Tenon Intersystems has released a new public beta of iTools, the companyis suite of Web server tools for Mac OS X. iTools is a set of serious tools for using Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server as a Web server, and the public beta of the new version adds a GUI interface to the suiteis normal browser-based management system. From Tenon:

Tenon Intersystems announced today a public beta of its new Apache Administration tools. Tenonis web server tool suite, iTools 6.1 for Mac OS X 10.1 and Mac OS X Server 10.1, has been extended by an Aqua GUI that enables Webmasters to set up and configure Apache directly on Appleis Aqua desktop. The new GUI co-exists with Tenonis secure, remote, browser-based administration, enabling Webmasters to seamlessly switch between desktop management and anytime, anywhere browser-based control.

The Aqua Apache Administration tools provide configuration, not only for Apache, but also for DNS, FTP and Mail. Tenonis iTools can be used with Mac OS X 10.1 iclienti or with Mac OS X Server 10.1. Both the new Aqua GUI and the award-wining browser-based tools give Webmasters more than just ON and OFF buttons, but instead provide total web site control, extending the Webmasteris reach to a level that far exceeds what is available with Appleis new OS X Server. The combination of Appleis new powerful OS, Apacheis strength and breadth, and Tenonis iTools for ease of administration, makes Appleis new platform one of the best choices for web service in the world.

Tenonis iTools Manager makes difficult tasks easy and Appleis Aqua makes it pretty. The new iTools Manager lets you set up virtual hosts, create URL Aliases and Redirects, create self-signed SSL certificates and SSL certificate requests, create realm-based, host-based, and cipher-based Access Controls, and perform a myriad of other tasks. No need to "learn" Apache, just use the knowledge you have from years of being a Mac OS Webmaster and Tenonis technology will translate your mouse clicks and table entries into terms that Apache can understand.

Tenonis iTools includes SSL for secure eCommerce transactions, FastCGI and mod_Perl for top CGI performance, an integrated, state-of-the-art caching proxy server that augments Apacheis built-in proxy services, integrated domain name services, integrated multidomain FTP services, integrated logging, a high-performance Sherlock-savvy search engine. Also included is support for Java servlets and Java Server Pages with Tomcat, support for Active Server Pages with Halcyonis iASP, and mod_dav to support the transition from a read-only web to a collaborative, writable web via WebDAV clients. In addition, a powerful WEBmail tool turns Mac OS X into a complete POP3 and IMAP4 mail server and a fully customizable, anytime, anywhere ihotmaili style mail client.

The new Aqua GUI and instructions for joining the beta can be viewed from Tenonis web site.

It should be notes that while Tenonis iTools shares the name of Appleis own suite of Internet-based services for Mac users, Tenonis iTools were around long before Apple launched its iTools.

You can find more information on iTools 6.1 at Tenonis Web site. This is a public beta release of version 6.1, which will be free to owners of version 6.0.