FOR RELEASE ON August 17, 2000
Tenon’s iTools for Mac OS X Server Updated
A FREE update to a suite of tools that dramatically simplifies Apache
configuration & maintenance for Macintosh webmasters
Santa Barbara, CA, August 17, 2000. Tenon Intersystems today announced a
FREE update of iTools for Mac OS X Server. Tenon’s iTools, an Apache web
server toolsuite for Mac OS X Server, has been available for over one year
and is being used worldwide for secure, commercial web service. Tenon’s
point and click interface to Apache, DNS, and FTP shields Mac webmasters
from the UNIXyness of Apache, but does not hinder UNIX-savvy webmasters
from directly accessing Apache configuration files or from incorporating
standard Apache modules if they so choose. This makes iTools the best of
both worlds – an easy-to-use configuration and management tool for
Macintosh webmasters, with the full strength and capability of Apache.
The just released FREE iTools update supports Apache 1.3.12, the best
version of the popular Apache web server currently available. In addition,
the new iTools update includes an SSL package that supports the latest
versions of OpenSSL 1.9.5a and mod_SSL 2.6.4. mod_ssl combines the
flexibility of Apache with the security of OpenSSL to provide strong
encryption for eCommerce.
The iTools virtual FTP server in this new release has been updated in
response to a CERT security advisory. CERT, the leading network security
watchdog group on the Internet, announced a security hole in wu-ftpd
(Washington University FTP Daemon) – the FTP server included with iTools –
that would allow a malicious user to execute code with administrator
privileges. The new iTools package includes the latest wu-ftpd 2.6.1, from
the wu-ftpd development group, that eliminates this vulnerability.
In addition to an updated FTP server package, a new version of PHP, the
leading Internet scripting tool, has been included. PHP 4.0.1, patch level
2, supports the complete range of CGI functions, such as collecting form
data, generating dynamic page content, and sending and receiving cookies.
This new PHP iTools package now includes dynamic support for creating JPEG,
PNG and TIFF image files and streams using Boutell.com’s gd graphics
library for fast image creation. Also bundled in the PHP package as a
dynamic module is PDFlib 3.0.1, which allows for PDF creation and display
on-the-fly, along with incorporation of image formats into PDF documents.
The new PHP4 package also supports compression and decompression of files
on-the-fly, as well as the ability to run PHP3 and PHP4 code at the same
time. Support for the popular MySQL database, real-time FTP connections,
and variable tracking is also implemented.
Another addition to Tenon’s popular iTools package is the inclusion of
mod_perl, to further enhance the Perl 5 support that is part of OS X
Server. With mod_perl it is possible to write Apache modules entirely in
Perl. Moreover the embedded mod_perl interpreter avoids the overhead of
starting an external Perl interpreter and the penalty of Perl start-up
time. Also included, to make WebObjects support even easier, is the latest
Apache WebObjects Adaptor (version 4.5), extended with the basic WebObjects
directives pre-configured into the iTools Apache configuration file.
This update is FREE to all iTools customers. Tenon recommends that all
iTools customers apply this update. The update is downloadable from the
Tenon web site: http://www.tenon.com/products/itools. iTools is $495.
Macintosh webmasters, whether they are using Tenon’s WebTen or 4D’s WebSTAR
on Mac OS can purchase a “sidegrade” to iTools for OS X Server for only
$350. All of these new features will be part of an upcoming Mac OS X
package to be released early in 2001.
While some Mac webmasters are waiting for Mac OS X, Tenon’s iTools
customers are already taking advantage the preemptive multitasking and
memory protection of Apple’s next-generation OS. Because Apache is serving
content for over 8 million worldwide web sites, Tenon recommends that
Macintosh webmasters get familiar with Apache today, even if they decide
not to move content from their production servers until OS X is available.
Starting with Tenon’s iTools is the easiest path to becoming Apache-savvy.
Macintosh webmasters can purchase a G4 webserver with OS X Server 1.2 from
the online Apple Store, or find links to online retailers for the
shrinkwrapped version of OS X Server 1.2 at Tenon’s website.
Founded in 1989, Tenon Intersystems is a leader in high-performance
networking. Apple’s OS X, coupled with the new G4 processors and Tenon’s
iTools, provides the foundation for world-class content delivery. Tenon
Intersystems can be reached in the U.S. at 805-963-6983, by the internet at
sales@tenon.com, or via the web at http://www.tenon.com.
Phone: 805-963-6983
888-293-2836
FAX: 805-962-8202
http://www.tenon.com