Open source realm

From CRAVEwiki

Open Source Realm is an informative brochure about the different organizations in DBIT using open source technologies. The first copy of the brochure was designed using Inkscape and GIMP.

Later it was revised and further structured using Open Office Draw. Open Office Draw was chosen since it supported multi page documenting.

Contents 1 Introduction 2 System Administration 2.1 IPcop 2.2 TinyDNS 2.3 Samba and NFS 2.4 Squid Proxy server 2.4.1 Making the most of your Internet Connection 2.4.2 Website Content Acceleration and Distribution 2.5 Open LDAP 2.6 Drupal CMS 3 DUCS 3.1 Squirrel Mail 3.2 Moodle 4 CRAVE 4.1 Ubuntu 4.2 Joomla CMS 4.3 Media WIKI 5 Colmation 5.1 What is Colmation? 5.2 Need of Colmation 5.3 Platform 6 Contact 7 BACK COVER

Introduction

Don Bosco Institute of Technology (DBIT), is an engineering college dedicated to provide comprehensive technical education in a student friendly environment. It aims to provide more than what is stipulated in the standard syllabus and gives students an opportunity to explore their true potential. For this purpose, it has established organizations within the institute and deployed resources on various projects.

What makes these organizations so unique and yet very similar is that they all depend and use many open source applications. In fact these organizations are so well verse with these applications that today they can provide a service to other institutes and firms in using such tools effectively. This brochure describes not only the organizations and its services but also the various open source applications used by them. It also explains as to how these applications are used in different areas of educational playground and hopes to set an example for other institutions in promoting the use of such open source applications.

System Administration

Our Central Systems Department consists of highly professional and competent administration staff who maintain and monitor every node in the Institution. They are continuously involved in the maintenance of the Institution servers because of which these systems are top­notch and up to date. They have comprehensively established the entire LAN, working out, even the minute details. The security over these systems is more than optimal. It is because of this group that the Information Systems are functioning efficiently and effectively. Needless to say their major concern is to optimize the network and more importantly secure it. Today they advise other educational institutes in setting up such secure networks. Some of the applications on which it heavily depends on are as follows:

IPcop

IPcop is a cut­down Linux distribution that is intended to operate as a firewall. It has some advanced firewalling features, including VPNs using IPSec. IPcop’s main feature is a firewall system for small networks of about 800 to 1000 nodes.

Features ...

• IPChains­based firewall .
• DMZ(DeMilitarized Zone ) support.
• Web­based GUI Administration System .
• SSH server for Remote Access .
• Intrusion detection system.
• IPSec based VPN Support.

IPcop is used at DBIT as firewall since last 2 years, we have not faced any security issues till now.

TinyDNS

It is a secure, reliable fast and light weight database­driven DNS server. It resolves name into IP address. Dnsmasq is a lightweight, easy to configure DNS forwarder. It can serve the names of local machines which are not in the global DNS. Dnsmasq is targeted at networks using NAT and connected to the internet.

Dnsmasq provides the following features:.

• The DNS configuration of machines behind the firewall is simple and doesn't depend on the details of the ISP's DNS servers.

• Dnsmasq acts as a cache, which stores internet addresses (A records and AAAA records) and address­to­name mappings (PTR records), reducing the load on upstream servers and improving performance (especially on modem connections).

• Dnsmasq can be configured to automatically pick up the addresses of it's upstream nameservers from ppp or dhcp configuration. It will automatically reload this information if it changes.

This facility will be of particular interest to maintainers of Linux firewall distributions since it allows dns configuration to be made automatic.

Samba and NFS

Samba is an Open Source Free Software suite that provides seamless file and print sharing to windows clients. Samba sets up network shares for chosen Unix directories. These appear to Windows users as normal windows folders accessible via network. At DBIT each user is given a username and password. Using this, the user logs in to the operating systems, where simultaneously, his home directory is also mounted onto local machine. Thus, centralized storage system is implemented using Samba and NFS.

Squid Proxy server

Squid is a caching proxy for the Web supporting HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and more. It reduces bandwidth and improves response times by caching and reusing frequently ­requested web pages. Squid has extensive access controls and makes a great server accelerator. It runs on Unix and Windows and is licensed under the GNU GPL.

