From errors to stats

Building on the work I did on the error handler, I've revamped my "Visitor Information System" (VIS), completely. Since I already use a core set of functions, including these new VIS functions is not difficult. I've completed the work on the live monitor which shows me exactly who is visiting and where they are in my site. The next steps are

• Write session information to a sql database
  • -- design the database (grin)
  • -- create the database
  • -- create the stored procedures for inserts and reporting.
• Take it from session to page level reporting updating the live session record but also inserting each request into the table.
• Create management functions for management, reporting and analysis.
• Create a related table with the domain name and IP address whois information. (This is slick because it will allow me to see who, what, where and when. I'll get the data from two or three sources and it's intended to auto populate based on traffic. It's a private function for me and my clients.)
• Build an administrative feature that will use the statistics and the whois information to grant or reject access. This is good for denial of service attacks, website abusive users as well as psycho freaks who use the site for stalking and harassment of me, my clients, my friends or the site users.
• Auto report feature that will write reports to the server but also email the report to a selected list of recipients.

Since I'm using an application level object for my session info, it's much easier to call and edit these values on the fly. I just complete the session purge which looks for an elapsed time and then removes the record from the application object. I'm currently working on a sub that will insert the record into a database table before it's deleted.

This is all part of the groundwork for the business portal I'm working on. I've got to be able to report statistics, but this is much deeper because it will also handle customization and authentication as well. Using the same concepts, I'll be able to make the site very easy for users to navigate and offer special features for registered users as well as website contributors, editors, sponsors and managers.

VIS will also aid in the custom blog application as well as sub website management. I'm really excited about this server side application and all the ways it will help me continue create world class websites that help my customers communicate their uniqueness with style and grace.

Tag/Topic website development visitor statistics sessions database SQL ASP