Configuration and Implementation of Apache Webserver on Ubuntu

Introduction

Apache HTTP Server, commonly referred to as Apache, is one of the most widely used open-source
web server software solutions. Apache serves web content using the HTTP protocol and is known for
its flexibility, performance, and ease of configuration. This assignment covers the detailed process of
configuring and implementing Apache Webserver on an Ubuntu system. We will cover installation,
configuration, file management, security considerations, and how to serve static and dynamic content
through Apache.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

1. A working Ubuntu system (Ubuntu 20.04 or later).

2. A user with sudo privileges.

3. Access to the internet for installing packages and updates.

Step 1: Update the System

The first step in setting up any new server is to update the system's package index and installed
software to ensure that the latest updates and security patches are applied.

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Apache Web Server

Ubuntu's default package manager, apt, makes it easy to install Apache. To install Apache, run the
following command:

sudo apt install apache2 -y

After installation, Apache should start automatically. You can verify the status of the service by
running:

sudo systemctl status apache2

If Apache is not running, start it using:

sudo systemctl start apache2

To ensure Apache starts on boot, enable the service with:

sudo systemctl enable apache2

Step 3: Verify Apache Installation

Once Apache is installed, you can verify that it is working by accessing the server's IP address from a
web browser. Open a web browser and enter the IP address of your server, for example:

http://your_server_ip
You should see the default Apache2 Ubuntu Default Page, indicating that the Apache web server is
correctly installed and running.

Step 4: Basic Configuration of Apache Web Server

Apache’s main configuration file is located at /etc/apache2/apache2.conf, but it is often more practical
to modify specific virtual hosts or directory settings.

1. Configure Apache to Listen on Different Ports (Optional):

By default, Apache listens on port 80 for HTTP requests. If you need to change the port (for example,
to run it alongside another service), modify the ports.conf file.

sudo nano /etc/apache2/ports.conf

Add or modify the following line:

Listen 8080

Restart Apache to apply the change:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Now, Apache will listen on port 8080 in addition to port 80. You can access the server at
http://your_server_ip:8080.

2. Configuring Virtual Hosts:

Virtual hosts allow Apache to serve different websites based on the domain name or IP address. The
default virtual host configuration is located in /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf.

To configure a new virtual host:

o Create a new configuration file in the /etc/apache2/sites-available/ directory:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/example.com.conf

o Add the following basic configuration:

<VirtualHost *:80>

ServerAdmin [email protected]

ServerName example.com

DocumentRoot /var/www/example.com

ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log

CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined

</VirtualHost>

o Create the document root directory:

sudo mkdir -p /var/www/example.com

o Set appropriate permissions for the directory:

o Enable the new site configuration and restart Apache:

sudo a2ensite example.com.conf

sudo systemctl restart apache2

o Update your DNS or /etc/hosts file to point example.com to your server's IP address.

3. Modifying Directory Permissions (Optional):

Apache, by default, restricts access to files in certain directories for security purposes. You can modify
the permissions for a specific directory by editing the virtual host configuration.

Example:

<Directory /var/www/example.com>

AllowOverride All

Require all granted

</Directory>

This allows .htaccess files for configuration and provides unrestricted access to the directory.

4. Enable Mod_Rewrite (Optional):

Apache’s mod_rewrite module enables URL rewriting, which is helpful for SEO and dynamic content
management. To enable it:

sudo a2enmod rewrite

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 5: Managing Static and Dynamic Content

1. Serving Static Content:

Apache is primarily used for serving static content such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and images. Place
these files in the document root directory for your virtual host (e.g., /var/www/example.com), and
they will be served directly when accessed via the web browser.

2. Serving Dynamic Content:

Apache also supports dynamic content such as PHP scripts. To enable PHP, you need to install the
necessary PHP module for Apache:

sudo apt install php libapache2-mod-php -y

Once installed, restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

You can now create a PHP file in your document root directory:

sudo nano /var/www/example.com/index.php

<?php

phpinfo();

?>

Access this script via http://example.com, and you should see the PHP info page.

Step 6: Security Considerations

1. Disabling Directory Listing:

By default, Apache may allow directory listings if there is no index file (like index.html or index.php)
in a directory. To disable this:

o Edit the configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/apache2.conf

o Find and comment out the following line:

Options Indexes FollowSymLinks

o Restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

2. Configuring Firewall:

If you're using ufw (Uncomplicated Firewall), you’ll need to allow HTTP and HTTPS traffic:

sudo ufw allow 'Apache Full'

sudo ufw enable

To check the status of the firewall:

sudo ufw status

3. SSL/TLS Encryption (HTTPS):

To secure your website with HTTPS, you can install an SSL certificate. The easiest way to obtain and
install an SSL certificate is by using Let’s Encrypt:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache -y

sudo certbot --apache

This will automatically obtain and install a free SSL certificate, and configure Apache to use HTTPS.

Step 7: Monitoring and Logs

Apache logs information about its activity, including errors, access requests, and other operational
data. These logs are located in:

• Access logs: /var/log/apache2/access.log

You can use tools like tail to monitor log files:

sudo tail -f /var/log/apache2/access.log

Step 8: Restarting Apache

Any time you make changes to the Apache configuration, it’s essential to restart the Apache service
for the changes to take effect:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Conclusion

Thus, we have configured and implemented an Apache Webserver on Ubuntu. This web server can
now serve both static and dynamic content securely, and the configuration can be further extended
for performance and security optimizations. Apache’s flexibility allows it to be used for various use
cases, from simple static websites to complex, dynamic, and secure applications.