virtual-hosting-in-linux

Virtual hosting in Red Hat (or any Linux-based system) refers to hosting multiple websites or domains on a single server. This can be achieved using Apache HTTP Server (commonly known as Apache) or NGINX. Below is a guide to set up virtual hosting in Apache on a Red Hat-based system like RHEL.

Steps to Set Up Virtual Hosting in Apache on Red Hat:

1. Install Apache

Ensure Apache is installed on your RHEL system. If not, install it using:

2. Enable and Start Apache

Enable and start the Apache service to ensure it runs at startup.

3. Configure the Virtual Host Files

Apache uses virtual host configuration files to manage multiple sites.

Example Configuration for Two Sites:

• Create directories for the websites:

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• Set permissions:

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• Add test content:

Site1

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Site2

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• Create virtual host configuration files: Virtual host files are stored in /etc/httpd/conf.d/.

Virtual Host : Create a file named vhost.conf

Add the following configuration:

4. Update the hosts File (For Testing Locally)

To test locally without DNS setup, update the /etc/hosts file:

Add entries for your test domains:

5. Restart Apache

After making these changes, restart Apache to apply the configurations:

6. Test the Configuration

Open a web browser and navigate to:

• http://site1.local.com → Should display "Welcome to Site 1."

• http://site2.local.com → Should display "Welcome to Site 2."

Troubleshooting Tips

• Check Apache Syntax: Before restarting Apache, check for configuration errors:

• Check Logs: If there are issues, check the Apache logs for errors:

  sudo tail -f /var/log/httpd/error_log
  

• Firewall Configuration: Ensure the firewall allows HTTP traffic:

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This setup enables you to host multiple websites on a single Red Hat server using Apache.