Frequently Asked Questions
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What level of server
access is granted to content provider
(client)? |
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None. There is never
any direct connection between the client and the server.
Content provider can only submit
page revisions via email. Revisions can only be submitted to
their assigned port. Upon receipt, revisions are automatically
authenticated, processed and logged. No unauthorized file
types are accepted and no other programming activity is
permitted. |
FTP
High level access
must be granted. Because FTP privileges cannot be
satisfactorily limited, content provider can log-in continuously and upload any
file types. Provider can move, delete, or rename any accessed
file. User can also create unlimited sub-directories and can
run unauthorized programs. |
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What types of
notifications are made whenever a page is
revised? |
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Each RPM port can be assigned its own characteristics
or "attributes". In this way, department supervisors and site
managers can be immediately notified via email of all
activity. Also, all activity is logged and numerous reports
can be printed on demand. |
FTP
No notification of activity is
made. |
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Can page revisions be
limited to specified areas within the page, thus leaving the
rest of the page undisturbed? |
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Yes. RPM can also be used for full-page authoring. |
FTP
No present methods are known to exist. |
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Can more than one
person manage different areas of the same
page? |
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Yes. There is no limit. Revisions to different areas of the same page can be made simultaneously and independently of one another. |
FTP
No present methods are known to exist. |
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Can pre-authorized
server macros be triggered by page revisions? |
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Yes. RPM documents can include simple tags which can be used to launch inquiries against live mainframe data. The results can then be embedded and published along with the contents of the web page. |
FTP
No present methods are known to exist. |
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Can page revisions be
encrypted prior to uploading? |
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Yes. Reedy Creek's RPMMail Editor includes our own proprietary data encryption algorithm. In addition, our plug-ins for Microsoft Office 2000, Wordperfect 9, and Allaire's HomeSite 4.0 also include our encryption feature. RPM documents are also encrypted when saved to the client desktop. |
FTP
No present methods are known to exist. |
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Can page revisions be
reviewed, edited and approved by a supervisor prior to
uploading, regardless of their location? |
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Yes. Because RPM is email-based, page revisions can be created and emailed to a supervisor or "gatekeeper". Upon approval, the supervisor adds the proper credentials and simply forwards the document to the web server. This can be done regardless of the geographic locations of the originator and the supervisor.RPM can also be used with "pre-production" or "staging" servers. |
FTP
No present methods are known to exist. |
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Can access
credentials be used for any other purpose? |
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No. RPM credentials are unique to RPM and can only be used to upload page revisions to their assigned port. |
FTP
Yes. FTP credentials (usernames and passwords) that were granted for the purpose of web page management can also be used with any unauthorized FTP utility or "tool set" to conduct a wide variety of unauthorized activities. |
General Questions
I already have a fully
developed web site. Will I need to re-engineer my site for RPM?
No. Existing web pages can
be easily retrofitted with RPM. Your existing directory tree and
link structure remains intact.
Will I have to replace my
existing web server software?
No. RPM runs in conjunction
with existing server software. No need to replace anything.
What are the system
requirements for running RPM?
RPM needs less than 3MB of
storage for NT, Linux, or Unix installation. The only other
requirement is a file path from your email server.
Are RPM pages created "on
the fly"?
No. Whenever a revision is
received by RPM it is instantly processed and the revised page is
available for viewing immediately. Therefore, RPM pages are faster
loading and consume far fewer system resources (bandwidth). This is
critically important in high-traffic web sites.
How does RPM compare to
database driven pages?
If the goal is to delegate
content management, doing so via a database is taking the long way
around. Besides being cumbersome to set up, database driven pages
require specialized server software and must be created "on the
fly", making them slower to load. Because the entire web site must
be engineered around the database, it cannot be easily retrofitted
into an existing site. RPM does not have these limitations.
On the other hand, RPM pages can be easily
deployed alongside database driven pages on the same web
site.
How does RPM compare to
server-includes?
