This lesson will identify the procedures necessary to implement a simple Web server using Apache.   The student has developed some sound System Administration skills that will be utilized in this exercies.  Tasks can be performed in whatever manner feels most comfortable to the adminstrator.  The choices one has are the good ole command line, linuxconf, webmin and/or just a GUI based text editor for changing configuration files.

The Apache Web Server

The setup process for a Web Server is covered in Chapter 21 of your textbook.   It is recommneded that you refer to this or your instructor whenever questions occur.

• Identify the packages and install them.  Use the path Main Menu --> System Settings --> Add/Remove Applications.  For you command line guru's, mount the CD and search it for the appropriate packages.  Once the package names are identified, they can be installed using the rpm command for each package.
• redhat-config-httpd
• httpd-devel
  
• httpd
  
• httpd-manual

• The Web server is an independent service and is not controlled by the xinetd daemon.  This can be confirmed by viewing the contents of the /etc/xinetd.d directory.
• Did you find a httpd file in  /etc/xinetd.d/ ?
• The newer version of the Apache server has only one configuration file.  It's located in /etc/httpd/conf and is
• httpd.conf
• Change the following in the httpd.conf file
• ServerName: Put your server name here
• DocumentRoot:  This is the directory where your website will be located.  Default is /var/www/html.
• <Directory "/var/www/html">  This pathname must match what you declare in the DocumentRoot declaration.
• Configure the following
• httpd to start on boot.  
• Main Menu --> System Settings --> Server Settings --> Services.
• Type 'ntsysv' at the command line.
  
• Start the httpd service
• Main Menu --> System Settings --> Server Settings --> Services.
• /etc/rc.d/init.d/httpd start.
  
• See if you can go to your website.  In your favorite browser, type;   http://your_IP/  or   http://localhost/.
• Did you see a test page?
• Try making a simple web page and save it as index.html in your DocumentRoot directory.  Netscape has a Composer that creates straightforward simple web pages.
• Have someone else hit your web site.  Can they see your individual web page?

• For additional configuration details, refer to Chapter 21 of your textbook, Chapter 19 and 20 of the Redhat Customization Guide and/or Chapter 10 of the Redhat Reference Guide.