Session 5: Apache Web Server

OVERVIEW
Apache Web Server

Apache offers compression methods the help reduce the size or weight of web pages served over HTTP. Also, it supports pass authentication, digital certificate authentication, graphical user interface (GUI), and virtual hosting. Apache's goal is not to be the fastest web server, but to have a high performance as a web server.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

The goal of the activity is to research on how to successfully install and configure Apache to the computer, and the configuration files it has. After the installation and configuration, the computer should display a webpage that says "It works" when accessed using localhost.

GUIDES IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM

Installation and Configuration of Apache

Process in installing and configuring Apache:

1. Installation begins by simply downloading a version of Apache at apache.org.

2. The downloaded version is in the form of .tar.gz, so we needed to extract it.

                   $ gzip -d httpd-NN.tar.gz

                   $ tar xvf httpd-NN.tar

 (*Note: NN must be replaced by the version number of the Apache you've downloaded.)

After the extraction, the current directory must be set to where the Apache source code is before proceeding to the compiling of the server.

*[In the laboratory, I used the $ sudo apt-get install apache2 command to install Apache]

3. To configure Apache, type $ ./configure --prefix=PREFIX. PREFIX must be replaced with the file system path where the server should be installed. The default path is /usr/local/apache2 if PREFIX is not specified.

4. To build different modules of Apache package, use $ make.

5. To install package under the configured installation PREFIX, use $ make install.

Installation of Apache

6. After the installation, and configuration, try to access he default web page of the server. Use the localhost to access this page. The web page should say "It works!" like the screenshot below. It means that the installation of Apache is successful.

It Works! Installation Successful

7. And to test if Apache is running, use this command:
               $sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 start

Starting Apache

Apache Configuration Files

The configuration files can be found at /etc/apache2.

Some of the configuration files are as follows:

- apache2.conf : It is the main Apache2 configuration file. It contains the settings that are global to Apache2.

- httpd.conf : Historically, it is the main Apache2 configuration file, named after the httpd daemon. Now the file is typically empty, as most configuration option has been moved to some directories. The file can be used for user specific configuration options that globally affect Apache2.

- ports.conf : It contains the directories that determine which TCP ports Apache2 is listening on.

[Reference: https://help.ubuntu.com/lts/serverguide/httpd.html]

LEARNING AND INSIGHTS
Basically, the installation of the Apache in the laboratory is too slow, maybe because of the internet connection is too slow, which is needed to download necessary files.


CONCLUSION
The necessary requirements in this activity is met. The research on Apache helps  a lot on its installation and configuration process.