Re: Question re Manual Install

[Earl Hood <earl@earlhood.com>]

On September 4, 2002 at 15:30, Farrar Mark wrote:

> We had intended to install and run MHonArc on the same server as the web
> site, for which we have a commercial shared hosting package. The package
> allows CGI but there is no shell access. We seem to have overestimated the
> extent to which the system can be driven via a web interface.

You could invoke mhonarc via a CGI interface (as Gunnar has mentioned),
but I would consider this a possible security problem.  I would not
recommend this method, but YMMV.  You want make sure that the CGI can
not be exploited to ruin your archives, or to cause a DoS attack.

At a minimum, password protect access the CGI url (via the web server
if possible).  At if https access is supported on the server you are
using, only access the CGI over secure http.

> In the light of your reply (and a closer inspection of the FAQ!) we think we
> need to go forward as follows:
> 
> - for expediency, install and run MHonArc on the same system as the mail
> server, which runs on one of my colleagues' internal network, FTPing the
> resulting HTML files to the web server. I have not found any indication in
> the documentation that this would not work.

This will work.  There is also software that could automate the ftping
mirroring and only transfer files that have changed.

> - research the existing web-based interfaces with a view to using one of
> them in the long run to implement our original plan. Alternatively, although
> we don't have the budget to pay for any programming, we may find someone
> interested in taking on a project to enhance existing work or build a new
> interface.

You may get someone to provide volunteer work depending on what the
nature of your special interest group is.

> Does this sound like a reasonable plan, and is there anything in particular
> that we need to be aware of?

Just be careful about security.  Try using secure http and good passwords
for any publicly accessible web admin interface.

--ewh

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