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