Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Administration Unleashed

Configuring the Server 329FIGURE 15.1Allowing HTTP RequestsConfiguring the ServerTo configure a Red Hat Enterprise Linux system as a web server, the httpd RPM packagemust be installed. If it is not installed, use Red Hat Network to install it (refer to Chapter3, “Operating System Updates”).15The main configuration file used by the web server is /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf. It is aplain text file that can be edited with a simple text editor such as Emacs or Vi. Refer toChapter 4, “Understanding Linux Concepts,” for more information on using these texteditors.NOTERed Hat Enterprise Linux includes version 2.2 of the Apache HTTP server. Whenconsulting any documentation, make sure it is for version 2.2 because directives canchange from version to version. To determine what version you have installed, executethe command rpm -q httpd on the command line.The configuration options in the /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf configuration file arecalled directives. The file is divided into three main parts, or sets of directives:. Global configuration options for the server process. Main server options, which are also defaults for the virtual hosts. Virtual host definitions