The documentation in this book is geared to Statistics Server Global administrators, whereas the documentation contained in the Virtual Server Administration popup help is aimed at Virtual Server administrators.
- This documentation looks at Virtual Server administration from a Statistics Server administration point of view.
- The HTML documentation displayed within the Virtual Server administration interface makes no references to Statistics Server administration. It is intended for scenarios where ISP clients or people other than the Statistics Server Global administrator manage individual Virtual Servers.
Definition of Virtual Server:
When the Web originated each domain name (i.e. www.mediahouse.com) represented an individual computer. Now multiple Web sites can be run concurrently on a single computer. Within Statistics Server we refer to them as Virtual Servers. You may refer to them as Virtual Hosts or Web sites.
Corporate Web Sites:
If you are the Webmaster or administrator of a corporate Web site you must keep in mind that there is a difference between the two different levels of Statistics Server administration:
- Statistics Server administration determines options that control how the Statistics Server (the HTTP Server) works such as: data sources, Virtual Server configuration parameters and filters.
- Virtual Server administration determines options that affect a single Web site such as User Accounts, Filters, Look & Feel and Watches.
Internet Solutions Providers:
Statistics Server was conceived to be very hassle free for ISPs who often deliver Web statistics to hundreds or thousands of Web sites.
- Once a Virtual Server is configured, administration can be turned over to the customer decides what people in their organization can view Web statistics reports. The customer determines what Accounts are created, what different pages each Account can view and what Watches they create or delete.
This is a safe thing to do. The Statistics Server Global administrator (you) can override any settings made by customers, furthermore any changes made by your customers cannot affect the operation of Statistics Server itself.
If you choose, you can even let customers set their own Virtual Server Admin passwords. When a New Virtual Server is created by default "Public Access" is set. Public Access is a special account that lets anyone who knows the Virtual Server ID create accounts and set permissions for the Virtual Server. To use this feature, you will e-mail the Virtual Server ID to the "Virtual Server Administrator" and they will create any accounts they need including their own Admin account.
The Send Instructions feature is discussed on the Edit Virtual Server page.
- When a New Virtual Server is created you also have the option of limiting access to the Virtual Server interface using User Accounts as discussed on the Virtual Server Accounts page.
- You also have the option of keeping the customer out of the Virtual Server Administration interface and doing it yourself.
- You will create any accounts that are required and assign permissions.
- You will make the Virtual Server "Admin" option private (only you will know the account name and password). The customer will only be able to view Web statistics reports; they won't be able to do administration.
- You will e-mail the Virtual Server URL, Virtual Server ID, Username and Password to the customer.
Statistics Server Remote Configuration Utility for ISPs:
MediaHouse has created a Remote Configuration Utility for ISPs. It is designed to help large enterprise installations perform bulk creation and maintenance of Virtual Servers rather than creating them using the Global administration interface. The utility can be downloaded from the MediaHouse Software site at: www.mediahouse.com.
