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Netscape Enterprise Server for UNIX and Windows NT

If securing the information on your intranet is of primary importance to you, you'll want a server software package that offers top-notch security features. The Netscape Enterprise Web server software for UNIX and Windows NT won't let you down. It is advantageous to intranet builders because it allows for encrypted transmissions both internally and externally. The encryption key is especially useful if you have secure information on the corporate local area network (LAN). This software also supports the Java environment. To read specific Netscape Enterprise product description information, visit this site:

http://home.netscape.com/comprod/server_central/product/enterprise/index.html

When installing the Netscape Enterprise Server, configure and administer your machine using the Netscape Navigator browser. You might find that this method is an advantage for you, as you're likely to be familiar with the Netscape Navigator browser. The Web-based interface includes remote maintenance features and real-time performance measurement tools; it also allows you to set up an automatic directory tree, which means that you can choose a recursive document route anywhere on your machine. The user interface is forms-based and very simple to use.

The Netscape Enterprise Server, shown in Figure 8.1, is rich with features. It allows users to serve several different Web sites using the same server on the same machine. It uses the standard NCSA log format. It can measure performance, tell you what kind of browser was used and where the user came from, and track individual users as they maneuver through the site. It has built-in image maps (NCSA) and supports the Windows CGI interface.

Figure 8.1: When installing the Netscape Enterprise Server, you are greeted with this window.

The Enterprise Server also has relatively secure authentication. You can prohibit entire realms of the Internet from accessing the site, or you can prohibit specific individuals. You can require a password on the individual level and even show different individuals different parts of static Web pages. You can configure groups of users so that you can provide different levels of access to a whole group instead of an individual. The server supports SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), versions 2 and 3, but does not support S-HTTP.

The server also comes with a search engine and has a direct link to some database protocols. However, Netscape will not provide the source code for the server, so you are limited by the level to which it allows you to customize. This commercial server is one of the most expensive available today.

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