HTTP: Configure an Apache webserver.

Installation

Install the “Web Server” package group:

# yum groupinstall -y "Web server"

Add a new rule to the firewall:

# iptables -I INPUT -m state --state NEW -m tcp -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT

Save the firewall configuration:

# service iptables save

Activate the httpd service at boot:

# chkconfig httpd on

Start the httpd service:

# service httpd start

Basic configuration

In the /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf fil, several directives should be set:

• ServerName should receive the FQDN (Full Qualified Domain Name) of your server and the port number used (normally 80),
• ServerAdmin should contain the email address where all problems should be sent (default: root@localhost),
• Listen should receive the IP address and port number on which the Apache webserver is listening (default: all IP addresses, represented by the 0.0.0.0 value, and the port number 80),
• DocumentRoot should define the root directory of your documents (default: /var/www/html).

Note: Be careful when changing the DocumentRoot value, the <Directory “/var/www/html”> directive needs to be updated with the same value and the httpd_sys_content_t SELinux context assigned to the new root directory (see Deploy a basic CGI application for details).

Check the validity of the /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf file:

# httpd -t
Syntax OK

or:

# service httpd configtest
Syntax OK

Restart the httpd service:

# service httpd restart

Configuration test

Check the httpd service:

# yum install -y elinks
# elinks http://localhost