Making the most of your Internet Connection

Squid is used by hundreds of Internet Providers world­wide to provide their users with the best possible web access. Squid optimizes the data flow between client and server to improve performance and caches frequently­used content to save bandwidth. Squid can also route content requests to servers in a wide variety of ways to build cache server hierarchies which optimize network throughput.

Website Content Acceleration and Distribution

Thousands of web­sites around the Internet use Squid to drastically increase their content delivery. Squid can reduce your server load and improve delivery speeds to clients. Squid can also be used to deliver content from around the world ­ copying only the content being used, rather than inefficiently copying everything. Finally, Squid's advanced content routing configuration allows you to build content clusters to route and load balance requests via a variety of web servers.

We have a squid cache proxy implemented, and in use at the DBIT, providing optimal performance.

Open LDAP

The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, or LDAP, is an application protocol for querying and modifying directory services running over TCP/IP.

• The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, or LDAP, is an application protocol for querying and modifying directory services running over TCP/IP.

• LDAP is a protocol used to access information stored in an information directory (also known as an LDAP directory).

• The LDAP protocol is both cross­platform and standards ­based, so applications needn't worry about the type of server hosting the directory.

• Unlike many relational databases, you do not have to pay for either client connection software or for licensing.

• Most LDAP servers are simple to install, easily maintained, and easily optimized.

• LDAP servers can replicate either some or all of their data via push or pull methods, allowing you to push data to remote offices, to increase security, and so on.

• LDAP allows you to securely delegate read and modification authority based on your specific needs using ACIs (collectively, an ACL, or Access Control List).

LDAP server, at DBIT, is being used for User Management and Authentication which can provide single sign­on for most of the central services. Presently same User Identity can be used to login on Windows as well as on the Linux client login and also for e­learning management system (Moodle).

Drupal CMS

Drupal ( is a free and open source modular content management system (CMS) written in the programming language PHP. A CMS is a tool used by Web administrators to automatically track online visitors and prepare customized content for consumption, usually as HTML ­based Web pages. Drupal, like many modern CMSs, allows the system administrator to customize the content and display of the Web site with little or no programming.

Features ...

• Post, revise, and categorize content
• Conduct searches
• Post comments
• Take part in forums
• Vote in polls
• Work on collaborative writing projects
• Post and view personal profiles
• Communicate among themselves or with the managers of a site
• Change the look of a site with off­the­shelf or custom­made themes
• Build multi­level menus
• Provide users with an interface in their local language
• Provide RSS feeds
• Gather content from the RSS feeds of other sites
• more...

Drupal was used to develop the DBCITY website. DBCITY is a intranet portal for teachers and students in DBIT campus. It is a central point of access for all the major services on the campus. This intranet site is not only used to keep students up ­to ­date about current events but it is also used to provide access to Central library as well as DSpace (Digital Library).

DUCS

One of the early organizations instituted was the DUCS (DBIT Undergrad Computer Society). Their main purpose was to pursue technical activities beyond and above the scope of the curriculum and their mission was to provide both infrastructure and support for technical projects. They brought about the Open Source Revolution into the Institution. They facilitated the use of free and open source softwares, running on the LINUX operating system environment. They undertook and implemented various projects which encompassed network administration, web development and research & development of academic software applications. Although they had discovered many alternative softwares and development tools to the general proprietary applications, we will discuss only a few of their major projects which is today being utilized at DBIT.

Squirrel Mail

It is a standards ­based web mail package written in PHP. It includes built­in pure PHP support for the IMAP and SMTP protocols, and all pages render in pure HTML 4.0 (with no JavaScript required) for maximum compatibility across browsers. It has very few requirements and is very easy to configure and install. Squirrel Mail has all the functionality you would want from an email client, including strong MIME support, address books, and folder manipulation.

Features ...

• Spell checking (squirrel spell)
• Mail filters (filters)
• Web ­based administration of Squirrel Mail (administrator)
• A calendar (calendar)
• An interface to submit bug reports semi ­automatically
• Squirrel mail is alternative mail client that is used at DBIT.

