands are available for you.
10. Is Samba available?
    • Samba sends data unencrypted and is not supported. Similar functionality can be achieved with the SFTPDrive software package.
11. Is WebDAV available?
    • No. WebDAV is not supported.

Managing and Using MySQL

1. Is MySQL running by default?
   • No, MySQL is not running by default. If you require MySQL then please submit a help desk ticket to request that it be turned on. Please bear in mind that this service is not intended for the storage of sensitive information like grades, social security numbers or credit card data.
2. What database do I use?
   • By default you have access to the 'webdb' database.
3. What user do I use to access MySQL?
   • There are 3 users:
     1. admin: Has all permissions for the 'webdb' database.
     2. user_ro: Has only select permissions for the 'webdb' database. This user is here for security.
     3. user_rw: Has select, insert, update and delete access for the 'webdb' database.
4. Can I get other databases added?
   • You can request access for additional databases, but this is usually not needed. Most packages which use MySQL can coexist within a single database. If you are writing your own software we recommend that you choose a prefix for all tables used by your package. For example, if you are writing a calendar application that has an events table, call it "mycalendar_events" instead of just "events" to avoid potential for name conflicts.
5. Does my MySQL data count against my quota?
   • Yes. Anything you put on your virtual server will take up space on your server.
6. How do I access phpMyAdmin?
   • Add /mysql/ to the end of the url for your website. For example: www.its.msstate.edu/mysql/

Using PHP

1. Is PHP running Safe Mode?
   • PHP is running in Safe Mode. Group Safe Mode is also turned on.
2. Why is my PHP script not running?
   • Check to make sure that your script is readable by the world. Also check and make sure that you have opened and closed the <?php .... ?> tags.
3. Where can I find my PHP errors?
   • Look in your error logs under the log directory. For example: /var/www/its.msstate.edu/log/error_log
4. Is Register Globals turned on?
   • No, Register Globals is turned off. This feature has substantial security implications and is now turned off by default. In the beta of the next version of PHP this feature has been removed completely.