HowTo build a web server?

[pmam]

I would like to build a web server – My first intention is to learn how it works, and understand all aspects of this system.
Secondly, I need a web server for my own, and it is a good idea to start with 'Home web server' rather than 'Web hosting company'.
Please advise minimum required hardware – hope I can use, at least for starting, my old machine.
I saw some tutorials of other Linux's dists, like: 'How to set up a safe and secure Web server' -
with a simple step by step instructions - Is there something similar of Gentoo?

In general – as a comparison to other Linux dists, from web server aspect–
Of course that Gentoo is my preferable one, as I like it and enjoy your nice support -
but what are Gentoo's advantages? Is it really the right choice for web server?
Sorry for be a little skeptic - I have this nature regarding technical issues from time to time
_________________
“You can take our property, our sweet homes, even our cloths...
But don't touch the streets, Ah, That's NO, NO, NO!
The streets are our @world's compilable kernel ...”

[charles17]

Have you looked in gentoo wiki?

[pmam]

charles17,

Yes I saw it but as doing it for the first time, without previous experiment,
I need some background info and step by step instructions.
The name of the WIKI confused me since Apache is one part - really main part - so I thought there is more comprehensive WIKI...
But if you advise me that I can go with this WIKI, and it contains the whole process from the bottom to the entire web-server, I will go a head.

Thanks
_________________
“You can take our property, our sweet homes, even our cloths...
But don't touch the streets, Ah, That's NO, NO, NO!
The streets are our @world's compilable kernel ...”

[charles17]

It's almost the same as installing Apache on any other OS.
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/install.html

In fact, Apache might turn out your main reason for running Gentoo.

When I started learning html I soon needed a local web server for testing. But installing Apache on a laptop with Windws ME wasn't really funny. Then I've heard about linux and bought my first Suse linux. Apache was already on the installation CD. It worked well and I could check and learn much about http and html. But on progress I stuck and people told me I'd have to recompile my apache with some additional module(s).
Getting the compiler and compilig something on Suse linux? Even less fun than Windows ME.
Than I came accross distrowatch mentioning Gentoo, and soon every "recomplie your Apache with other module" became so easy ...

[pmam]

Dear charles17,

You do not know how much your reply is really encouraging me to continue
and set up Gentoo's web server! I quite hesitated before putting this question here in Gentoo's forum-
One could see it as a non-piloting manner... But sometimes we need to do it in order to be better, the best...

Thanks for sharing with us your experience
_________________
“You can take our property, our sweet homes, even our cloths...
But don't touch the streets, Ah, That's NO, NO, NO!
The streets are our @world's compilable kernel ...”

[pmam]

I follow the default USE flags in wiki apche - except of ldap that is in use already in my system -
and I see ldap in red color (active) in the list prior emergeing.
so in total only two USE flags are active: ssl, ldap - Please advise if ok?

[charles17]

[NeddySeagoon]

pmam,

Start off by asking yourself where is your content going to come from?
Who will the site serve?
If its on the big bad internet, you will need a static public IP or a domain name or both.
Look at no-ip and similar services.

The more complex the facilities, the harder you need to work to secure it, or to put it another way, the wider you open the window, the more the dirt blows in.
If you only need to serve staic web pages a very basic install will do.
To serve your users /home/<username>/public.html directories, you have to word a bit harder. Thats like dev.gentoo.org/~neddyseagoon

To serve dynamic content from a database you need cgi support.

Keep it simple to start with.

[khayyam]

[pmam]

NeddySeagoon,

To ask the right questions is an essential step...
Not sure I well understand your questions, but I will try to:

[szatox]

[NeddySeagoon]

pmam,

Do not use telnet. Its not safe on an internet facing box. Passwords are sent in clear text.
Set up ssh with root logins disabled. Better yet, set up ssh with key based authentication only. No passwords.
You will get a lot of 'script kiddies' attacking your site. Don't invite them in.

Static pages can be written with a text editor. There are no scripts anywhere.
This closes off one attack vector.
Dynamic content means the server assembles the pages it serves somehow. The scripting mechanism can be attacked.

