| This article describes a real life experience in picking | | | | Open Source Code softwares. Extremely reliable, |
| and using the linux operating system, as well as | | | | Postgresql has reported cases where there have |
| libraries with Open Source Code licenses, during the | | | | been databases in production with over 4 terabytes. |
| development of a brazilian auction web site. It is truly | | | | Besides all of that, Postresql is not the most popular |
| a testimony of successful use of Open Source Code | | | | Open Source Code database. A matter of marketing |
| softwares. | | | | ? Probably. |
| As we started the project of our web site, we | | | | As for the programming language PHP, we had to |
| knew that the proprietary software costs would be | | | | use an object oriented application structure. There |
| too high for our financial resources. Our only option | | | | are many PHP application structures being offered |
| then was to make use of Open Source Code | | | | with Open Source Code license. Object oriented |
| softwares. | | | | application is very important, because it makes |
| However, within the Open Source Code there are | | | | programming very easy and scalable up to the point |
| lots of softwares to choose from, and it´s up | | | | where the system may grow without many |
| to the system analyst/programmer to pick the ones | | | | problems. Also, it helps to keep PHP code separated |
| that best suit the project goals. | | | | from HTML, with the help of some specific libraries, |
| In our case, we picked Linux as our operating | | | | such as Smarty. We make use of Smarty library and |
| system. However we faced a big question: Which | | | | we believe that it is a very important resource, which |
| Linux distribution ? There are dozens of linux | | | | can even make web pages faster thru the use of its |
| distributions, each one with specific advantages, | | | | cache functions. |
| sometimes with or without paid services. | | | | Also a very important set of libraries worth |
| We chose linux Slackware because we thought that | | | | mentioning for PHP systems, is the PEAR libraries. In |
| it would suit better our needs, in terms of stability | | | | PEAR web site, among the many libraries being |
| and reliability. Slackware is a conservative distribution, | | | | offered, there are the database interface DB and the |
| meaning that it only offers in its distribution package | | | | MAIL_QUEUE, which sends emails thru the use of |
| kernel versions and third party libraries, once it´s | | | | database. |
| been proved to be stable and reliable. As a result, | | | | As we came to the end of our project, we had to |
| Slackware is one the most stable Linux operating | | | | use some sort of real time database replication. For |
| system on the market. If the user wishes the most | | | | that we chose the DRBD and Heartbeat libraries. The |
| recent Linux kernel and libraries, we recommend to | | | | use of database replication is very important and |
| look for a different distribution. | | | | should not be postponed. Just after 3 months our |
| Another reason for us picking Slackware, was | | | | system got into production, our server hard disk |
| because of its text interface, which at the beginning | | | | became bad. Thru the use of DRBD/Heartbeat we |
| may become a bit difficult, in the long run however it | | | | were able to put the system back into production |
| offers a better understanding of the Linux | | | | within seconds, without loosing any data. DRBD |
| environment. This way most of Slackware | | | | Heartbeat replication is done thru the use of a lan |
| configurations are done thru text scripts. | | | | network between the server and slave nodes. |
| Once it was set the operating system, we picked | | | | Our project also makes use of ImageMagick (enlarge |
| Apache as our web server. Apache is one of the | | | | and reduce images), Iptables (firewall), Tsearch2(text |
| most popular web server in the internet. For server | | | | search in portgresql) and Mon (linux monitoring tasks). |
| programming language, we chose PHP. Also, a very | | | | Also a very important library worth mentioning is the |
| popular programming language. Our experience with | | | | pseudo APC compiler for PHP. Speed is always a |
| Apache/PHP proves that this setup is very reliable, | | | | critical factor for internet sites. |
| working extremely well in our production | | | | Our web site is already in production and based upon |
| environment. For workstation programming language, | | | | our experience we can say that the Open Source |
| we chose javascript, which besides of having a | | | | Code softwares we picked, proved to be extremely |
| simple syntax, it offers lots of resources. | | | | reliable and stable. Open Source Code softwares can |
| Apache web server is really a complete web server. | | | | certainly be an excellent option for developing web |
| Also, it can become very complex with many | | | | sites. |
| configuration setups. | | | | Roberto SedyciasIT Consultant |
| For our database, we picked Postgresql. This | | | | This article is under GNU FDL license and can be |
| database has been made available to the public for | | | | distributed without any previous authorization from |
| more than 15 years, and besides of being well | | | | the author. However the author´s name and all |
| debugged, it offers so many resources that it has | | | | the URL´s (links) mentioned in the article and |
| become one of the best database options from | | | | biography must be kept. |