Server-includes are
intended to retrieve live data. For those wishing to delegate
content management this technology does not provide a prudent
solution. Plus, high-level FTP or LAN access is still required. RPM
provides a superior alternative and is not hampered by these
limitations. However, RPM pages can contain server-includes if they
are needed.
Can RPM be used with web
sites built around FrontPage, ColdFusion, LiveWire, Active Server
Pages, etc.
Yes. RPM can be used to
manage ASP or any other embedded tag dynamic HTML page type.
Does every web page in the
site have to be under RPM care?
No. Typically, only a
minority of pages -- those requiring the most frequent revisions --
need RPM. Unchanging pages can remain under the care of the
webmaster. This allows you to keep costs down and deploy RPM only as
needed.
What if I need to deploy
RPM on a new page?
No problem. Simply activate
a port. This can be quickly accomplished by the person who has
access to the IMS (Information Management System) module.
What is a port?
An RPM port is an assignable access zone placed in a specific area of a specific page. Page revisions
are uploaded through their port and incorporated into the page,
regardless of the contents or size of the revision.
Do I have format control
over my revisions?
Yes. Revisions uploaded via
RPM can include any HTML tags, if so desired.
What else can my page
revisions include?
In addition to custom
formatted text, RPM revisions can include graphics, links, tables,
Java applets, database records, PDF files, sound, video, and
more.Note however, that RPM prohibits unauthorized activity. For
example, RPM will not permit unauthorized HTML pages to be uploaded
nor will it accept executable programs.
Can more than one port be
assigned to the same page thus enabling shared page
responsibility?
Yes. There is no limitation
to the number of ports on a page. Each port can be under the care of
a different person and revisions can be made simultaneously and
independently of one another. Each person is restricted to their own
port and cannot access any other area of the page.
Can a person be granted
full-page authoring privileges?
Yes. A port can be assigned
to encompass the entire page thus enabling the content originator to
have complete design control.
Can unauthorized pages be
installed on the server?
No. RPM only allows
revisions to be made to pre-approved and existing pages.
What if I need more
ports?
As your site grows,
additional RPM ports can be purchased at any time and are easily
installed from a diskette. You only need to buy what you need, when
you need it.
What if I need to reassign
a port or change its password?
No problem. This can be
quickly accomplished by the person who has access to the IMS
(Information Management System) module.
What content editors can I
use to manage RPM pages?
You can use any content
editor you like, even an email utility. Additionally, each RPM port
comes with our own RPMMail Editor and plug-ins for
MS-Word and Allaire's HomeSite. New plug-ins are continually under development and are freely available.
My web site resides on a
virtual host. Can I use RPM to safely delegate content management
and if so, what do I need from my hosting provider?
You can deploy RPM on any
virtual host that also enables email to be directed to your user
account. With Unix and Linux systems, you do not need any assistance from your hosting provider
other than normal FTP access during installation.
Is RPM platform
dependent?
No. Versions of RPM are
available for deployment on any Unix, Linux, or NT server, including
virtual hosts.
How do I know when page
revisions are made?
RPM automatically generates
an email acknowledgement and sends it immediately to the group of
people you list for that port. An entry is also made in a log file
which can be sorted, viewed, and printed on demand.
What if I want to approve
revisions prior to uploading?
No problem. Because RPM is
email based, simply have the content originator email their
revisions to the site supervisor or "gatekeeper". Upon approval,
this person then adds the proper credentials and uses RPM to forward
the revisions to the web page.RPM can also be used with "pre-production" and "staging" servers.
Can I be assured that
revisions are being made when they are supposed to be?
Yes. Each RPM port can be
assigned its own update schedule. The content originator is
automatically notified via email whenever a revision is due. Past
due or failed revisions can also be immediately reported to
management and are logged in a discrepancy report.
RPM is easily
incorporated into any existing web site and runs with any Unix,
Linux, or NT server software, including virtual hosts!
Delegate web page management with peace of mind.
U.S. Patent No. 5,937,160.
Reedy Creek
Technologies, Inc.
284 Reedy Creek Road
Four Oaks, NC 27524
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Voice:
(919) 934-6869
Fax: (919) 934-1537
info@reedycreek.com |
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