WebsitePanel - Readme

WebsitePanel is a hosting control panel for Windows servers.

License

WebsitePanel is released under BSD license. Please see LICENSE.txt file in the root folder of this project.

Project Structure

The project has the following folders structure:

• \Trunk - project version currently in development
  • \Sources - project source codes.
  • \Lib - all referenced 3rd-party assemblies required to build the solution are placed in this folder.
  • \Database - the folder contains SQL scripts for creating initial database structure and its update to the current version.
    • install_db.sql - SQL script to create full database structure for the previous release.
    • update_db.sql - SQL script to update database structure for the revious release to the current one.
  • \Docs - project documentation
    • \Developer - technical documentation (specs, diagrams, POCs, etc.) for developers working on the project
    • \User - user-related documentation (user guides, how-tows, etc.) for end-users using the product
  • \Build - folder containing solution assemblies that are referenced from other projects
• \Releases - contains all project releases
• \Branches - contains project branches for proof-of-concepts, new development, bug fixing, etc.
• LICENSE.txt - project license
• Readme.htm - the file you are reading right now
• ReleaseNotes.htm - project release notes

Build How-To

Downloading 3rd-Party Libraries

SimpleDNS API

SDNSAPI.dll is required to build "WebsitePanel.Providers.DNS.SimpleDNS50" project.

Download "Simple DNS Plus API for .NET and COM" library from "Downloads" section on www.simpledns.com web site web site (at the time of writing direct link to this library is http://www.simpledns.com/outbox/sdnsapi-setup.exe). Install the library and then copy SDNSAPI.dll (located in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Simple DNS Plus API for .NET and COM" by default) from its installation folder to "Lib" folder of WebsitePanel project.

MySQL .NET Connector

MySQL .NET Connector is required to build "WebsitePanel.Providers.Database.MySql" project.

Go to www.mysql.com web site and download the latest release of "MySQL .NET Connector" library from there (at the time of writing it is located at http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/net/). Install MySQL connector and then copy "MySQL.Data.dll" assembly from its installation folder to "Lib" folder of WebsitePanel project.

OrderBox (Directi API)

Certain libraries are required to compile "WebsitePanel.Plugins.Directi" project of Enterprise Server solution.

Open http://40083.myorderbox.com/kb/servlet/KBServlet/faq589.html page and download the following files:

• NET_CoreExamples_vX.zip
• NET_DomainsExamples_vX.zip

Unpack both archives to some temporary location and then copy the following files to "Lib" folder of WebsitePanel project:

• OrderBoxCoreLib.dll
• OrderBoxDomainsLib.dll

Set the Reference Paths to 3rd-Party Libraries

After placing the required 3rd-Party Libraries into "Lib" folder of WebsitePanel project, open WebsitePanel.Server solution (WebsitePanel.Server.sln) and set ReferencePath of "WebsitePanel.Providers.Database.MySQL" and "WebsitePanel.Providers.DNS.SimpleDNS50" projects to the absolute path of the "Lib" folder. See "Reference Path Is Incorrect" paragraph of Troubleshooting Broken References article for help.
Do the same for "WebsitePanel.Plugins.Directi" project of WebsitePanel.EnterpriseServer solution (WebsitePanel.EnterpriseServer.sln).

Building Solutions

Build WebsitePanel solutions in the following order:

• WebsitePanel.Server.sln
• WebsitePanel.EnterpriseServer.sln
• WebsitePanel.WebPortal.sln

Creating Database

In order to run WebsitePanel Enterprise Server it's required to create SQL Server database to hold its internal data.

1. Using SQL Server Management Studio or any other database tool create a database called "WebsitePanel".
2. Execute "install_db.sql" script containing DDL and initial data from "\Database" folder of WebsitePanel project against created database.
3. Create "WebsitePanel" SQL user account and grant it "db_owner" rights on "WebsitePanel" database.
4. Open "web.config" file in the root of Enterprise Server application and update CryptoKey (appSettings/add/WebsitePanel.CryptoKey element) value there. It might be arbitrary non-empty string.
5. Run WebsitePanel.PasswordEncoder tool available in "Tools" folder and generate hash for "serveradmin" account password using CryptoKey and "Encrypt" button.
6. Update "Password" column in "Users" database table with generated hash for the record with UserID = 1 ("serveradmin" account).
7. In Enterprise Server's web.config update database connection string with proper settings in order to connect to WebsitePanel database.

Configuring Web Applications

It's assumed below that root of WebsitePanel project is pointing to "C:\Projects\WebsitePanel" folder.

• Create "WebsitePanel Server" web site (with 127.0.0.1:9003 binding) using IIS Management Tool with the root folder pointing to "C:\Projects\WebsitePanel\Trunk\Sources\WebsitePanel.Server".
• Create new user account called "WebsitePanelServer" and update process identity with it for "WebsitePanel Server" application pool. This user account must have required privileges to manage computer resources (by default be a member of local "Administrators" group) and also must be a member of "IIS_IUSRS" (IIS 7).
• Create "WebsitePanel Enterprise Server" web site (with 127.0.0.1:9002 binding) using IIS Management Tool with the root folder pointing to "C:\Projects\WebsitePanel\Trunk\Sources\WebsitePanel.EnterpriseServer".
• Create "WebsitePanel Web Portal" web site (with <all unassigned>:9001 binding) using IIS Management Tool with the root folder pointing to "C:\Projects\WebsitePanel\Trunk\Sources\WebsitePanel.WebPortal".
• Open "App_Data\SiteSettings.config" file in "WebsitePanel.WebPortal" folder and update URL to Enterprise Server (http://127.0.0.1:9002 by default).
• Open web.config in the root of WebsitePanel.Server application and update "server access password" ("websitepanel.server/security/password" element). You should be able to generate password SHA1 hash using WebsitePanel.PasswordEncoder tool.