Apache HTTP Server

Apache HTTP Server, Apache is the name given to the most common modular platform Web server (also open source working group that created, developed and updated the server software), in capable of operating from UNIX operating systems-Linux and Microsoft.

Apache is a software that performs the functions of transmission of information, and internetwork connection, has the advantage of also monitoring functions for security such as that in the proxy.

The Apache project began in 1995. At that time, the Web server was the most widespread public HTTP daemon developed by Rob McCool at NCSA (National Center for Supercomputing Applications), University of Illinois.

However, since from 1994 the development of this server had stopped (because the author had left NCSA) a group of webmasters had begun to develop patches independently.

It was created a mailing list and toward the end of February 1995 was constituted the first working group dell’Apache Group. Eight people (Brian Behlendorf, Roy T. Fielding, Rob Hartill, David Robinson, Cliff Skolnick, Randy Terbush, Robert S. Thau, Andrew Wilson) took as its starting point the version 1.3 of the NCSA HTTP daemon and added a series of patches and corrections. The first public release of Apache, the 0.6.2, was released in April 1995.

The name Apache, according to legend, derives from the fact that initially the server was simply a collection of patches to be applied to the NCSA server. Named friendly “to patchy server” would be born Apache. In fact, the name was chosen in honor of the Apache tribe of Native Americans, as reported frequently asked questions on the official website of the project. A new server architecture was built shortly after the version 0.8.8 that was given the code name of Shambala.

Version 1.0 was published on 1 December 1995. Within a year, its circulation had already exceeded that of the NCSA server from which it was derived. Version 2.0 of Apache was released during the ApacheCon conference, held in March 2000 in Orlando, Florida. The great success of dissemination of this software is the clearest indication of the quality and reliability of this product.

Operationally, it consists of a daemon on UNIX or by a service in a Microsoft environment, which according to the settings in the httpd.conf configuration file allows access to one or more sites, to handle various security features and could accommodate several extensions to active pages (or dynamic), such as PHP or Jakarta / Tomcat.

Apache Architecture

The Web Server Apache has a modular architecture, so that any request from the client’s specific functions are performed by each module of which is composed, as independent units. Each module deals with a feature, and control is managed by the core.

Modules:

Core: main program consists of a series of sequential calls to the modules.
Translation translates the client request
Acces Control: Monitor any requests harmful
MIME Type: verify the content type
Response: send the reply to the client and any active procedures
Logging: keeps track of everything that has been done

The core divides the application with various modules in a sequential manner, using the output of a module as access parameters for the other, thus creating the illusion of a horizontal communication between modules (Pipeline software). Over the course of the core there is a further round of polling done by a Demon (computer) that continuously interrogates the lines from which they can reach logical request messages.

Configuring apache

Httpd.conf

Server administrators can use the httpd.conf file, which on Unix systems is usually put under / etc / httpd / conf, and on Windows systems is located in the conf subdirectory of the directory to install apache. This file provides all the freedom offered by the server, then add modules, extensions, new mime-type and more. For example if you wanted to add a module should use this syntax:
LoadModule module_name path_to_file

Configuration file .Htaccess

.Htaccess (dot-HTaccess) file allows further customization of your web server to the directory level. It is used especially in shared hosting, to change the standard settings provided by the server itself.

Study: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons

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