We are in the process of creating a Web site. The process has been ongoing since January 1997; meanwhile, we ask that you bear with us and send us any comments you have about our site. Thank you.
Latest News Updated
This is an experimental server which went online on Thursday, January 30, 1997.
We initially experienced some stability as well as DNS problems with this server. The problem was eventually corrected.
Until further notice, we are known as www.technology.niagarac.on.ca on IP address 192.197.62.35.
As of Tuesday, February 4, 1997, we are running Microsoft Back Office under NT 4.0.
Monday, February 17, 1997: replaced the motherboard in the server machine to increase availability and stability.
Thursday, May 8, 1997: Added LEDSign v2.7 -- we're Java enhanced!
Monday, May 26, 1997: Added Web Counter 2.6 -- "over one dozen served" and counting!
Friday, August 15, 1997: Upgraded to Apache 1.2.1 under FreeBSD 2.2.2 -- we've gone Unix!
Friday, August 22, 1997: Upgraded to Apache 1.2.4.
Thursday, October 16, 1997: FreeBSD and Apache are very stable. Check our uptime!
Thursday, November 20, 1997: Our domain name is now aliased to technology.niagarac.on.ca.
Monday, January 26, 1998: Upgraded to Apache 1.2.5 and Count 2.4.
Friday, January 30, 1998: Three operating systems later, we celebrate one year on the Web!
Monday, May 11, 1998: Upgraded to Apache 1.2.6.
Tuesday, March 2, to Friday, March 5, 1999: (Bad hardware strikes again!) Experienced operating system hard disk failure, after 179 days without a reboot. Replaced the disk and CPU fan, added hard disk fans, reinstalled FreeBSD 2.2.2 and upgraded to Apache 1.3.4.
Sunday, April 11, 1999: Upgraded to Apache 1.3.6.
Tuesday, January 4, 2000: Survived Y2K... Upgraded to Apache 1.3.9.
Monday, January 31, 2000: Three years on the web!
Tuesday, November 28, 2000: Upgraded to Apache 1.3.14 and PHP 4.0.3pl1.
Saturday, January 20 - Monday, January 22, 2001: Due to
another impending hard disk failure, we have finally
migrated over to our new Sun Enterprise 3500 server
(shown at left). Although
FreeBSD remains an outstanding,
rock-solid operating system, the crappy PC hardware just couldn't
handle 24/7 service...
Monday, April 16, 2001: Our Sun server was
compromised by an unknown intruder. The cracker (or
possibly script kiddie) exploited a vulnerability in
the Solaris operating system and installed a rootkit. For more
details, visit the following link:
http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-2001-05.html
Tuesday, May 8, 2001: Upgraded to Apache 1.3.19 and PHP 4.0.5. The web site will be revamped in the next four months.
Friday, June 8, 2001: Discovered the intrusion embarrassingly late! Removed the Sun box from the 'Net and did a post mortem, which revealed, among other things, a 1.5 MB packet sniffer log file! Reverted to the ol' reliable FreeBSD server for a couple of months...
Thursday, July 26, 2001: Having been fooled once, I
closed a potential security hole in FreeBSD. For more
details, visit the following link:
http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-2001-21.html
Monday, August 20 and Tuesday, August 21, 2001: Installed Solaris 8 from scratch, recovered files and restored backups. Upgraded to Apache 1.3.20 and PHP 4.0.6. Installed firewall software. Our Sun box is back in business!
Saturday, February 16, 2002: Applied patches, upgraded to Apache 1.3.23 and PHP 4.1.1. During the process ran a stripped-down version of the site on a Sony PCG-220FX notebook running Slackware Linux. :-)
Thursday, February 28, 2002: Upgraded to PHP 4.1.2, due to a vulnerability in earlier versions of PHP.
Saturday, October 5, 2002: Applied patches, upgraded to Apache 1.3.27 and PHP 4.2.3. During the process the site ran on the Sony again.
Sunday, August 24, 2003: After suffering a lengthy downtime due to the Northeast Blackout of 2003, fixed, patched Solaris, and upgraded to Apache 1.3.28 and PHP 4.3.2, PostgreSQL 7.3.4, and MySQL 4.0.14.
The Communications and Information Technology Division provides facilities for students, faculty or staff to create personal World Wide Web pages. Some personal pages contain information about instructional, research, administrative, or public service programs. Other pages include personal interests, avocations, artistic expressions, and links to Internet resources.
The Webmaster does not preview, censor, correct spelling/grammar, or control the content of these pages in any way as a matter of course. Authors of these pages are responsible for obeying all relevant laws and college policies. Views expressed in personal pages are strictly those of the page authors, to whom any comments on their contents should be directed.
This web site is intended as a learning and research tool for students, staff, and faculty in Communications and Information Technology programs at Niagara College, and for guidance to students considering application for admission to these programs. Nothing in this web site constitutes a representation or warranty on the part of the college. The information in the web site and the hardware and software which supply it are subject to change from time to time, without notice, as deemed by the staff and faculty who manage it. The web site is not intended to be, and should not be considered a contract between the college and any student or other person. The programs and courses outlined here will be offered, subject to sufficient enrollment, the availability of competent teachers and the provisions of adequate facilities. Yadda yadda yadda.
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