There are many programs that are used with Web server software. Some of these programs are on the server, while some are on the computer being used by the Web designer. One of the most used Internet utility programs is e-mail.
Finger utilities are used to find information about the users that are on the network. This can include who is on the network and when they last logged in. Many companies have disabled this feature so that they can maintain network security and privacy.
The Ping utility is useful for making sure the connection on the network is working as it should, and if not, to find out what is causing the connection problems.
Route-tracing programs are used to determine the amount of time it takes for a message sent from one computer to another and back. They can also help determine if there are any locations that are being overrun by data being processed. This software works by sending packets of data along a path from the original computer to a destination computer, and records the time it takes to get to each router on the path.
Telnet is a program that allows for users to perform tasks on the Internet while not using a Web browser. As times go on, Telnet use is decreasing due to so many users having the technology that allows for much more efficient means of Internet access.
FTP is a part of the TCP/IP protocol that defines the means of transfering files between computers. It allows for users to transfer files one at a time or multiple files at once. This is a popular means of updating Web sites when being designed since it allows for the updates to be automatically made when the site is saved, rather than having to upload each file separately through the server's file manager.
Indexing and search utility programs are useful for allowing search engines to access the site. When someone uses a search engine, they get the result of the search engine comparing the user's criteria with the index of particular sites.
Webmasters can use data analysis programs to determine what types of users are visiting the site as well as other information of those viewing the site. This data can be used to adapt the site to the users already on the site and those the site is intended to be viewed by.
Link-checking is the process of a program going through all the links on a site and determining if there are any that do not work. This allows for the webmaster to make sure that all links are working, and that if there are any links that are not working, to figure out what needs to be changed. Programs such as Dreamweaver have this function included, which allows for the person designing the site to make sure all is in working order before finalizing it.
This type of software allows for webmasters to manage their site from wherever they are. Different programs have different features, but most offer the ability to fix server problems even if not sitting at the computer that the main information is on.