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[previous article] [next article]David Gardner
With the ever-expanding Internet seemingly connecting every nook and cranny on Earth, it would seem the time has come for a resource on managing a well-rounded `net site. Leave it to the always reliable authors at O'Reilly & Associates to come up with just such a resource. The book Managing Internet Information Services, by Cricket Liu et al, is as comprehensive a reference as one could hope for, covering the full spectrum of site services to the world in a format that is equally useful for those in software maintenance and data management.
Managing Internet Information Resources opens with a useful introdu ction to both the Internet and information services. Not only does the information provided here assist the novice site manager, but it also asks important questions which help define a service. For instance, is the service internal (only visible to one organization) or external (usable by the whole world)? Questions like these help determine the thrust of any site, and consequently, which of the services discussed should be or need to be offered.
The book methodically introduces each service, starting with finger, inetd and telnet, and then working through ftp, WAIS, Gopher, WWW, mailing lists and net security. In almost each case, the authors take several chapters to demonstrate how to define, build, test and populate a service. Additionally, each area is backed up with numerous "real world" examples, including scripts and sample screens or output from existing sites. For instance, the chapters on Gopher introduce the concept and usefulness of the service, how to compile and manage the server, preparing information, linking services together and incorporating databases. Examples from sites such as of the University of Minnesota and the Environmental Protection Agency are used to support the text. Of particular interest to all readers will be the chapters and sections marked with the \fIopen book icon\fR indicating information covering data management. This distinction allows the book to serve as a reference for all members of an information service team, not just software setup and maintenance.
As usual, O'Reilly & Associates is not content to end with just the technical side of affairs. The book concludes with a consideration of legal matters, including the currently hot topic of intellectual property. As information services become more widespread, the issue of ownership also grows. The authors provide a balanced discussion to help sort out matters for readers.
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