Remote deployment via FTP or HTTP

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Help / WEBDEV administrator / WEBDEV Application Server administrator / 02. First deployment

Overview
Step 1: Check the Web server configuration
Step 2 (optional): Create an FTP account
Example: Creating an FTP account in IIS 5
Creating an FTP account in Linux
Step 3: Create a deployment account
Creating a deployment account in interactive mode
Creating a deployment account in command line
Step 4: Configure the access rights on the server
Overview
1. Rights required to perform a remote setup or update (via FTP)
For a Linux server
Access rights for the administrator of WEBDEV Application Server
2. Rights required to use a site or a SOAP/REST web service deployed on a WEBDEV Application Server
3. How to identify the Windows account runs the AWP protocol?
4. How to identify the Linux account that runs the AWP protocol?
5. How to configure the rights on the registry?
Step 5: Parameters to communicate to the manager

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Remote deployment via FTP or HTTP

Overview

To allow the sites to be deployed by FTP, the server administrator must:

Step 1: Check the server configuration.
Step 2: Create an FTP account for the WEBDEV website manager (FTP deployment only).
Step 3: Create a deployment account for the site manager.
Step 4: Configure the access rights on the server.
Step 5: Don't forget to transmit the parameters of the FTP account (FTP deployment only) and the WEBDEV account. These parameters must be sent:
- to the WEBDEV website manager for a remote setup performed from the development computer. The WEBDEV website manager will be able to install their WEBDEV website from their development computer and to remotely update their sites on a regular basis.
- to the person who will install the package corresponding to the WEBDEV website for a remote setup from a management computer.

Remark: The steps 1 to 4 are automatically performed when installing the WEBDEV Application Server and when using WEBDEV Account Manager.

Step 1: Check the Web server configuration

To install a dynamic WEBDEV website on an Internet server (at the hosting provider for example), the following elements must be installed on the server:

A 32-bit, 64-bit or Linux operating system.
The TCP/IP network protocol.
A Web server, used to make the WEBDEV applications accessible.
The WEBDEV 2024 application server.
An FTP server (required to perform remote setups and updates by FTP).

To get fast response time, a powerful computer must be used for the Internet server.

To allow a setup via authenticated access, WD290INSTAWP must be configured for an authenticated access. The necessary operations are automatically performed when installing the WEBDEV Application Server.

For example, if you are using the IIS server, the following operations must be performed:

Open the Internet Information Services Manager.
Select the WD290AWP virtual directory.
Click "Content View".
Select the WD290InstAwp.exe file.
In the context menu of the file, click "Switch to Features View".
Double-click "Authentication".
Disable "Anonymous access" and enable authentication.

To avoid a drop in the system performance, the total number of connections to all dynamic WEBDEV websites or to a dynamic WEBDEV website must be limited:

by the site developer, in the WEBDEV website through programming.
by the server administrator in the different local or remote administration tools provided with WEBDEV Application Server.
by the site manager, in the remote WEBDEV administrator.

Step 2 (optional): Create an FTP account

To allow the WEBDEV websites to be installed and updated by FTP, the hosting provider (or the server administrator) must create a specific FTP account for each site manager.

REMINDER: WEBDEV 2024 allows you to perform a remote setup by HTTP. In this case, the FTP server configuration is not necessary.

On most FTP servers, the following elements must be specified when creating an FTP account:

the username,
the associated password,
the base directory. This base directory corresponds to the directory where the files required to install the site will be transferred. The setup is automatically performed once the files have been transferred.

The base directory must be accessible in read and write mode.

Example: Creating an FTP account in IIS 5

To create an FTP account with IIS (version 5):

Create a new user on the computer. For example, to create a new user in Windows 2000, select "Start .. Control panel .. Management tools .. Computer management".
Start the IIS service manager. For example, in Windows 2000, select "Start .. Control Panel .. Administrative Tools .. Internet Service Manager".
Open the context menu of "default FTP site" and select "New .. Virtual directory".
In the wizard, specify:
- the alias of the FTP transfer directory for the user: this alias corresponds to the name of FTP transfer directory. You must necessarily type the username (defined when creating the user).
- the access path of the FTP transfer directory for the user: this directory corresponds to the physical directory where the file transfers will be performed.
  Caution: This access path to the FTP transfer directory must be supplied when defining the WEBDEV account in WEBDEV Account Manager.
- the access rights: the base directory must be in read and write mode.
Validate. The FTP account is created.

