Masim Sugianto: Apache Web Server & Virtual Host on openSUSE : Part 1

Apache Web Server maybe one of such popular server application and those are so many articles describes an implementation how to & Apache Web Server tutorial on openSUSE. Even with so many tutorial regarding Apache and virtual host on openSUSE, I’m going to mad for about 2 days finding why Apache virtual host doesn’t work as it should be.

The problem maybe related to my fault but I don’t want any openSUSE fans going to be mad for about a days only for setup Virtual Host on openSUSE . Another reason why I writing the tutorial is because I must preparing a good tutorial for Indonesian openSUSE monthly meeting next Saturday.

Tutorial will be divided into 3 part. Initial part is about Apache installation and simple setup to make “it Works !”. The second part will describe about virtual host setup using text configuration and the third part will describe graphical method, an implementation of YAST2 Web Server for setting up Apache and virtual host. Let’s move on the part 1 : Installing and simple configuration

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INSTALLATION

Installation using YAST

Open YAST | Software | Software Management
Change the Filter choice from Search to Patterns
Scroll down the option and choose Server Functions
Thick down Web and LAMP Server
Click Accept and follow the installation wizard

Installation using Konsole/Terminal

Open Konsole / Terminal (ALT+F2, konsole)
Run the following command:

zypper in -t pattern lamp_server

Simple Configuration

Running the Service

Open YAST | System | System Services (Runlevel)
Find the service name : Apache2
Click start and Enable
we would also activating and running the service using konsole by running this command from konsole :

chkconfig --add apache2
chkconfig apache2 on
service apache2 restart

Activating Index File

For security reason, openSUSE disabling unindexed folder. If we try to browse the folder without index.html, it will shocked us with error message “Access Forbidden”. We may add the index file (e.g : index.php) into Apache configuration or change the index behaviouras describe below :

Open file /etc/apache2/server-default.conf
Go to the position of DocumentRoot configuration (see below)

#
# Configure the DocumentRoot
#
<Directory "/srv/www/htdocs">
# Possible values for the Options directive are "None", "All",
# or any combination of:
#   Indexes Includes FollowSymLinks SymLinksifOwnerMatch ExecCGI MultiViews
#
# Note that "MultiViews" must be named *explicitly* --- "Options All"
# doesn't give it to you.
#
# The Options directive is both complicated and important.  Please see
# http://httpd.apache.org/docs-2.2/mod/core.html#options
# for more information.
Options None
# AllowOverride controls what directives may be placed in .htaccess files.
# It can be "All", "None", or any combination of the keywords:
#   Options FileInfo AuthConfig Limit
AllowOverride None
# Controls who can get stuff from this server.
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</Directory>

Change Options None into Options All. We may also using another option (Includes FollowSymLinks SymLinksifOwnerMatch ExecCGI MultiViews). Please refer to http://httpd.apache.org/docs-2.2/mod/core.html#options for further information
Restart Apache

service apache2 restart

Testing the Web Server

Open your browser
Type this address : http://ip-address-web-server or http://hostname or http://localhost (The last option will only be used on your local computer). Contoh : http://192.168.100.1 atau http://vavai.vavai.com
If you get the nice information It Works! then you passed the first part of Apache setting

Note

openSUSE used /srv/www/htdocs as default home folder
Apache configuration could be found at /etc/apache2
If you used Firewall, make an exceptin for port 80 unless you used another port. Port 80 is a standar port for Apache Web Server