Configuring an Ubuntu Linux Based Web Server
It is surprising the number of people who now host their own web sites. One ofthe reasons for this is that doing so is now relatively easy. Linux also provides a free, enterprise level operating system with everything needed to create a web server for free (with the excpetion of the hardware of course).
In this chapter we will explain how to configure an Ubuntu Linux system to act as a web server.
Requirements for Configuring a Web Server
To set up your own web site you need a computer, an operating system, a web server, a domain name, a name server and an IP address.
The computer can be any system that it capabable of running Linux. In terms of an operating system we will assume you are using Ubuntu Linux. Ubuntu Linux supports the Apache web server which can easily be installed once Ubuntu is up and running. A domain name can be registered with any domain name registration service.
If your ISP provides static IP addresses then you will need to associate your domain with your static IP address. This is achieved using a name server. Some domain registration services will provide this service for you. If yours does not you can create a free account at http://www.zoneedit.com.
If you do not have a static IP address (i.e. your ISP provides you with a dynamic address which changes frequently )then you can use a free service which maps your dynamic address to your domain name. One such service is provided by http://www.dnsExit.com.
Once you have your domain name and your name server configured the next step is install and configure your web server.
Installing the Apache Web Server on Ubuntu Linux
The standard web server on Linux is Apache. The web server is the technology that receives requests from web browsers and servers up the requested web pages to those browsers.
The desktop version of Ubuntu Linux does not install the Apache web server by default. The first step in setting up a web server, therefore, is to install Apache. This can be performed either from the command-line or using the Synaptic Package Manager. To use the Synaptic Package Manager, click on the System menu, select Administration and and click on Synaptic Package Manager. Enter your password if prompted to do so. Click on the Search toolbar button and search for apache2. After the search complete the Apache 2 Server should be listed in the Synaptic window. Click on the toggle next to the Apache server and select Mark for installation. Finally, click on Apply in the toolbar to begin the installation.
To install Apache from the command-line start a terminal window (Applications->System Tools->Konsole) and run the following command at the command prompt:
sudo apt-get install apache2
