Setup_School_Servers

HOWTO: Setup Zope Schools on Debian GNU/Linux

Part of my work involves maintaining zope servers on debian machines for various learning communities (schools) using postgresql and apache. These are my notes on how I am doing it.

Prerequisites:

Procedure

1. apt-get install zope (version 2.4.3)
   • apt-get install zope-cmf* zope-pagetemplates zope-ztutils zope-psycopgda
2. we will need some Products not in the official debian distribution. (See Create_Debian_Package if you want to package them in one place ) ... Install the following Products:
   • **exUserFolder, VirtualHostFolder, Redirector .* for authentication* and URL handling (each school community will have its autonomous URL and folder) - VirtualHostFolder needs OrderedFolders, which don't include a license, using them may be illegal. -- [email protected]
   • ZRTChat and when it comes out Zope_Messages for instant messaging
   • ZWiki (there is an official debian package zope-zwiki for it, but it is not the latest version as of jan 1 2002) - i try to upload a new version of this package today -- [email protected]
   • MetaPublisher, nXMLDocument, KebasData, ZpdfDocument for cutting edge publishing tools
3. apt-get install apache (if not already done)
   • apt-get install libapache-mod-fastcgi libapache-mod-ssl
4. I created 3 include conf files in addition to /etc/apache/httpd.conf:
   • /etc/apache/fastcgi.conf (for stuff relating to fastcgi, if not already done by the install process)
   • /etc/apache/virtual.conf (for stuff about each virtual school website)
   • /etc/apache/rules.conf (for rewrite and proxypass rules common to all schools)
   • for SSL, you may need to create a SSLcertificate
5. modify /etc/init.d/zope to add the following parameter: -F /var/lib/zope/fastcgi.soc (to start zope in fastcgi daemon mode)
6. go to the ZMI root folder manage, and create a VHF (Virtual Host Folder) and create your virtual school communities therein
7. create a "CMF_in_Education" for each school community in the appropriate folders and synchronize with /etc/apache/rules.conf and your VHF
8. add an exUserFolder instance for each CMF folder for which you want an external (or secure) authentication source (see ReDirection )
9. apt-get install postgresql # the SQL database PostgresSQL
10. install ZEO and modify or create ZopeRestart and /etc/init.d/zope
11. restrict permissions on creating certain types of objects at the root level of the ZMI ... i.e. do a seecurity audit (see Zope Security Tools)
    • Note: with Redirector, you need to give the Use Redirector permission
12. install the Zope in Education Product (currently Eduml v.0.9995)
    • apt-get install hevea (for LaTeX math)

If Upgrading from older zope installation

• If upgrading from an existing installation, you should remove LocalFS which also causes warning messages on each zope restart, and instead, replace with the appropriate apache directives in /etc/apache/rules.conf
• remove etcUserFolder and replace with exUserFolder (see my Howto etcUserFolder_to_XUF

Please do make suggestions or ask for clarifications as needed right here; I am subscribed to this wiki and will get an email if you comment.