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'''eBox Platform''' is an [[open source]] distribution and development [[framework]], based on the [[Linux]] [[operating system]], intended to manage services in a [[computer network]].
'''eBox Platform''' is an [[open source]] distribution and development [[framework]], based on the [[GNU/Linux]] [[operating system]], intended to manage services in a [[computer network]].


It offers a layer of abstraction and management, accessible through a simple [[web]] [[interface]], and also a simplified development environment for new features or customization.
It offers a layer of abstraction and management, accessible through a simple [[web]] [[interface]], and also a simplified development environment for new features or customization.

Revision as of 03:22, 26 May 2008

This article is about the software distribution. For the automobile, see AC Propulsion eBox.
eBox Platform
File:Ebox-logo.png
eBox Platform running on a PPC Linkstation
DeveloperWarp Networks
OS familyDebian GNU/Linux
Source modelOpen Source
Latest release0.11.100 / May 11, 2008
Repository
LicenseGPL
Official websitewww.ebox-platform.com

eBox Platform is an open source distribution and development framework, based on the GNU/Linux operating system, intended to manage services in a computer network.

It offers a layer of abstraction and management, accessible through a simple web interface, and also a simplified development environment for new features or customization.

eBox is licensed under GPL and started as an open-source, collaborative project of two companies.[1] It also takes part on Morfeo Project.[2] On 16th November 2006 eBox was officially approved as a NEOTEC project, receiving public funds from the CDTI (a Spanish public organisation, under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism) to complete the development of version 1.0.[3]

Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon Tribe 3 featured eBox as "network services control tool".[4]

Overview

Features

eBox Platform features are:

  • Open source
  • User friendly
    • Easy to use graphical frontend
    • High level abstraction of networking and workgroup services
    • Context aware help, warning and error reporting
    • Internationalization and multilanguage support
    • eBox Platform Live CD
  • Efficient management
    • Integration
      • Centralized configuration storage system, exporting and importing to XML format
      • Transactional configuration changes
      • Log registry incorporated
    • Automation
      • SOAP interface (in progress)
    • Backup
    • Component based installation and update

Services

Development

eBox Platform uses an open source model, with all the source code available for its users.

Design

eBox is a web application using Apache webserver with mod_perl as foundation and Mason components as building blocks, mainly written in object oriented Perl, with some Javascript for visual improvements.

Its design incorporates modern programming techniques as:[5]:

  • Design patterns: an Observer design pattern is used mainly to integrate different modules across eBox Platform. E.g. each service reports about which ports it needs to be open. Besides this, a Singleton holds global configuration and behaviour details.
  • Presentation and logic decoupling: user interface uses CSS and Ajax, and include several Mason components, as a generic table used to configure services. Program logic is held inside library packages and CGI-like code.
  • Fault tolerance: errors and warnings are managed through software exceptions, flowing from core to its handling routine.

It also offers debugging facilities, integrating the layout of the execution stack of the Perl 5 interpreter.

Each service's process is monitored so if it dies, it is respawned automatically.

Open Source Components

eBox is built upon common Open Source components:

The main programming language used is the Open Source Perl, on top of Mason engine.

Documentation uses Docbook-XML to generate HTML pages. API reference uses Natural Docs.

eBox Platform Live CD is built using Morphix. The whole distribution uses Debian and Debian Installer for non-live media.

Community

Main eBox community work and support takes place at eBox users' mailing lists, with an English speaking and a Spanish speaking one.

eBox's inclusion on Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon was preceded by some comments at Ubuntu Forums community.[6]

There is also a very active group of Linkstation users which succedeed in porting eBox to PowerPC.[7]

Documentation

  • Installation guide: holds instructions about different installation methods like CD and Debian packages, and how to get source code and run eBox from scratch
  • User's guide: aimed at software users, introduces some concepts and terminology, and explain different services and use cases
  • Developer's guide: targeted at software developers and translators, it explains basic API, module backend, component interaction, web fronted and includes a small example about how to build a sample module from the ground up
  • API reference: class and method's description and parameters

See also

References

  1. ^ "Gestión libre para las empresas". Retrieved 2007-03-04.
  2. ^ "eBox at Morfeo Project". Retrieved 2007-03-04.
  3. ^ "eBox as a NEOTEC project". Retrieved 2007-03-09.
  4. ^ "eBox included in Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon Tribe 3". Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  5. ^ "eBox developer's guide". Retrieved 2007-03-04.
  6. ^ "eBox at Ubuntu Forums". Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  7. ^ "eBox on FreeLink-Debian". Retrieved 2007-03-04.
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