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Project: Linux  Howtos
Comanche: For a feel of Apache
By Anurag Phadke <cbca@rediffmail.com>
Posted: ( 2001-07-24 09:11:40 EST by )
Here's a howto for using the Comanche, the tool for configuring Apache. According to the author it is a stepping stone towards a good GUI based utility.
Apache is undoubtedly the best server serving the Internet. With more than 40 percent market share in the "Web server" arena, it stands out to be the most preferred server. Years of coding have yielded ripe fruits in the form of simple configuration files along with its small 2.5 MB size. And with more and more people embracing Linux the server's popularity is increasing.
The prime deterrent for adopting Linux is its perceived reputation of it being the OS for Geeks. Also it is a fact that the core functionality of Linux lies in the shell command and scripting and most people suffer from what is known as "shell-o-phobia." But all this is slowing changing and with many people considering Linux as their OS, GUI-based tools are being showered off on the Web. The latest addition to it, is COMANCHE, a graphical based tool for configuring Apache.
What's in a name?
COMANCHE stands for COnfiguration MANager for apaCHE. Being developed by Covalent Technologies, the latest version 3.0b offers a lot of features, all available via the click of mouse. Literally speaking, Comanche has two different dictionary meanings:
1. A member of an American Indian people ranging from Wyoming and Nebraska south into New Mexico and northwestern Texas
2. The Uto-Aztecan language of the Comanche people
Installation and configuration
Comanche can be downloaded from the developers site at www.covalent.net/projects/comanche/. Since it is available for platforms ranging from HP-Solaris to UNIX to Windows, download the file that matches your OS. In this case, we have downloaded "comanche3.0b4-x86-linux-glibc2.tar.gz" for Linux. After downloading the file, execute the following commands on your shell:
# mkdir /comanche/ -- 'makes a directory with the name /comanche
# cp /filename/ /comanche -- 'copies the file into the newly created /comanche directory
# tar -zxvf filename -- 'untars the comanche file
The setup will create a separate directory with the name "comanche3-0b4" in the /comanche directory. Change to the newly created directory.
At the shell prompt type:
# ./comanche3.0b4
This will invoke the GUI based Comanche tool. To start your GUI based setup, press the command box named "Comanche'. Though Comanche is a separate configuration tool, the developers prefer calling it a "plug-in" and we shall therefore stick to the same acronym.
Now, click on the "New Apache Installation". A unique name such as "My Apache" can be given for the Apache installation that you are doing. The plugin then requires to know the type of installation that you are planning to make. If you have selected to install "Apache" during the time you setup your OS, then "Use the one bundled with my system" option should be selected with the appropriate Distro. The more dare devil user who has installed Apache on his/her own, needs to give the locations of his/her "httpd.conf" and other binaries. The third option for non-standard locations can be used if you happen to have installed the configuration files in an altogether different location, spread out haphazardly in various locations.
However we strongly recommend you to re-install "Apache" in one of the default locations. Since Apache is meant for a highly responsible job, common locations will save you from high caffeine dose and prevent headaches in difficult times.
Here, we assume that you have custom installed Apache in the /apache directory. Under these circumstances, the files should be installed at the following locations:
Apache Executable : /apache/bin/httpd
Config File (httpd.conf) : /apache/conf/httpd.conf
Server Root Directory : /apache/
Library Modules(libexec) : /apache/libexec
Some people prefer to use customized startup commands for apache. Under such cases, press "Edit" and enter the full path and script name. On our machine, we use the following command to start our Apache Server.
./etc/init.d/httpd start
The location and initialization command varies from machine to machine and so the above one should be taken as an example and not as a standard command. Press "Next", if everything is installed properly in right space, you will be congratulated and ready to administer your Web server.
And now, configuring the main Website. To avoid too long an article and to prevent you from falling asleep, we keep the discussion restricted only to the main points. You can explore it in extreme detail by looking up at the "docs" file. Click on the default Website properties. In the basic configuration, enter the location for your Document Root Directory, /apache/htdocs, in this case. For the Web server identity, we presume that you have made an entry for it in the "DNS Lookup Table" in "Linuxconf". Make the same entry over here. Also put an e-mail id wherein all the error messages can be sent at. Port 80 is the normal port to listen to for "http" connections, and use the "All available addresses" option for "Address to bind the server". Specify an unique location for maintaining the log files.
Modules are small programs that facilitate and simplify the task of a Webmaster. More the number of modules that you have, more happy and satisfied will be your customers. You can download extra modules from CPAN.org, though around 26 modules come with a standard Apache server. But who's complaining when you can have more!
If you plan to use Virtual WebHosting, then Directory aliases will play an important role. As in Virtual Hosting, it's preferred to use separate "cgi-bin" directories for every new host, (else they all mess up with one another) enter the appropriate paths in the Normal Alias section.
Apache JServe settings should be ignored, unless you have installed JServe for Apache. Make changes only to the Host option and change it's name to the one being used by you.
Most people use Apache in intranet too. Under such cases, check mark the "Enable Proxy Requests" option and enter the Default Domain name (normally 127.0.0.1). Using Cache option will efficiently utilize bandwidth and reduce hopping times "to and forth" your Web server.
Malicious activity such as spams, e-mail bombing, hacking activity should not be ruled out. Use the CGI-Settings for this by enabling option for a separate log file that keeps a track on activities occurring in the "cgi-bin" directory.
This shall take care of almost all the options required to configure your Web server. In case of Virtual Hosting, you can achieve the same by clicking on Create a new host. All the configuration process is same and there's even an option to use the same settings as that of your "Main Web Site". There's even an option for "backingup" and "restoring" your current configuration files, just in case someone plays mischief with your server, backup's available at hand.
Conclusion
It should be noted that COMANCHE is not a complete product in itself. Many features such as addition of MIME types, setting up ftp access are not included in COMANCHE. COMANCHE is recommended only to get a feel of what Apache really is. To harness the entire potential of Apache, it is a "must" to know the use of "httpd.conf" file. COMANCHE developers are continuously trying new things in an effort to make it more user friendly. Hope that these small steps lead us to big leaps in the coming future.
Images courtesy www.comanche.org
Other articles by Anurag Phadke
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