University of KentuckyProxy Service

Presentation

By

Kelly Vickery

http://www.uky.edu/~kmvick0/proxy/ezptrouble.ppt

Purpose of proxy server as used by U.K. Libraries

• To authorize access to purchased resources licensed to U.K.

• To authenticate authorized users affiliated with the institution.

• To serve documents to computers OUTSIDE the institution’s closed network.

Three Basic EZProxy Functions

1. Maintain a list of Vendor URLs to which ezproxy will authenticate access—found in an ezproxy configuration file.

2. Maintain a list of authorized users and their passwords. Authenticate users as they use the system.

3. Mediate requests for information between users and vendors, and deliver information to authenticated users.

Prerequisite Knowledge

• What is an IP (Internet Protocol) address?

• What is a Domain Name?

• Anatomy of a URL (Uniform Resource Locator)

What is an IP address?

An Internet Protocol address is a set of four numbers separated by a decimal point—each set can be a value from 0 to 255; e.g. 128.163.2.27. The important point is that an IP address is assigned to every computer that sends or receives information on the Internet—it can be considered an Internet address or social security number; i.e., it distinctly identifies a single computer or service on the Internet.

What is a Domain Name?

A domain name is an alphanumeric identifier used to refer to a computer or computing service on the Internet. It usually has a name that is a mnemonic. In a URL the domain name is just that part of the URL that appears between the “://” and the following slash “/”; e.g., in the URL “http://www.uky.edu/Libraries” the domain name is “www.uky.edu.” A domain name usually refers to an underlying IP address which identifies an individual computer or service.

Anatomy of a URL

http://www.uky.edu/Libraries/proxyhelp.html

Internet protocol (i.e., transaction language)

Host computer name: domain name or IP.

Directory or folder on serving computer

Document name being viewed

Uniform Resource Locators

Protocol Host Directory Document

http:// www.uky.edu

(128.163.2.27)

/Libraries/ proxyhelp.html

http:// www.uky.edu

(128.163.2.27)

/Libraries/Reserves/EResCourses/edsaedp301/

Jones_Talk.pdf

ftp:// ukcc.uky.edu

(128.163.2.61)

/webstat391/ stats1202.webpath

gopher:// mother.wis.edu

(R.I.P.)

/sports/ ncaa.txt

…so a link is…

<a href=“http://www.uky.edu/Libraries/proxyhelp.html”>Libraries</a>

Libraries

Internet web page transfer.

(by clicking a link)

Hey, send me a web

page?

Ok, here you are.

server.com

Patron computer

121.214.5.555

Webpage

In a standard transaction a client (patron’s) computer requests a document and sends its IP to a server.

The server responds by sending the requested document back to the IP of the requesting computer.

IP protected service.

Hey, send me a web

page?

Vendor.com

Patron computer

121.214.5.555

To restrict access a vendor maintains a list of IPs of all customers who purchase access to the service.

When an off-campus library patron requests a document from the vendor, the patron’s IP is not in the vendor’s list of customer IPs.

…and delivery of the requested document is denied.

NO SOUP FOR YOU! You’re not

on my IP list.

EZProxy LinkPrefix: http://ezproxy.uky.edu/login?url=

American Civil War Letters & Diaries

Normal URL

http://www.alexanderstreet2.com/CWLDLive/

Ezproxy URL

http://ezproxy.uky.edu/login?url=

http://www.alexanderstreet2.com/CWLDLive/

http://80-www.alexanderstreet2.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/

Let’s see how it works

UK EZProxy

Server

(by clicking ezproxy link)Hey ezproxy! Send me

a web page from Vendor.com.

Ok, but first, who are you?

121.214.5.555

EZProxy transaction-1.

Vendor.com

Patron computer

128.163.1.29

Get ID & Password

If the ID and Password entered in the prompt are not in the list of authorized users then access is denied; if they are in the list then the proxy fetches the document and sends it to the patron.

UK EZProxy

Server

Vendor web page

Post ID & Password

Ok, here is my ID and password.

Please get Vendor.com for me.

You’re on my list. I’ll Get

Vendor.com for you.

121.214.5.555

EZProxy transaction-2.

Vendor.com

Patron computer

128.163.1.29

You’re IP is authorized for

access. I’ll send the web page.

