OpenVMS with Apache, OSU, and WASD
Whether you're an experienced webmaster new to OpenVMS or an old Open VMS new to webservers, this book will save you time and help you do your job better.
TABLE OF CONTENTS OpenVMS with Apache, OSU, and WASD
Chapter 3: Web Options
At this stage in history, the real options for VMS Web serving are CSWS/Apache, OSU, and WASD. (There are still some vocal adherents of Purveyor from Process Software, but it doesn't really make much sense to start any new project on a server that's neither Open Source nor supported, no matter how solidly it works.) Here's an overview of what the three programs offer.
3.1 CSWS
Compaq Secure Web Server (CSWS) is an official, Compaq-supported port of Apache, the most popular Web server on the planet. It's available for download from the OpenVMS Web page (www.openvms.compaq.com/openvms/products/ips/apache/csws.html). If you have a support contract for VMS, you have support for Apache, so you can call in if you find bugs. It comes as a PCSI kit and is extremely easy to install, delivering compiled images that are ready to go, so you don't need to have a C compiler on your system. (I will endeavor to use "CSWS" when referring to the VMS port in particular, and "Apache" for how Apache generally works.)
The most widely used add-ons for Apache are probably mod_ssl, FrontPage extensions, mod_php, and mod_perl. Compaq has ported mod_ssl and mod_perl, created a supported port of Perl, created a new module for OpenVMS user authorization, added a module that lets you run CGI programs written for the OSU Web server, added mod_php in the 1.2 beta release, and added mod_rewrite as well. There are dozens of modules available for Apache on other platforms; it's hoped that a VMS community...
Copyright Alan Winston 2003 under license agreement with Books24x7