Creating an FTP account in Linux

In most cases, an FTP account corresponds to a Linux user account.

The base directory of this system account corresponds to the FTP download directory. This base directory corresponds to the directory where the files required to install the site will be transferred. The setup is automatically performed once the files have been transferred.

The base directory must be accessible in read and write mode to the relevant user and to the "WEBDEV29" group (or at least to the "apache" group). The user must be in the "WEBDEV29" group. This group is automatically created when installing WEBDEV Deployment.

Example:

/usr/sbin/useradd -d /home/client -g webdev29 client
cd /home
chown client:webdev29 client
chmod ug+rwx client

Step 3: Create a deployment account

A deployment account can be created:

on a Windows server, via WEBDEV Account Manager in interactive mode or in command line.
on a Linux server, via the remote administrator. For more details on the remote administrator, see Configuring the remote administrator.

Creating a deployment account in interactive mode

To create a deployment account in WEBDEV Account Manager:

Open WEBDEV Account Manager from the Windows Start menu.
In the "Users" group, click "New user". The user creation wizard starts. Simply follow the different steps.
Remark: If necessary, WEBDEV Account Manager will prompt you to define an administration group. In this example, answer "Yes" to the question "Continue without this group?".
You can:
- Create a Windows account. This account will be used for deploying and configuring your sites.
- Use an existing Windows account.
If you are creating a Windows account, enter the username and password (you can also generate the password. In that case, don't forget to write it down).

Go to the next step of the wizard.
The wizard prompts you to select the specific WEBDEV options associated with the account:

The (optional) options are:
- This account is a WEBDEV administrator account: In this case, this account will be able to configure the other user accounts via the remote administrator.
- Leave account inactive when created: In this case, this account cannot be used to deploy or update sites. Likewise, this account won't allow you to use the remote administrator.
Go to the next step.
The wizard suggests a Windows account to run the applications. Go to the next step of the wizard.
Enter the user details. Go to the next step.
The directories of the user account are defined automatically according to the data specified in the server configuration.
Go to the next step.
Specify the maximum number of connections allowed for the account and, if necessary, the maximum number of sites that can be installed.
Select or specify the parameters of the HFSQL Client/Server server that must be associated with the user account.
The next step of the wizard includes virtual websites.
- If you choose to create a new virtual site, simply enter the DNS name that will point to this site (the DNS must also be configured).
- If you choose to use an existing virtual site, its configuration will be replaced.
  Remark: the root directory of the virtual site will change. If sites (developed in WEBDEV or not) are already operating on this same virtual Web server, they may be impacted. You may have to restore the initial root directory (c:\inetpub\wwwroot\ by default).
Go to the next step.
In this step you can specify whether FTP access and deployment should be allowed for the user. This step is not necessary for HTTP deployments.
Go to the next step.
The wizard is finished. Check all choices. You can uncheck the operations you don't want the wizard to perform for you.
Finish the wizard. Your server is now ready to receive WEBDEV sites.

Creating a deployment account in command line

To create a new WEBDEV deployment account via a command line and a parameter file:

Create a file containing the parameters of the account to create.
Start CCHebergement with the following command line:
CCHebergement.exe /CREATEUSER /PARAM="<Full path of parameter file>"

Remark: The password is the one used for the Windows account.

Caution: The parameter file is NOT deleted at the end of the account creation.

