AdminPro is a very powerful CGI program to grant you access to administer the files and folders of a Web site. It allows you to upload, download, rename, delete and change permissions on files and directories. It has the ability to check CGIs online with just two clicks. It can also edit files online, saving you time and resources.
This program has a lot of features. It is very easy to set up and configure, and it offers the power and flexibility that basic FTP clients don't. Plus, it's available from a Web interface so it's easy to use. I wish it had a way to restrict access to specific directories, so that it could be used as a Web interface for Web hosting companies.
Usability
There were some minor usability issues that I came across. The file and directory names default to rename, which was confusing. I wanted to click on the file to download it (or possibly edit it) and click on the directory to change to it. The text on the pages is really small. I ended up hitting Ctrl-+ to be able to read it comfortably.
Security
This program offers a lot of functions to help you administer your Web site. But if a hacker or malicious person got into it, they could delete your entire site in about 5 minutes.
There is security included in the tool - IP blocking. If your machine does not come from the correct IP, they are sent to another Web site telling them access is denied. However, it is possible to masquerade IP addresses. So this security is only somewhat effective. Also this security is turned off by default.
It is also possible to put the program behind a password protected directory structure, but this is not documented, or even suggested in the documentation I saw.
Set Up
This program was very easy to set up and configure. But because of the way my Web server was set up, I had to change some server configurations to get the CGI to work correctly. I don't believe that my setup is common, so this shouldn't affect most people, but if you're not comfortable working in Perl, you might want to consider other options.
The Bottom Line
Most of the issues I had with the software are easy to work around, and if you need an administration console for your Web site, this is a great one.