Vendor web page

Ok, 121.214.5.555,

here is your web page from

Vendor.com

EZProxy Authority List

A list of last names and barcodes is loaded into the proxy server from Voyager at 10:30 P.M. daily. For patron information to be loaded into the proxy it must have an active, 13 character barcode, beginning with “2” that is associated with a proxy approved Voyager patron group. The ID is the patron’s last name and the password is their 13 character Voyager barcode.

Proxy Approved Patron Groups

» UK Distance Learning » UK Donovan Scholar » UK Faculty and Staff » UK Graduate Student » UK Independent Study Program Student » UK Law Faculty » UK Medical Center Community-Based Faculty » UK Undergraduate Student » UK Visiting Scholar » UK Affiliate Faculty and Staff

Old proxy configured browsers.

Patrons will be prompted by a pop-up box a second time if they are still configured for the old proxy. These configurations should be removed.

Proxy off in Internet Explorer

Proxy off in Netscape

Purpose of the UK proxy server.

The proxy server does not solve a technical problem–the problem of delivering information. (The Internet is perfectly adequate for delivering information without the use of a proxy server.) The purpose of a proxy server is to NOT deliver information. The PURPOSE of a proxy server is to STOP the delivery of information to unauthorized individuals.

The proxy IS a technical solution to a legal problem—the purpose of which is to STOP the delivery of information to unauthorized individuals.

EZProxy function summary

• Patron must click a link with ezproxy prefix.

• Link must contain domain or host name in ezproxy configuration file.

• Proxy prompts & checks User’s ID and password.

• Proxy requests document from Vendor.• Proxy delivers document to Patron.

Problems can occur in each step.

Potential problems

• Proxy server or its connection is down.

• Vendor server or its connection is down.

• Patron’s computer or connection problems.

• Problems with patron authentication.

• Vendor’s domain name is not in ezproxy configuration.

Diagnosing connection problems

• Proxy server or its connection is down.– Point web browser to ezproxy.uky.edu– Start>Run>Cmd> Ping ezproxy.uky.edu– Start>Run>Cmd> Tracert ezproxy.uky.edu

• Vendor server or its connection is down.– Point web browser to vendor server.– Start>Run>Cmd> Ping vendor server.– Start>Run>Cmd> Tracert vendor server

Diagnosing Authorization Problems

• Problems with patron authentication.– Check Voyager Circulation:

• Approved patron group?• Active account?• Valid barcode?• Check date (was record entered today? Will load at 11:00

P.M.)

– Point web browser to http://ezproxy.uky.edu and log in with patron last name and barcode—this is the acid test.

Voyager CirculationIf a patron receives the proxy prompt, but is denied access then check Voyager for following conditions:1) 13 character barcode beginning with “2”.2) with one of the approved patron groups3) with an active account4) not entered with today’s date.5) account has expired.

Diagnosing Authorization Problems con’t

• Problems with patron authentication.– Does patron have hyphenated last name or

punctuation in name? – Have patron enter 13 character barcode in Notepad

and cut and paste it into proxy prompt.

Missing Domain Problem

To allow /login?url=http://www.missingdomain.com to work, your EZproxy administrator must first authorize this within the ezproxy.cfg file. Within this database's section of the file, the following line must be added:

     Host www.missingdomain.com The EZproxy server must then be restarted to

make this change take effect.

Domain & Host not in ezproxy config

If a vendor domain and host name are not in the ezproxy configuration file then access to that service will be denied to all off-campus users. If patrons receive a message telling them to contact the ezproxy administrator then, if possible, send the URL displayed on the error page to proxy-l@lsv.uky.edu.

You never would believe where those proxy cookies come from.

Have a cookie

Never higher than “Medium High”. Advanced…> Not “Block”

NEVER select “Never”, again –I.E.

“Settings…” setup and “LAN Settings…” setup

NetscapeDifferent look and feel in Netscape 7.x and 4.x. Setup is basically the same.

Viewing Problems

If you are describing the browser to a patron on the phone, but they don’t see what you think they should see, then have them place a “check mark” on all features found under “View”.

Check “Enable-Java” and cookies

Netscape 4.8 and 7.0

Some web problems or browser configuration problems get blamed on the proxy. Check some of the following browser settings to ensure they are configured correctly (enabling Java, for instance).

NEVER select “Never”!--NetscapeIn the Cache, make sure “Never” is NOT selected. This can create problems if the patron receives an error viewing a web page. If the problem is corrected on the server the patron will continue viewing the cached error page.

Enable Cookies for 7.0--Netscape

Netscape 7.0 and after clicking “view

JavaScripts for 7.0 --Netscape

…and finally.