WEBDEV deployment accounts are managed using a file that contains the account parameters. This file is a text file with any extension. This file has the following structure:

[MAIN]
NOM=Smith
PRENOM=Alan
SOCIETE=PCSOFT
CONNEXION=66
LOGINOS=Smith

[DIR]
FTP=d:\temp\ftp
APPLI=d:\AppliWW\Smith
FICHIER=d:\DataWW\Smith

Details of these parameters:

[MAIN] section

NOM	Last name of the account user
PRENOM	First name of the account user
SOCIETE	Company of the account user
CONNEXION	Total number of connections allowed for this account
EMAIL	Email address of the account user
ADRESSE	Address of the account user
TELEPHONE	Phone number of account user
DIVERS	Additional notes
INTERDIT	0 if the account is enabled, 1 if the account is disabled.
ADMIN	2 for an exclusive deployment administrator account, 1 for a deployment administrator account, 0 for a deployment account.
LOGINOS	Name of the Windows account used for the installation (deployment) and remote administration. The associated password is the one used for the Windows account.
LOGINOSIUSR	Name of the Windows account used to run sites and webservices. The associated password is the one used for the Windows account.
PWDOS	Password of the Windows account used for the installation (deployment) and remote administration. This password is only used in cluster mode.
PWDOSIUSR	Password for the Windows account used to run sites and webservices. This password is only used in cluster mode.
[DIR] section
FTP	Directory used for the transfer by FTP.
APPLI	Directory of applications and WEBDEV sites associated with this account.
FICHIER	Directory of data files for the applications and WEBDEV sites associated with this account.
WEBSERVICE	Directory of the SOAP web services associated with this account.
WEBSERVICEREST	Directory of the REST web services associated with this account.
SERVEURSWEBSOCKET	Directory of Websocket servers associated with this account.
[HFCS1] section	This section is optional. It is used to describe the HFSQL server when using an HFSQL Client/Server database.
SERVEUR	IP address of the HFSQL server
PORT	Port of HFSQL server
LOGIN	Login of the user of the HFSQL Client/Server database
PASSE	Password of the user of the HFSQL Client/Server database
BASE	HFSQL Client/Server database

Step 4: Configure the access rights on the server

Overview

In Windows, you must configure the access rights to the server:

to perform a remote site setup.
to use a WEBDEV website.

These access rights are used to grant specific permissions: write permissions on the file transfer directory, etc.

Depending on the type of access chosen for the setup (authenticated or anonymous access), the necessary rights may differ.

Remark: These rights are automatically configured when installing WEBDEV Application Server and when using WEBDEV Account Manager.

Caution

Even though WEBDEV 2024 assists you the best it can, the remote setup requires an "expert" level for configuring the server. This area is NOT directly related to WEBDEV. These settings cannot be defined by a novice.

You must have a minimum knowledge of this area or have knowledgeable help.

If you want to use these advanced features, plan to spend the required time for installing them and for configuring them. This setting depends on several parameters not related to PC SOFT and to WEBDEV.

1. Rights required to perform a remote setup or update (via FTP)

Access rights for the FTP server
These rights are required regardless of the access type used for the setup or update by FTP (authenticated access or anonymous access).
Reminder: The base directory of the FTP account must correspond to the base directory declared in WEBDEV Account Manager.
The FTP account must have read/write rights in its base directory. This setting must be performed when creating the FTP account.

Access rights for the HTTP server
Case 1: Setup with an anonymous access URL
The access rights are configured in relation to the Windows account that is running the AWP manager. This Windows account must be able to:

Create a subdirectory in the directories of sites and web services (SOAP or REST) of the client.
Create a subdirectory in the data directory of the client.
Create a temporary directory.
Read and write in the FTP directory of the client.
Create registry keys in:
- "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\PC SOFT\WEBDEV\29.0\Applications"
- "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\PC SOFT\WEBDEV\29.0\Webservices"
- "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\PC SOFT\WEBDEV\29.0\RESTWebservices"
(use regedit to define these rights).
Read and run the programs found in the WEBDEV installation directory and in its subdirectories.
Modify the data files of WEBDEV user accounts (in the "Accounts" subdirectory of the application server installation directory).