Moodle

Moodle is an alternative to proprietary commercial online learning solutions, and is distributed free under open source licensing. An organization has complete access to the source code and can make changes if needed. Moodle’s modular design makes it easy to create new courses, adding content that will engage learners. Features of moodle are as follows

• Assignment: Used to assign online or offline tasks; learners can submit tasks in any file format (e.g. MS Office, PDF, image etc.).
• Chat: Allows real­time synchronous communication by learners.
• Choice: Instructors create a question and a number of choices for learners; results are posted for learners to view. Use this module to do quick surveys on subject matter.
• Lesson: Allows instructor to create and manage a set of linked "Pages". Each page can end with a question. The student chooses one answer from a set of answers and either goes forward, backward or stays in the same place in the lesson.
• Quiz: Create all the familiar forms of assessment including true­false, multiple choice, short answer, matching question, random questions, numerical questions, embedded answer questions with descriptive text and graphics.

CRAVE

In 2006, DUCS initiated the MultiDUCS which later gave birth to a project called CRAVE. CRAVE is a recursive acronym for CRAVE Research in Audio Visual Engineering. Because of its remarkable success it went on from being a simple project to a full fledged Organization. Its sole purpose was to bring about awareness among the students and staff of the role of multimedia in today’s world. The CRAVE laboratory currently fulfills the requirement of all of the different Multimedia sections like Graphics and Animations, Audio, Programming & Development, Office Tools, Publishing and Archiving.

Objectives

• To provide Technical support to other Multimedia and Computer Laboratories.
• To setup a Multimedia Production House running on open source softwares.
• To create E­learning applications with the use of multimedia open source applications.
• To understand how to use Open Source softwares for Professional Tasks.
• To bring the lab in such a position, that product development is possible and easy.

The Tasks

• Configuring the machines for users and services offered by GNU/Linux.
• Continuous Maintenance of the laboratory.
• Configuring a cluster(s) architecture.
• Installing the cluster.
• Placing appropriate applications over the clustering services and coining out a render farm.
• Nurturing and testing the lab for effectiveness and efficiency through tests and benchmarks.
• Nurturing CRAVE lab once again for flaws and standardizing the CRAVE model.

End­product of Project CRAVE A full fledged production and training house for Multimedia content creation and manipulation as well as an integration of a fully ­functional Render Farm .

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a community developed, Linux ­based operating system that is perfect for laptops, desktops and servers. It contains all the applications one needs ­ a web browser, presentation, document and spreadsheet software, instant messaging and much more. Ubuntu is and always will be free of charge. Ubuntu is designed with security in mind. Ubuntu monitors what has been installed, and with a couple of clicks one can install all updates. It does this for every program you’ve installed, unlike Windows Update, which only does it for a subset of Microsoft products. It also has a program that catalogs and can install the literally thousands of programs available. One can deinstall them there too. There’s a huge amount of open source software available.

All the programs mentioned, including Ubuntu, are open source and free. There’s no need to spend hundreds, or even thousands, to buy programs for Windows when one can do the same, or even better, for free on Ubuntu. But it’s not just the money,it’s the philosophy, the idea of people creating software for people, without getting bogged down in proprietary platforms that lock one in. Ubuntu installs with a CD player/burner, Firefox, GIMP (a powerful graphics program), Open Office (a replacement for Microsoft Office), and an Instant Message platform that works with AOL, Yahoo, MSN and others.

Ubuntu 7.04 (feisty fawn) and the latest version Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon) is used as an Operating System, at the CRAVE labs. The main reasons, we use this as our operating system are outlined in its features. Moreover, it has extensive support forums and we get free security updates for at least 18 months on the desktop and server releases.

Joomla CMS

A Content Management System (CMS) is a software system used for content management. Content management systems are deployed primarily for interactive use by a potentially large number of contributors. Joomla! is Content Management System (CMS) that will help you, to build websites and other powerful online applications. It is used all over the world for everything from simple websites to complex corporate applications. Joomla! is easy to install, simple to manage, and reliable.

It has a designer friendly forum system. It is close to SMF templating system, having a simpler structure. With very few steps you can modify the total look of the forum.

Features ...

• Support for popular PM systems, such as ClexusPM and Uddeim
• Basic Plugin system.
• Language ­defined icon system.
• Sharing image system of other templates. So, choice between templates and image series is possible
• You can add joomla modules inside the forum template itself.
• Favorite threads selection and management
• Forum spotlights and highlights
• Forum announcements and its panel
• Latest messages (Tabbed)
• Statistics at bottom
• more..

