INT525 - Advanced Implementation Using Apache

Outline info
Semester
School
Last revision date 2017-05-29 00:19:48.191
Last review date 2017-08-07 00:17:09.591


Subject Title
Advanced Implementation Using Apache

Subject Description

Students will be introduced to skills necessary to provide advanced web server administration.  They will examine, explore, and evaluate processes and procedures to leverage and increase the performance and efficiency of both the web server and applications or services (client/server, web, cloud) that may be provisioned with or alongside it.. 

Principally a problem-based project-driven course, students are expected to observe and comply with the life-cycle of a typical business project from proposal to implementation, including keeping detailed log books that include evaluation of obstacles, complications, and difficulties as well as attempts to find solutions.  Students will work from source code, compiling and configuring from the latest stable branch of Apache 2.2.x, Apache 2.4.x, and Nginx, as well as tools like Siege and curl-loader.  Students will also work with the latest devel trunk of Apache and Nginx.  Students will be expected to work on at least two different UN*X/Linux platforms.

Studentswill also be expected to implement TLS based security, including CA issued certs and keys. Students will learn to assess the applicability of forked, threaded, and event models for service provisioning, to integrate deployment disparate httpd daemons, to deploy mod_perl applications, and to deploy out-of-process daemons to work collaboratively with httpd.

Credit Status
1 credit in the CTY program.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this subject the student will be able to:


  • Determine best platform to provision for httpd daemon
  • Evaluate and deploy httpd's to meet various business needs, including cloud provisioning
  • Configure (pre/post compile) and compile httpd's (Apache 2.2.x, Apache 2.4.x, Nginx), customized according to business needs
  • Provision fork()'ed, multi-threaded, and event MPM's in Apache 2.2.x and 2.4.x as appropriate to business needs and technical requirements
  • Provision static modules in Apache 2.2.x and 2.4.x in order to meet various performance and service criteria
  • Provision DSO modules, including MPM's, in Apache
  • Provision in-process high performance modules including mod_perl
  • Deploy and test custom mod_perl applications
  • Provision out-of-process collaborative daemons (e.g. PSCGI/Plack, WSCGI, Rack)
  • Compile latest version of perl and install its networking modules from cpan
  • Analyze log files (performance and security)
  • Benchmarking, including a variety of tools with an understanding of their limitations
  • Stress testing services (e.g. using custom applications written in Perl and using it's networking classes)
  • Provision TLS services using trusted CA issued Certificates
  • Provision self-signed certificates for use in a private network
  • Analyze business needs and remove/install modules to ensure optimized daemon performance
  • Configure httpd forward and reverse proxies
  • Provision virtual hosts (name and IP based) in Apache 2.2.x and 2.4.x
  • Use chrooted processes / zones / virtualization to increase daemon and data security
  • Deploying multiple collaborative httpd daemons to meet business needs
  • Provision a complete httpd solution according to business needs

Academic Integrity
Seneca upholds a learning community that values academic integrity, honesty, fairness, trust, respect, responsibility and courage. These values enhance Seneca's commitment to deliver high-quality education and teaching excellence, while supporting a positive learning environment. Ensure that you are aware of Seneca's Academic Integrity Policy which can be found at: http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/academic-integrity-policy.html Review section 2 of the policy for details regarding approaches to supporting integrity. Section 2.3 and Appendix B of the policy describe various sanctions that can be applied, if there is suspected academic misconduct (e.g., contract cheating, cheating, falsification, impersonation or plagiarism).

Please visit the Academic Integrity website http://open2.senecac.on.ca/sites/academic-integrity/for-students to understand and learn more about how to prepare and submit work so that it supports academic integrity, and to avoid academic misconduct.

Discrimination/Harassment
All students and employees have the right to study and work in an environment that is free from discrimination and/or harassment. Language or activities that defeat this objective violate the College Policy on Discrimination/Harassment and shall not be tolerated. Information and assistance are available from the Student Conduct Office at student.conduct@senecapolytechnic.ca.

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
The College will provide reasonable accommodation to students with disabilities in order to promote academic success. If you require accommodation, contact the Counselling and Accessibility Services Office at ext. 22900 to initiate the process for documenting, assessing and implementing your individual accommodation needs.

