Distributed module

Distributed Authentication and Content API support

Overview
The distributed module implements the Zeus Distributed Authentication and Content API. The ZDAC API allows the web server to interact with external authentication servers and content generation servers over a TCP/IP socket interface.

The Distributed module also implements support for Java Servlets using Live Software's JRun servlet runner, and the legacy internal Zeus servlet runner. Java Servlets can also be interfaced with Zeus using the JServ module.

Reference

Configuration

AUTHENTICATION API

To add an a new authorizer, simply fill in the form "Add Authd interface", then click on 'Add'.

The 'Docroot path' is the portion of the document root the authorizer will be used for. Specifying '/' will mean the authorizer will be called on every request. For performance reasons, you generally want to restrict this so the authorizer is only being called on pages it needs to authorizer, (e.g. /private/).

The 'Realm' is the text that will appear in the dialogue box of the client's browser when the client is asked to enter a user & password. It should describe what the user is being asked to authenticate for, e.g. 'Private intranet sales figures'.

To remove an authorizer you no longer require, click on the 'Delete' button displayed next to the authorizer you wish to remove.

CONTENT API

Like each ZDAC component, the Content Generation API is based on TCP sockets. A content server, which runs on either the local or remote machine, is accessed by the machine name and a port number. The machine name and port number are identified with a service name, which is used to distinguish ZDAC from each other. Finally the service prefix is used to identify all ZDAC Content servers for the virtual server. The full URL for the ZDAC Content server is constructed by appending the the service name to the service prefix as shown :
http://hostname:port/prefix/identifier
Which can of course be access locally as just :
/prefix/indentifier
By accessing ZDAC Content servers in this way, the physical location of the server is never revealed by Application Server to the public, increasing security and making your HTML links tidier.

Click the "Add" button to install additional ZDAC Content services, to delete an entry, click on the "delete" button and to change the server prefix click the "Update" button.

In summary :

Service name : Unique server identifier, used to construct service URL.
Content server : Machine name and port number of the Content server.
Service prefix : ZDAC Content service prefix, used to identify all Content servers.

The full URL is http://machine-name:port/service-prefix/service-name which can of course be referenced locally as simply service-prefix/service-name.

Java Servlet support
The distributed module can be used to host servlets for Live Software's JRun servlet server, or the legacy internal Zeus servlet runner. Information about configuring Live Software's JRun to work with Zeus can be found on the support website. Historically it was also used to interface with Zeus's now obsoleted internal servlet runner, configuration described below:

Java Servlets are implemented as a special ZDAC Content server. Servlets are run in their own Zeus Servlet Server process, which may reside on either the local machine or a remote machine. Servlet Server is a multi-threaded process which will load each Java class file as needed.

See the associated documentation on how to install the Zeus Servlet Server.

Java Servlets are configured in the same manner as the ZDAC Content servers, however, as the Servlet class file name is passed to the Servlet Server in the URL, no service name is required.

The Service prefix is used to map Java Servlets into the document tree. The Servlet Server is the machine name and port number of the Servlet Server, these values will be read by the Servlet Server when it starts. Click the "Update" button to commit the changes.