I'm setting up a new server on our public network and I want to start running PWB from the server versus the local PC as we currently have it configured. I started playing around with it today and noticed a couple of things right away that I'll need to work out. So for those of you who are running this setup, what issues do I need to look out for? How does it handle the following?
- ActiveX controls (inc. those for Flash and Shockwave)
- Cache (does it get shared among all instances?)
- Cookies (same question)
- Plugins (like Acrobat Reader)
- Printers - it appears to use the printers setup on the local PC.
- Saving (where does the EXE look to save? I have it currently set to save to the local A:\ drive - will this still be supported?)
Thanks!
PWB from Server - what to consider?
Moderators: Tyler, Scott, PWB v2 Moderator
All the answers to your questions are basically the same. PWB is a Graphical User Interface that hosts the Internet Explorer Web Browser Control. Thus, even though PWB is loading from the server the web browsing functionality is coming from the local copy of Internet Explorer. Each local copy of IE will maintian its own ActiveX controls, cache, cookies, and plug-ins. As far as saving, PWB simply sends the save request to the local copy of IE, so it is still local.
The main thing you have to look out for is the filter files. These are parsed each and every time a navigation occurs and can impact the performance. For this reason they should be kept local or on a fast network segment. Also load and new window times can be affected by large Favorites and Shellbar shortcuts.
The optimal way to run PWB with central administration is it to only have the INI file on the network and the EXE and support files local to the computer. Then use the PWB Startup script specified in the INI file to copy updates to the local computers as needed.
--Scott
The main thing you have to look out for is the filter files. These are parsed each and every time a navigation occurs and can impact the performance. For this reason they should be kept local or on a fast network segment. Also load and new window times can be affected by large Favorites and Shellbar shortcuts.
The optimal way to run PWB with central administration is it to only have the INI file on the network and the EXE and support files local to the computer. Then use the PWB Startup script specified in the INI file to copy updates to the local computers as needed.
--Scott
-
Guest
The script is very simple.
PWB INI:
[Files]
...
StartupScript=sample.cmd
...
Sample.cmd (use .bat for Windows 95/98/ME):
Rem Turn echo off
@ECHO OFF
REM remark out the lines and only use when needed.
REM This will copy files to the local computer (xcopy maybe better for NT/2K/XP)
COPY \\server\share\folder\url.txt c:\path\url.txt /Y
COPY \\server\share\folder\Favorites\*.* c:\path\Favorites /Y
REM You can even copy a new PWB EXE file
del C:\path\pwb_bak.exe
ren C:\path\pwb.exe pwb_bak.exe
copy \\server\share\folder\pwb.exe C:\path\pwb.exe /y
Please refer to DOS batch file commands for more information.
--Scott
PWB INI:
[Files]
...
StartupScript=sample.cmd
...
Sample.cmd (use .bat for Windows 95/98/ME):
Rem Turn echo off
@ECHO OFF
REM remark out the lines and only use when needed.
REM This will copy files to the local computer (xcopy maybe better for NT/2K/XP)
COPY \\server\share\folder\url.txt c:\path\url.txt /Y
COPY \\server\share\folder\Favorites\*.* c:\path\Favorites /Y
REM You can even copy a new PWB EXE file
del C:\path\pwb_bak.exe
ren C:\path\pwb.exe pwb_bak.exe
copy \\server\share\folder\pwb.exe C:\path\pwb.exe /y
Please refer to DOS batch file commands for more information.
--Scott
-
ramone_johnny
Hi guys,
Im a systems technician for a public library here in Brisbane currently in the process of configuring PWB on a 2003 Windows Server. As scott has already pointed out, the executable lives on the client and the INI files at the server. The clients are running Windows XP Pro.
Basically the PWB executable lives under C:\Windows\PWB and by using a group policy under SYSTEM 'Custom User Interface' we point the executable to its assigned INI file
eg. C:\windows\pwb\pwb.exe /INI=\\192.168.***.***\pwb_profiles\internet\internet.INI
You can see there weve created a parent folder called pwb_profiles followed by the user itself. This way you can set multiple users. Neat eh?
Initially it was our intentions to simply use Active Directory to secure the workstations however, it became apparent relatively quickly, that AD was limited in areas. It was then we looked at PWB. And to this point with great success.
Certainly one of or perhaps *the* best secure IE interface on the market.
John
Im a systems technician for a public library here in Brisbane currently in the process of configuring PWB on a 2003 Windows Server. As scott has already pointed out, the executable lives on the client and the INI files at the server. The clients are running Windows XP Pro.
Basically the PWB executable lives under C:\Windows\PWB and by using a group policy under SYSTEM 'Custom User Interface' we point the executable to its assigned INI file
eg. C:\windows\pwb\pwb.exe /INI=\\192.168.***.***\pwb_profiles\internet\internet.INI
You can see there weve created a parent folder called pwb_profiles followed by the user itself. This way you can set multiple users. Neat eh?
Initially it was our intentions to simply use Active Directory to secure the workstations however, it became apparent relatively quickly, that AD was limited in areas. It was then we looked at PWB. And to this point with great success.
Certainly one of or perhaps *the* best secure IE interface on the market.
John
PWB over Network
So, If I am reading this correctly, you don't need to install PWB on the local machine, just have the .exe on the local machine to reduce the lag time that occurs when you have both the .exe and the .ini on the server? And that with the script below, you can copy the exe to the local machine when you start?
Bahem
Bahem
"I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous."
You really don't have to "install" PWB at all - just make sure the EXE and support files can be found.
We do the same thing, only I had already put together a script (before the functionality was added to PWB) that copied the PWB exe and other files from a server station to the local station, and then ran PWB. That way, even though we use DriveShield on our public Internet stations, every time they reboot they get a current version of our PWB configuration.
Keeping the filter and other files/folders on a server - on our local 10/100 network - still caused long delays when starting PWB or opening new windows. By using a script to copy them locally, PWB now launches in a few seconds
We do the same thing, only I had already put together a script (before the functionality was added to PWB) that copied the PWB exe and other files from a server station to the local station, and then ran PWB. That way, even though we use DriveShield on our public Internet stations, every time they reboot they get a current version of our PWB configuration.
Keeping the filter and other files/folders on a server - on our local 10/100 network - still caused long delays when starting PWB or opening new windows. By using a script to copy them locally, PWB now launches in a few seconds