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FoundationsPortfolioValerie KittellIRLS 672August 2010

The LAMP server project in the SIRLS Applied Technology course required me to use a Linux operating system (the Ubuntu platform), the Apache Server software, the relational database management system MySQL, and some scripting using PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor. 1My goals for the courseAn understanding of the underlying structure of digital collectionsMore effective at:planning digital collectionsmanaging digital collectionsdeploying digital collectionstroubleshootingdiscovering improvements

The overall goal was to become familiar with all of these components so that, as an information professional, I am able to work with digital collections. As a result of my work in this class, I am on my way to planning, deploying, and managing digital technology projects, communicating effectively with Information Technicians, troubleshooting, and exploring methods to improve existing systems. 2LAMP ServerL = Linux operating systemA = Apache serverM = MySQLP = PHP: Hypertext preprocessor

LAMP is short for Linux, Apache Server, MySQL, and PHP. All of these components are Open Source and have proven to be efficient and reliable. 3LinuxSample work with Linux: adding and editing users, groups, permissions, and passwords.

With Linux, I used the command line interface, giving me more direct access to the functionality of the computer than I would have otherwise had with a traditional graphic user interface (GUI), such as Windows. Linux uses very specific syntax and vocabulary, foreign to most users who now point and click using a mouse and icons. When working with Linux, I in effect became the system administrator of my own system, which ran on a Virtual Machine (VM), and configured the system. For example, I successfully added and edited users and groups, permissions, and passwords. I also used other methods as a system administratora GUI sitting on top of the Linux system known as Gnome Desktop Admin Utilities, and a web-based system administration interface called Webmin.

4Linux challengesThough Linux works for me and many other users, its sheer power and generality is its Achilles' heel.

Linux [is a] system of mind-boggling complexity and power.

In the Beginning was the Command Line, Neal Stephenson

Working with Linux was a challenge at first. My first major hurdle in the coursework was, as a classmate pointed out, giving myself permission to use the command line. The command line feels more powerful because it isthere is no GUI to prompt the user Are you sure you want to do that?. I feel very successful in having used the command line, not only by following directions explicitly, but also in beginning to understand the language of Linux so that I do not always need assistancethough I know how to get help when I need it.

5Apache and connectivityPinging my server

with success.

In using the Apache Server portion of the LAMP stack, I was required to have a working knowledge of networking, the Internet, and the Internet Protocol Suite. I have previously worked with routers in my home network but gained a vast amount of knowledge as we studied IP addresses (how they are created, how they are resolved to a host name, and how they require a subnet mask) and the process through which information is transferred from computer to computer (both in a Local Area Network and across the globe on the Internet). With the Apache Server (installed in the Ubuntu platform of Linux), I successfully created a server using my VM. 6Apache challengesThere are 10 kinds of people in the world, those that understand binary and those that don't.

(Unknown source)

My major hurdles in the Apache portion of the course were grasping the concept of binary math and using it to create subnet masks. As a person used to decimal math, binary math was somewhat of a struggle. However, I persevered and was able to create my subnet mask, and then my static IP address (required for servers).7Sample webpage

During this time I also created an uploaded a web page to my server. A portion of the webpage was created as I usually do, using Notepad on my Windows-operated computer, then transferring to my virtual server using winscp407. Another portion was created directly on my virtual machine using the text editor nano. In both cases, the webpage was created and uploaded smoothly, using both HTML and CSS. Part of the webpage content is identification of three remarkable digital collections, which were then discussed online in class.8Apache and XMLA sample of my XML. winscp407 was used to upload it to my diginubuntu1004 server.

Additionally, I worked with XML, creating a simple XML page that models that of existing, more complex digital collections. This, too, was uploaded to my server.9MySQL -- ERDDigging into the Entity-Relationship diagrams to understand the construct.

MySQL was the relational database management system used to manage the database I set up on my server. Creating relational databases from scratch using an entity-relationship diagram (ERD) proved to be quite a challenge for me, though a challenge that intrigues me rather than defeats me. ERD creation is both a science and an artan art that takes time to develop. My several attempts to create relational databases were not as clean as I would have liked. However, the point is that in my experimentation with relational database creation, I came to understand how they operate. Creating ERDs is not an integral part of managing digital collectionsthough understanding the relational databases functionality is.10Sample MySQL query - basic

I used a database designed by our instructor, Bruce Fulton, and created it on my VM using the Linux command line, Webmin, and phpMyAdmin. After creating it, I generated various queries, such as those that a user might wish to use, except these are written in the vocabulary and syntax of MySQL.11Sample MySQL query- more complex

Here again, my biggest challenges were in creating my own queries using the MySQL language. My proficiency with MySQL is more at reading and understanding what the queries are doing, rather than creating complex queries of my own. Again, with my goal of working with digital collections, I am pleased with my overall understanding of MySQL.12Sample php script

For the final phase of the LAMP project, I used PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor to write scripts that allowed the MySQL queries in the scripts to work via a web page. In other words, since my VM is also a server, the PHP scripts embedded in the HTML code could access the database created on my VM and supply the results to the user on the webpage. Because the course was not intended to teach us a brand-new computer language (PHP), we were given some of the script along with explanation. Instead of copying and pasting, I opted to retype the script. At times, this caused errors, usually typos. However, in typing out the script I was able to understand it more, and able to troubleshoot better when errors did occur.13Sample user interfaceThe php script is displayed for the user in this simple interface.The php script runs the query to MySQL and returns to the webpage with the results.

My server now contains two tables of my database and three queries: two are a query to find information, and the other is a query to add information to the database.14Goals completed

A strong foundation to continue to the Advanced Applied Technology and later to plan, deploy, and manage digital collections.

The specific concepts and skills I learned in Applied Technology have given me a solid foundation to managing digital collections. I began as a novice, even less than a novice in some areas, and now possess an understanding of the principles that underlie digital collections. Throughout the course, I not only developed an actual model of a digital collection, but a mental model as well. The new knowledge I have gained from this course will serve as an underpinning to my other coursework and professional duties.15