Apache Web Server Administration (3 day)

Course Overview

Providing web server solutions with Apache web server

Apache is the most widely used web server and is often used with UNIX and Linux servers to provide web services. More and more pressure is being put on web servers as applications are migrated to use a web interface and back-end systems are hooked up to web sites. It becomes increasingly important therefore to ensure their efficiency and reliability of these systems and a key factor is the web server itself. The skills and knowledge of your web technical support staff is therefore a critical factor in the move to web-fronted applications.

This course approaches the subject from the ground up. Delegates will start with a working UNIX or Linux machine and build and install an Apache web server. Using practical hands-on exercises, delegates will learn how to configure and test the Apache system and ensure it is functioning correctly by analysing log files.

When it comes to web applications, most Apache systems are based on Common Gateway Interface (CGI) and delegates will learn the administrative aspects of installing and configuring this web application hosting system.

Audience

Web administrators, technical support and help desk staff who will be responsible for designing, implementing and maintaining web servers using the Apache product. Project leaders, web developers and systems architects working with Apache-based projects will also benefit.

Skills Gained

This course will enable delegates to:

• List Apache component programs and files.
• Understand the architecture of Apache.
• Build and install Apache server.
• Edit Apache configuration files.
• Administer virtual hosts.
• Analyse server usage from log files.
• Track errors on the server.
• Install and configure CGI.
• Implement Perl scripts.
• Implement secure authentication methods.
• Use Apache proxy to control access.
• Implement caching.
• Use Apache for Windows.

Prerequisites

UNIX Systems Administration(USA)UNIX Shell Programming(SHP)

Course Outline

• Apache Architecture and Internet Refresher
• Architecture and features.
• Internet refresher.
• Installation and Configuration
• Installation
• Directory structure.
• File and directory permissions.
• Basic configuration.
• Running Apache.
• Configuration files and file syntax.
• Core module directives.
• Adding modules.
• Virtual Hosts and Administration
• Virtual hosts.
• SSI, URL rewriting, indexes, imagemaps.
• Status and logging .
• Configuration information.
• Access log.
• Error log.
• User tracking.
• Common Gateway Interface
• Perl.
• Data types, variables, and operators.
• Arrays and hashes, control statements.
• Processes.
• User functions.
• Input/output.
• File and directory operations.
• CGI and Perl.
• Configuring Apache for CGI.
• CGI examples, style, alternatives.
• suEXEC.
• Authentication
• Basic authentication.
• Secure socket layer.
• Firewalls, Proxies, Apache for Windows
• Firewalls and firewall architecture.
• Apache proxy.
• Proxy directives.
• Caching directives.
• Configuring browsers.
• Apache for Windows.