Camera Use and Recordings - Synchronous (Live) Classes
Synchronous (live) classes may be delivered in person, in a Flexible Learning space, or online through a Seneca web conferencing platform such as MS Teams or Zoom. Flexible Learning spaces are equipped with cameras, microphones, monitors and speakers that capture and stream instructor and student interactions, providing an in-person experience for students choosing to study online.

Students joining a live class online may be required to have a working camera in order to participate, or for certain activities (e.g. group work, assessments), and high-speed broadband access (e.g. Cable, DSL) is highly recommended. In the event students encounter circumstances that impact their ability to join the platform with their camera on, they should reach out to the professor to discuss. Live classes may be recorded and made available to students to support access to course content and promote student learning and success.

By attending live classes, students are consenting to the collection and use of their personal information for the purposes of administering the class and associated coursework. To learn more about Seneca's privacy practices, visit Privacy Notice.

Prerequisite(s)
INT420

Topic Outline

  • Choosing multiple OS platforms for comparative httpd provisioning  
  • Provisioning customized daemons from source code of Apache httpd 2.2.x and 2.4.x (including reusable layout script and shell scripting)
  • Comparative analysis of Apache httpd 2.2.x and 2.4.x (with some 1.3 historical context), and Nginx
  • Performance evaluation of pre-fork, worker and event MPM's along with event driven Nginx daemon
  • Developing httpd solutions which meets specific business requirements (case studies)
  • Determine business cases for core and optional modules
  • Provision collaborative daemons (e.g. RDBMS) for use by httpd provisions applications and servcies
  • Provisioning high performance in-process modules (e.g. mod_perl)
  • Provisioning high performance out-of-process daemons (e.g. PSCGI/Plack, WSCGI, Rack)
  • Provisioning DSO modules in Apache 2.2.x and 2.4.x
  • Process chain, hooks, and bit-buckets in the complete request-response cycle in Apache 2.2.x and 2.4.x including filters and handlers
  • Provisioning PHP in Apache and Nginx
  • Understand proxying for security and efficiency
  • Use chrooted processes / zones / virtualization to reduce security exposure of daemon, applications, services, and data provisioned
  • Understand and implement DNS for virtual hosting servers
  • Generate and require server certificates to be installed in connecting browsers
  • Provisioning a complete httpd solution (web services, application services, cloud services) using multiple collaborative daemons

Mode of Instruction

4 hours lab time per week; problem-based learning

Prescribed Texts

  • Apache: The Definitive Guide, Third Edition by Ben Laurie; ISBN 0-596-00203-3 published by O'Reilly Media

Reference Material

  • Material supplied on the class listserv
  • Internet resources
  • books from our e-library as indicated on the course web page

Required Supplies

  • Removable hard drive; does not have to be dedicated to this course, but must have a minimum of 50 GB free, and be multi-boot (grub or other) in order to support at least two UN*X OS'es (i.e. Solaris and BSD on Intel) or Linux distributions.
    • alternative 1: virtual host the OS'es (bare metal virtualization)
    • alternative 2: virtual host the OS'es in a host OS (may also be done on a laptop/notebook) n.b. performance issues will arise from this configuration but should be manageable
  • installation media for at the most recent version of at least two from:
    • Solaris (for Intel)
    • BSD (any variants)
    • Linux (any distributions)

Student Progression and Promotion Policy
To obtain a credit in this subject, a student must:

  •     Achieve a grade of 50% or better on the final exam
  •     Achieve a weighted average of 50% or better for the tests and final exam
  •     Achieve a grade of 50% or better on the overall course
  •     Complete ALL assignments and labs

http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/student-progression-and-promotion-policy.html

Grading Policyhttp://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/grading-policy.html

A+ 90%  to  100%
A 80%  to  89%
B+ 75%  to  79%
B 70%  to  74%
C+ 65%  to  69%
C 60%  to  64%
D+ 55%  to  59%
D 50%  to  54%
F 0%    to  49% (Not a Pass)
OR
EXC Excellent
SAT Satisfactory
UNSAT Unsatisfactory

For further information, see a copy of the Academic Policy, available online (http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/academics-and-student-services.html) or at Seneca's Registrar's Offices.(https://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/registrar.html).


Modes of Evaluation

Assignments/ Development Milestones / log books 50%
Quizzes (minimum 5)/Demonstrations/Critical Evaluations 25%
Lab / Group Participation, Presentations   5%
Exam/Major Project 20%

Approved by: Mary-Lynn Manton