Web Host Introduction
The Web Host enables your clients to access their accounts
in real time. Operators can work their accounts with just an
Internet browser. Managers can view, export, cut and paste
information from their browser into any application. The
Web Host allows flexible control over what a user can see
and do.
This feature is significant for anyone who enters data into
forms, for instance, when creating new accounts or
entering new information into existing ones. Perfect
applications are collection agencies, apartment rental
verifications, medical billing, car dealerships, health clubs
and karate schools -- any situation where you want to
custom design your own front end accessible to users
via the Internet.
For a small business, this is the simplest and most elegant
solution to data entry in your office.
- Minimize manpower requirements by creating simple
front end forms to support complex back end operations.
- Maximize flexibility to customize your data entry using
web browser, Javascript, DHTML, client-side processing and
much more.
- Eliminate LAN vagaries through standardized web interface.
- Enjoy easy data entry from home-workers.
Load data into Collect! directly from your browser.
No need to install a web server, LINUX, or any other complex item.
Two-for-one users licensed for Web Host.
Each user you are licensed for in Collect! translates into two
user licenses for the Web Host, enabling twice as many users
to operate when using the Web Host.
Unlimited Client access for Web Host.
The Web Host Client Access option lets you enable any
number of your clients to access their accounts through
Web Host. When this option is enabled, Client users are
not counted in the active user and licensing calculation.
Web Host Client Access is an optional extension module
available in Collect! Version 11.4.3.1 and newer.
Using Collect! Web Host
Collect! Web Host offers complete flexibility and scalability in
a clean, compact package fully integrated directly into your
existing Collect! system. When you install Collect! a fully
operational Web Host is installed at the same time.
Web Host is easy to set up and maintain and requires
minimal knowledge to use. From the administrative standpoint, it
is only necessary that you set up operators, as you have always
done, for users who will have access to the Web Host. Collect!
takes care of the rest with a simple process of reporting and
importing.
These two processes, report and import, are the means by
which Collect! submits data to write to your database from the
web and retrieves data from your database to display on the web.
When you install Collect!, several basic functions
designed for the Web Host are available
immediately. These include entering a new
account, printing a client/ debtor listing,
browsing debtors or clients, viewing an account. You
can see examples of this functionality by viewing
the sample Web Host at our web site.
Please check
out www.collectsystem.cc
to view our sample Web Host.
The Web Host may be used as is, or its interface and
functions can be customized to suit your needs. This requires
understanding of HTML and designing reports and imports in
Collect!
Host Startup
Collect! Web Host requires that you have a machine where you
can "host" Collect! Your clients and/or collectors use your
Internet or intranet connection to access Collect! through this
machine.
Collect! Web Host listens on a specified IP port (typically 80) and
responds to HTTP 1.1 requests. By default, the Collect Web Host
listens on port 80. Please see Web Host Setup and Testing for
more details.
The Web Host must be running and signed on to a database
before it responds to browser requests.
Security
SSL functionality is enabled in the Collect! Web Host by
default. Keys and Certs are generated automatically
when Web Host is opened. To use secure mode, simply
use the /W1ss argument in your Web Host startup icon.
Collect! will use Port 443 for HTTPS by default, or you
can set a different port using the /y argument.
There are many third party tools that can act as an SSL
wrapper over the Web Host HTTPS server. We strongly
recommend using SSL with Web Host.
Security is an issue whether your database is web-enabled or not!
Exposing data to the world means extra precautions, but
presumably you are already using security measures. We can
offer very practical solutions for strengthening your existing
security, but responsibility for protecting your data and your
system is still yours.
Internet security is a dynamic issue, and Comtech
Systems in no way claims to offer Internet security services or
software. You, and you alone are responsible for your Internet
security. While Comtech makes every effort to ensure the integrity
and viability of the data presented, in no way does Comtech
accept any responsibility for the currentness, applicability, or
security provided by your solution matrix. You, and not Comtech,
are responsible for ensuring your Internet security.
Web Host Access Rights
After you have taken care of your security needs, Collect! takes
care of your access rights requirements. Users can only access
the Web Host if you have set them up as an operator with 'Allow
browser signon' privileges in the Operator form. Web-enabled
users can only access data and routines that you give them
permission to access. You have full control.
Authorized Users
Users can sign on if they are set up in the list of Operators in
the opened database and you have an appropriate number of user
licenses.
Each User License that you purchase for Collect! translates into
TWO User Licenses for Web Host users. This means twice as
many operators can access Collect! through the Web Host.
With Web Host Client Access, you can enable an
UNLIMITED number of your clients to access their accounts via
the Web Host. Web Host Client Access is an optional extension
module available in Collect! Version 11.4.3.1 and newer.
When users log on, their ID and Password are checked against
the list of operators in Collect! If they don't pass, they are
redirected to the guest index page. If they pass, they are redirected
to the index page in their personal folder.
When a user signs on for the first time, a folder is created to hold
their documents. These documents are created on the fly when
information is requested during an Internet session. Once logged
on, users can only access data in their own folders. Clients can
only enter or retrieve data for their own debtors.
Unauthorized Users
Browsers can freely access web pages in the HTML folder under
the database folder, {database}\html\guest. This folder contains
your company's promotional web pages.
Unauthorized users only have access to files in
the {database}\html\guest folder. Requests for any other
files by unauthorized users are denied.
Trusted Hosts
Web Host access may be limited only to IP addresses you
list in Trusted Hosts. When this feature is enabled, no other
IP addresses will be allowed to access Web Host screens.
Please see the Help topic, Trusted Hosts, for more information.
W3 Mode
Real time updates to the system are possible through Web Host
using the /W3 startup option. This enables predictive dialer users
to return results of call campaigns to Collect! using XML. Normal
system password authentication is bypassed and data is imported
directly into the system. This may be used with Trusted Hosts.
Summary
Web-based data access is quickly becoming a viable and profitable
business solution for many collection agencies. Collect!'s Web Host
does not "host" your data. Rather, you are in control of how and
where it is stored. Web Host simply provides an ideal gateway for
access to your data over the Internet. Comtech Systems offers the
Web Host as a seamless solution to your growing business needs.
See Also
- Web Host Topics
- SSL Keys And Certs
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