Friday 7 November 2008

Three typical functions performed by the Apache HTTP Web Server

(i) Describe THREE typical functions performed by the Apache HTTP Web Server?

Three typical functions of Apache HTTP Web Server:
1. It features configurable error messages
2. Apache is used for tasks like when content needs to be made available in a secure and reliable way. The example to this can be sharing files from a personal computer over the Internet. A user installs Apache and put the files in the Apache’s document root which then can be shared.
3. It converts or rewrites a URL


(ii) compare the similarities and differences between the terms ‘Static’ and Dynamic’ Web sites?

Comparison of Static and Dynamic Web Sites:

Static Web Sites are those which send exactly the same response to every request. Each page is separate document and there is no database that it draws on. The way you edit it also is different than dynamic sites. Each page of a static site is edited by going into each page and edit the HTML, so you would either do it yourself or pay for it. The example of this can be an old HTML document which displays just a static site. Static Web Sites do not change very often. With dynamic web sites there is a difference to how the request for pages is a bit more complicated. For each request, the page is constructed from information stored in files such as images, textual content and programming logic. It is also written using more complicated code and can do a lot more. A typical example to this can be making an area where you could log in and change various parts of the site, such as adding information or products. This is because each page is constructed based on the information in a database.

Another differences can be static web sites ending in .html or .htm, but dynamic sites ending in .stm, .asp, or .php etc.
The similarities of both the Web Sites are:
1. They both translate the URL
2. They manage and store websites of the WWW(World Wide Web)
3. Without the existence of both the sites there would not be the World Wide Web displaying the way it displays.
4. They are both useful whether the site we access is static or dynamic

Reference:

Purple Oar Software. (2006-2008). Static v dynamic web sites. [Online]. Available from: http://www.purpleoar.co.nz/static-v-dynamic Accessed on: [17 November 2008].

Wise R. (2001). Dynamic or Static?.[Online]. Available from: http://websiteowner.info/articles/pages/pagetypes.asp [Accessed on 17/11/08].