1. Custom Administration Package
Kevin Foote
CS470 Project
20.November.2002

2. Project Overview
Goal
- Create a unified administration package for a web server
- Enable two access points to this package
1. Through standard UNIX console
2. Through the Jabber (Instant Messaging) protocol
- Client Nicholas Kirsch & myself
Why?
- Client desired a highly customized way to administer system
- Wanted this to be available through an IM interface
- Current administration had become cumbersome

3. Administration Past - All website additions were manually performed
- All user additions were manually performed
- Absence of documentation about actions and method
Present
- Administration is achieved through one focal point
- Actions are logged
- Complete package documentation available

4. Custom Administration System
Console :: scripts
- Four customized perl scripts
- All scripts are accessed through one “driver script”
- These scripts perform all the system modifications
Jabber :: component
- Component connects to local jabberd server and listens
- Messages to component are converted to script commands

5. System Architecture

6. Methodology Jabber :: component Perl :: Script
- connect to local host with SHA-1 digest
- created a simple message handler
- performed simple parsing of XML
- performed simple creation of XML
- authentication via “from” attribute of message
Perl :: Script
- made use of UNIX tools ex: useradd, deluser

7. Waterfall Development
Waterfall development method was used. I felt that such a building process would work well for this project
Original proposition of 2 distinct stages did not work well
Simultaneous development proved easier to visualize
Generalization in the requirements for this project lead to some development issues
Minor requirement change
Removed the “system interface” to the script system.
Problems Encountered
- Configuring jabberd server
- XML parsing utilities
- reinvented the wheel

8. Package Future
I plan on working on this project further. I’d like to see this be released as a robust administration tool.
Mechanism for site personalized scripts.
Future Directions (room for improvement)
- Multi threaded application
- XML library
- Xerces-C/C++
- Expat C

9. Schedule Some timeline adjustments Research == large amount of time
Hitches in using libraries cause development to exceed time allotment

10. Conclusion
Delivery of a working customized administration package for our web-server
This project proved to be both fun and very interesting
Educational Experience
Working with the jabber protocol, particularly within the development of the client server architecture
Working with and through the entire development process
Developing a UNIX software package using real-world attributes
Makefile, external libraries
Better understanding of how strict requirements lend them selves to fewer problems throughout development

11. Quick Overview - JABBER