Configuring an Apache HTTP Server with a Red Hat distro would have been a painful task several releases ago. But with the release of Red Hat 8, getting Apache to play nice is a piece of cake.
The Apache HTTP Server has been graciously updated to version 2.0, and the package has been renamed httpd. You can use the HTTP Configuration Tool to simplify setup. If you've used the tool in earlier versions of Red Hat Linux, you should feel right at home in using the latest version. Your Red Hat manuals can fill you in on the details of migrating from earlier versions.
Previously, you had to contend with the srm.conf and the access.conf configuration files, but now you have to work only with /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf to set up and maintain your system. Just ignore srm.conf and access.conf and leave them empty unless you have some particular reason for using them.
Stick with the GUI
The HTTP Configuration Tool offers a graphical user interface that makes it easy to configure the httpd.conf file for the Apache Server. It allows you to configure directives such as virtual hosts, logging attributes, and the maximum number of connections, among other things. To access the tool, click on the Main menu and select Server Settings | HTTP Server. You can also launch the tool from a shell prompt by typing redhat-config-httpd.
Configuration overview
To begin the configuration for the first time, you'll use the basic settings in the Main tab, shown in Figure A. The Virtual Hosts tab lets you configure the default virtual host. If you want to serve more than one URL or virtual host, you can use this tab to add more. The Server tab enables you to make any desired changes or additions to your server configuration. And in the Performance Tuning tab, you can configure the connections settings.
Before saving your settings, you should consult the Red Hat Linux 8.0 Official Red Hat Linux Customisation Guide. There are a number of issues covered there that may apply to your particular situation. Once you are satisfied that everything is correct, you can save your settings using the HTTP Configuration Tool.
| Figure A |
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| Basic settings |
Don’t overlook these important settings
Although the HTTP Configuration Tool makes configuring Apache much easier than it used to be, it's still possible to overlook important settings. To avoid having to search for and correct mistakes later, take your time and check your settings twice before saving them. Remember that the tool is “directive driven,” which gives you a lot of control over how the system is set up.
For example, in the Main tab, you must enter a fully qualified domain name (you have the legal right to use it) in the Server Name text box. Whatever name you enter corresponds to the ServerName directive in httpd.conf. Of course, the ServerName directive simply sets the hostname of the Web server. If you don’t define a server name, the Web server will attempt to assign one from the IP address of the system. You have some flexibility here. You can name your server www.dallas_domain.com, for example, even if your server’s real DNS name is something like foo.liz_domain.com.
Let's take a look at some of the key settings on each tab in the HTTP Configuration Tool.