Joomla! was used to design the DUCS (http://ducs.dbit.in) and CRAVE (http://crave.dbit.in) websites, which are fully functional. Also, many other website development projects, using Joomla!, are in progress.

Media WIKI

MediaWiki is a free software wiki package originally written for Wikipedia. It is now used by several other projects of the non­profit Wikimedia Foundation and by many other wikis A wiki is a collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content, using a simplified markup language. Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites. For example, the collaborative encyclopedia Wikipedia is one of the best known wikis. Wikis are used in businesses to provide affordable and effective intranets and for Knowledge Management. Ward Cunningham, developer of the first wiki software, WikiWikiWeb, originally described it as "the simplest online database that could possibly work".

A wiki enables documents to be written collaboratively, in a simple markup language using a web browser. A single page in a wiki website is referred to as a "wiki page", while the entire collection of pages, which are usually well interconnected by hyperlinks, is "the wiki". A wiki is essentially a database for creating, browsing, and searching through information. A defining characteristic of wiki technology is the ease with which pages can be created and updated. Generally, there is no review before modifications are accepted. Many wikis are open to alteration by the general public without requiring them to register user accounts. We have used media wiki to create the CRAVE wiki to document all that is done in DUCS and CRAVE. It used for documenting projects, publishing tutorial and guides, archiving various tips, tricks and useful links.

Colmation

What is Colmation?

Colmation, which stands for College Automation, was a project which was meant to fill the cups of automation in the Management Information base. The project encompasses almost every aspect of search and online editing with the latest web application tools like AJAX and web ­text editing.

Need of Colmation

It was developed with a view to provide customization and also to provide a holistic approach to the daily functionalities of the College.

Colmation Basics

• College Automation
• Automate all aspects of campus management.
• Searching and editing student and staff information.
• Fees collection.
• Mark sheet generation.
• Attendance records and defaulters list generation.
• Tracking late comers.
• Staff attendance monitoring.
• Complete Payroll module.
• Parents/Guardians interface for performance tracking.

Platform

• Front end : PHP (PHP Hypertext Preprocessor),Ajax.
• Back end : Mysql
• Web server : Apache 2.

Contact

DON BOSCO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Engineering College Kurla Mumbai Approved by AICTE & affiliated to university of Mumbai)

• ELECTRONICS & TELECOMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING
• COMPUTER ENGINEERING
• INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
• MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

DBIT Open Source Community, welcomes queries and suggestions.

Contact Information:

• Email : gunashekhar@dbit.in
• Telephone : +91-22-2504 0508 / 2424 / 2018
• Fax : +91-22-2504 0682
• Visit us at www.dbit.in

Document designed and edited by:

• Gunashekhar Nandiboyina
• Kevin Pinto
• Vineet Phillips

Special thanks to the CRAVE team

BACK COVER

DON BOSCO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Engineering College Kurla Mumbai (Approved by AICTE & affiliated to university of Mumbai) Premier Automobiles Road, Kurla (w), Mumbai - 400 070

Tel: +91-22-2504 2424/ 0508/ 2018 Fax: 2504 0682 Web: www.dbit.in

John Melchior Bosco was a saint born on August 16, 1815 at Becchi, a Hamlet near Turin, Italy. He dedicated his life to educating the young. As he carried on this noble work, he was joined by several like-minded young men (many of whom were looked after by him during their difficult childhood years). They accepted him as their father and guide and so the Salesian Society, comprising priests and lay brothers, was born. The word 'Salesian' is from the name of the patron, St. Francis de Sales, a saint much admired by Don Bosco for his kindness and gentleness.

Don Bosco died on January 31, 1888. Yet, undoubtedly, the greatest gift he has left to posterity is his unique way of educating in an environment of loving kindness. More than a century after the death of Don Bosco, thousands of people have dedicated themselves to the continuation of his apostolic love for young people all over the world. As members of the Salesian Family they profess to be “signs and bearers of God's love to the young.”

The Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) founded by Don Bosco in 1864 today number 16692 spread over 1871 institutions in 128 nations throughout the world.