HTTP server
The HTTP server interface provides a way for the system to interact with a web server. HTTP server does not provide a web server. It is a plug-in to an existing web server, so it can communicate with the system.
There are three aspects of the HTTP server:
- Aspect #1: HTTP server as a web
interface to the system
With HTTP server support, users can configure web servers to be client interfaces to the system. Internet browsers and other web-enabled applications can send queries, retrieve data, and send data to and from a system instance. It does this by interfacing with a web server client.
On the operating system, server-side CGI scripts can open a dynamic connection to a dedicated system protocol thread. When the connection is open, the scripts can pass messages to and from the engine.
The CGI scripts can be interfaced with one of these methods:
- Directly, through direct use of the HTTP protocol by a web-enabled client application.
- Indirectly by embedding the CGI script into HTML through the use of HTML forms. This is ideal for a user-interface to system messages from a web browser.
- Aspect #2: HTTP server
as an operating system web content provider
The second is that HTTP server support enables the system to become a web content provider. The system already provides web content by transferring static HTML files using FTP or Fileset protocol. The HTTP server enables the system to interface with a web server. This becomes another tool for the web developer to provide dynamic content.
When calling a system server plug-in from within a web form, web developers can access data from various sources. For example, databases or existing legacy applications. This is useful when paired with the system XML parser. When the XML translation is used, data of virtually any source or format can become web content in XML format.
- Aspect #3: HTTP server as a gateway
through the firewall
The third aspect is security. To pass data in and from firewalls, a web server may be the only avenue for data traffic. By configuring a system server plug-in, remote users can direct the data to the system by posting to the system server script. This provides safe passage through the firewall. The same is performed for data retrieval, where the system returns queried data from the firewall.