WebFORCE Software Enviroment

Netscape Communications' Netscape Navigator and Netscape server software distributors, part of the WebFORCE software environment from Silicon Graphics, bring secure communications, high performance, and point-and click simplicity to companies and individuals who want to access or create information services on global networks. Netscape Navigator and Netscape servers offer easy-to-use interfaces for serving and accessing multimedia and hypermedia information on the net, including formatted text, graphics, audio, and video. Together, they make commerce and information exchange on the Internet as simple as point-and-click.

Netscape Navigator
With Netscape Navigator software, you no longer have to be a technical wizard to exchange information and conduct commerce on the Internet. Netscape Navigator contains graphical interface and hyperlinks that enable you to navigate the Internet's vast array of networked resources simply by clicking on a highlighted word or image with a mouse. Netscape Navigator is also integrated into the Silicon Graphics Indigo Magic User Environment.

Netscape Navigator integrates all major Internet functions under one simple, easy-to-learn-and-use interface. It features several improvements over other HTTP-compatible browsers.

It's fast. Netscape's primary design objective is to optimize client performance using 14.4kb modems, so real people can access the Internet over standard phone lines. And if you cruise the net over higher capacity lines, performance gains will be substantially greater.

It's secure. As you explore the Internet, you'll find a world of information, products, and services. Netscape provides integrated security, so transactions with servers across the net can be fully protected against hackers and eavesdroppers.

The Netscape server line includes two software products available for UNIX® based platforms: Netscape Communications Server and Netscape Commerce Server. Both are based on the open-standard HTTP protocol.

Netscape Communications Server
Netscape Communications Server, available from Silicon Graphics, is the ideal server for the delivery of on-line marketing materials, customer support information, or communication among employees. The Communications Server has two fundamental advantages over other HTTP compatible servers:

It's efficient. Netscape programs are designed to scale, serving the needs of the fast-growing Internet. Because it includes a redesigned, more efficient process model, Netscape Communications Server provides better performance and increases the value of your investment in hardware and communications infrastructure.

It's easy. QuickStart installation gets you up and running in minutes, with configuration and maintenance through intuitive, on-line forms.

Netscape Communications Server does provide HTTP/1.0 access authorization, enabling easy set-up of password access to specified documents. It does not support the Commerce Server's advanced security features.

Netscape Commerce Server
Netscape Commerce Server, available as an upgrade from Netscape Communications, makes electronic commerce a reality by allowing on-line transactions and electronic exchange of sensitive information with confidence and security. Using server authentication and data encryption, the Netscape Commerce Server integrates the key features needed to conduct commerce on public networks. Netscape Commerce Server delivers the same power, efficiency, and ease of configuration and maintenance as Netscape Communications Server.

Sell merchandise, accept credit cards on-line, and display sensitive information knowing that only authorized users can view it. Netscape Commerce Server advanced security system will protect you and your users. It uses HTTP/1.0 access authorization to request usernames and passwords and encapsulates the data using public key cryptographic technology from RSA Data Security Inc.

This secure approach consists of two advanced features: encryption, which protects the privacy of client/server communications by encrypting the data stream between the two entities, and server authentication, which uses a certificate and a digital signature to verify the legitimacy of the server.

Technical Specifications

Netscape Communications Server Software and Netscape Commercial Server

All HTTP-compatible clients supported

Backward compatibility with NCSA httpd., speaks industry-standard HTTP/1.0 protocol, and serves HTML documents

Advanced security (Commerce Server only), based upon public key cryptographic technology from RSA Data Security Inc., including:

Encryption which protects the privacy of client/server communications by encrypting the data stream between the two entities

Server authentication which uses a certificate and a digital signature to verify the identity of the server

CGI/1.12-compliant

DNS and IP address based access control

HTTP/1.0 access authorization

Client accesses logged in common logfile format

Server restarts or log files rotate with SIGHUP

Multiple log files which can restrict logging from certain hosts

Flexible, native imagemap setup

User public information directories (UNIX users)

Allow user databases other than /etc/passwd or NIS map

Can be pre-loaded to save network or disk bandwidth

Common indexing format for direc

Customized error messages

Custom document signatures

Simplified installation, configuration, and maintenance, through intuitive, on-line forms

Simplified installation, configuration, and maintenance, through intuitive, on-line forms

Increased performance, including faster response times

Increased load capacity and system load limitation through the creation of a configurable number of recy- clable processes

Server configuration control per-directory, per-file, by shell wildcard pattern, or using templates (such as all user directories)

Streamlined server-parsed HTML

Symbolic link searches that are friendly to automounter

Document root and virtual-to-physical mappings

Configurable symbolic links and hard links

MIME typing through filename extensions

DBM hashed file format used for high-capacity user database

Designed for scalability to meet demands of increased traffic and extensibility to incorporate additional modules

Netscape Product Requirements

Netscape Navigator runs on any Silicon Graphics® workstation

Netscape Communications Server, Netscape Commerce Server, and Netscape Proxy Servers software runs on all Silicon Graphics systems

IRIX operating system, version 5.3

Connection to any TCP/IP network