ACS is looking into upgrading the main web server for NIU (on the corn
macnine) and I looking for opinions concerning the available web
servers. I am one of several people who need to make a recomendation
by the end of next week on what server would best meet the needs of the
NIU community. Several key points I need to be addressed are:
1) The ease of use for users whose web documents are being served. Is
the web server easy to use from the general user standpoint? Are
there any confusing steps users must follow to make their information
available to the web community? Is there anything that makes any one
server stand out above the rest in terms of easiest to use?
2) The ease of use from a administrative standpoint. While this is not
as important as number 1, it is still needs to be a consideration. Are
there any topics or problems with any given server that need special
consideration?
3) Support. Does the server have helpful and regularlly updated
documentation?
4) Meeting future needs. Does the company/organization who made the server
have the background that would lead you to believe it will be around for
a while? Something to take into consideration here- do you think a
server from a commercial organization might be a better long term
al;ternative? CERN and NCSA offer wonderful products, but as the WEB
starts to take a more commercial turn, do you think educational web
servers might become snuffed out by commercial developers such as
netscape?
5) Does the server have any significant features (good or bad) that set
it apart from the others? Does it have any significant limitations that
you know about?
At this point, we are considering NCSA's, CERN's, WN's, and Netcape's
servers.
Please don't e-mail me and simply tell me what server you are running,
tell me why you are using that server and what made you choose that server.
Thank you very much.
-Dave Benham
ACS Web Consultant
dbenham@niu.edu