Browse http://bloodnoc.org/ to see the "It works". My virtual hosts are in a mess, so the site is not working properly.
I don't actually use the main site at all. Its all sub domains and users public.html directories. I probably won't fix it until the weekend.

dev.gentoo.org/~neddyseagoon is all static. Well thats not quite true
Some of the documents are written in Gentoos version of XML (GuideXML).
That would still be considered static as pages are not compiled in direct response to requests. They are rendered into html.

/etc/apache2/httpd.conf is correct. Feel free to fix the wiki

The file /var/www/localhost/htdocs/index.html is what the default install of Apache serves.
The idea is that you put your content here and remove or rewrite the index page.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

[aahjnnot]

[pmam]

NeddySeagoon,

[szatox]

[NeddySeagoon]

pmam,

Gentoo sets up Apache with a default virtual host that serves the main site.

If the file /var/www/localhost/htdocs/index.html exists it will served to visitors. Thats the It Work!, until you change it.
If you delete /var/www/localhost/htdocs/index.html and put some files or directories in /var/www/localhost/htdocs/ Apache will serve a directory listing of /var/www/localhost/htdocs/ , rather like gentoo.org/~neddyseagoon.

http://www.grytpype-thynne.org/ just serves the It works!
http://kernel-seeds.grytpype-thynne.org/ serves the kernel-seeds virtual server from the same server.
Thats a static site.

Try using the "View Page Source" in your web browser.
The first link will show you

[pmam]

szatox & NeddySeagoon,

[aahjnnot]

[NeddySeagoon]

pmam,

First of all, you need some hardware. Unless you only want to view your website at http://localhost, the hardware needs a network interface.
The architechure of the hardware does not matter.

The next layer is an operating system suitable for your hardware. This hides the hardware from your applications, so the applications don't care about the hardware.

The next layer is your applications. You need a web server application here. There are many to choose from, you don't have to choose Apache. Pick one that has the features you need.
Try several.

The Icing on this layer cake is you web content.

Now to help you with some of your choices. First the hardware.
Where will the hardware be located?
How much bandwidth will it have?
How much traffic do you expect to serve?
How much will it all cost?

None of the answers are constants. You will already have considered some constraints. Starting out, its likely to be, home, whatever my home uplink speed is, not much - it has te fit in my home uplink, procurement cost, nothing, as its old redundant hardware, running cost abount 80w, or 2 units of electricity a day, runnitg 24/7. Thats just over 720 units a year.
Its likely that the constraint here is your uplink speed.

The operating system is probably going to be Linux.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

[cwr]

I built a small webserver for someone who wanted to test their site code using a Pentium III
laptop and Ubuntu and lighttpd; I run that server with a static page on my own laptop to serve
documents, and it uses very few resources.

If you want to learn Apache, then run Apache perhaps on more powerful hardware. Otherwise
messing with Lighttpd on some obsolete local hardware is entirely practical.

Will

[pmam]

NeddySeagoon,

Start with one desktop at home with duo2cores and it is ok.
Linux/Gentoo as operating system, and of course that applications do not care...
It could be apache or nginx as khayyam suggested - I need to read and decide - no problem
As you said:' You already have considered some constraints.' - At the moment I am not dealing with bandwidth, traffic and etc -
I want to learn how to build a web server, and see all aspects,but -
Process should be in a way that once having a working web-server, and considering all what you have asked me (bandwidth etc),
then I will be able to switch to the real web-server with minimum changes. If it will required to do it all over again, it is not the best case, however, it will be easier to repeat.

My big X (unknown) is regarding building the content and organize it -
Though it is not under Gentoo's umbrella, please advise some preferable directions -
nice free tools - that help to handle the content issue.

Cwr,

[charles17]

[pmam]

charles17,

Thanks for the important link!

[charles17]

[NeddySeagoon]

pmam,

How easy it is to to move your content depends on what you want to move it to. If you are looking at paid for solutions, in order of complexity there is

1. rent a whole server in a data centre.
2. rent a Virtual Machine on a server in a data centre.
3. rent web hosting.

For 1. you get a whole server, you install it remotely. Its all yours. you get to keep the pieces if it won't boot but defective hardware is replaced.
2. normally does not give you much choice of operating systems. You get root access, so you can install things.
3. You just upload your content and away you go.

Costs for all three vary from free to huge, depending on what you want.

-- Edit ... Check your PM ---
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.