Moodle in English: What server do I need with what??

What server do I need with what??

by W Page - Friday, June 17, 2005, 1:16 AM

Hello All!

All you MoodleGurus, please do not laught at my questions. I am really trying to understand

Why centain servers are needed? and
How servers work with each other?

QUESTION 1

If the Apache + JAVA server software (I think it is called "Jakarta") is installed on a server, can that one server run Moodle and JAVA based programs like "DrawBoard" [http://drawboard.sourceforge.net/] from the same server or is it necessary to have a separate server for Moodle and and a separate server for JAVA?

QUESTION 2

I know the term server really applies to the software (I least I think I know

) but does it also include HardDrives? For example, could I place EasyPHP [PHP + mySQL] on one HardDrive and run Moodle, then place JAVA on another HardDrive and run a java based program - with both HardDrives in the same computer? OR Do I need separate computers?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

WP1

Re: What server do I need with what??

by Michael Penney - Friday, June 17, 2005, 3:32 AM

You can run Apache and Tomcat (the standard java server) on the same computer.

For example, could I place EasyPHP [PHP + mySQL] on one HardDrive and run Moodle, then place JAVA on another HardDrive and run a java based program - with both HardDrives in the same computer?

That should be fine if Apache is set to serve directories off both hard drives.

A quick read of the drawboard installation appears that it doesn't require Tomcat or other specialized Java server, just the JVM running on the server (this is probably not an efficient way of doing things, but it looks pretty easy to set up).

Unzip Drawboard distribution packet to selected directory. You can see there: test.html example file, drawboard.jar file with compressed class files and skin directory with default skin files. The doc directory contains this documentation and you can delete it at your will. Do not delete LICENSE file.

All files must be accessible through Apache. If you have account on Unix machine, create public_html dir in your home directory and unzip there Drawboard files. If the host name is host.com and your username is user, Drawboard should be avaible at http://host.com/~user/test.html - if doesn't work, ask your local admin for detail.

and:

2.5.2. How about Unix and Windows differences?

Drawboard server can be run at any operating system with JVM. The only difference is path indication in -savepath option. On Unix hosts write

http://drawboard.sourceforge.net/

So it sounds like the easiest way to follow these instructions would be to put drawboard in the same dirctory as Moodle, why do you want to put it on a different hard drive?

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Re: What server do I need with what??

by W Page - Friday, June 17, 2005, 4:26 AM

Hi Michael!

Thank you for your response. I was really using DrawBoard as an example. I do not clearly understand the difference between JVM and JAVA. I thought you needed JAVA to run DrawBoard blush .

I guess I should have used something like Network EducationWare (NEW) [http://netlab.gmu.edu/NEW/] as an example instead of DrawBoard.

I presented the different case scenarios in an attempt to learn something about server setups and why decisions are made to set up systems that need JAVA as well as other software [primarily PHP + mySQL].

You did help me regarding setting up DrawBoard however, so I will attempt it.

WP1

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Re: What server do I need with what??

by Michael Penney - Friday, June 17, 2005, 6:51 AM

Just to clarify, the JVM is the Java Virtual Machine, which runs the programs (like Drawboard) which are written in Java.

Often one wants to run applications like Drawboard or NEW on a separate machine because these sorts of graphical and audio/visual conferencing applications are very resource intensive, though generally it's technically possible to run them on the same hardware for testing purposes.

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Re: What server do I need with what??

by W Page - Friday, June 17, 2005, 9:48 AM

Thanks again Michael.

This is really good information. I've bookmarked this thread.

WP1

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What server do I need with what??