Case 2: Setup with authenticated access URL
The access rights are configured according to the Windows account that is running the WD290INSTAWP manager. This account will be identical to the FTP account. This Windows account must be able to:

Create a subdirectory in the site directory of the client.
Create a subdirectory in the data directory of the client.
Create a temporary directory.
Read and write in the FTP directory of the client.
Create registry keys in "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\PC SOFT\WEBDEV\29.0" (use regedit to define these rights).
Read and run the programs found in the WEBDEV installation directory and in its subdirectories.
Modify the data files of WEBDEV user accounts (in the Accounts subdirectory of the application server installation directory).

For a Linux server

The access rights are configured in relation to the "Linux" account that is running the AWP manager. This account will be identical to the FTP account. This account must be able to:

Create a subdirectory in the directories of sites and web services of the client.
Create a subdirectory in the data directory of the client.
Create a temporary directory.
Read and write in the FTP directory of the client.
Create configuration files (.conf) in the directory:
- /etc/PC SOFT/WEBDEV/29.0/Applications/
- /etc/PC SOFT/WEBDEV/29.0/Webservices/
- /etc/PC SOFT/WEBDEV/29.0/RESTWebservices/
Read and run the programs found in the WEBDEV installation directory and in its subdirectories.
Modify the data files of WEBDEV user accounts (in the Accounts subdirectory of the application server installation directory).

Access rights for the administrator of WEBDEV Application Server

The access rights are configured in relation to the Windows account that is running the administrator of WEBDEV Application Server. This account depends on the setup mode of local WEBDEV administrator:

If the administrator of WEBDEV Application Server is not run in service, it is the account that opened the Windows session.
If the administrator of the WEBDEV Application Server is run in service, it is the account defined in the control panel of the service.

In Linux, it is the "root" account.

This Windows account must be able to:

Modify the setting of Web server (create virtual directories).
Stop and restart the Web server.

2. Rights required to use a site or a SOAP/REST web service deployed on a WEBDEV Application Server

Access rights for the HTTP server
The access rights are configured in relation to the Windows account that is running the AWP manager.

In Windows, it is in most cases the "Internet guest" account named IUSR_ComputerName.

In Linux, it is the account that owns the library (.WDL file for a dynamic WEBDEV site or for a REST Webservice, .AWP file for an AWP site and.AWWS file for a SOAP Webservice).

This account must be able to:

Read files from the site or web service directory (SOAP or REST).
Read and write to the site or web service data directory (SOAP or REST).

3. How to identify the Windows account runs the AWP protocol?

To identify the Windows account that runs the AWP protocol in IIS 7 (Windows Vista and Windows Seven):

Open the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager ("Start .. inetmgr").
On the server home page, double-click "Authentication".
Select the "Anonymous authentication" method.
In the "Actions" column or in the context menu, click "Modify".
The dialog box that opens presents the user account.

To identify the Windows account that runs the AWP protocol in Apache:

Start the service control panel.
Display the properties of "Apache" service.
The corresponding Windows account is displayed:
- the system account,
- or another Windows account.

4. How to identify the Linux account that runs the AWP protocol?

The name of account that runs AWP is can be found in the configuration file of Apache, in the "User" and "Group" entries.

5. How to configure the rights on the registry?

To use the regedt32 program:

Start Regedt32 ("Start .. Run .. Regedt32" from the Windows desktop).
Select the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PC SOFT\WEBDEV\29.0" key.
Select "Security .. Rights". Check whether the Windows account that is running the AWP protocol has sufficient rights to create registry keys ("Full control" option).

Step 5: Parameters to communicate to the manager

The following parameters are required to perform a remote installation (directly or using a package):

Name of the web server (Server address). You can specify:
- the name of a computer accessible via network (Intranet for example). Example: "TestServer"
- an IP address. Example: 123.3.250.12
- an Internet address. Example: www.mycompany.com
Name and associated password for the FTP account (defined in the FTP server). This parameter is only necessary in the case of a setup via FTP.
Name and associated password for the WEBDEV account (defined in WEBDEV Account Manager).