Virtual hosting allows you to host multiple websites or domains without having the need to create separate services for every domain. With this approach, you can manage your resources easily and efficiently. If you’ve been using Apache web server, you can set up three types of virtual hosts, which are:
IP-based virtual hosting
In this type of virtual hosting, each domain is assigned a different IP. They can be attached to a single NIC card or multiple NICs.
Name-based virtual hosting
In this type, Apache is configured to recognize the resources and servers using user hostnames. All of the domains use the same IP address. It’s a common hosting type adopted by web hosting companies.
Port-based virtual hosting
Port-based virtual hosting type relies of ports for serving the requested domain. Each domain is assigned to a particular port other than 80. While useful, this method of virtual hosting is not very popular because of the complexity involved while managing.
Setting up Virtual Hosting in Apache
To set up any of the virtual hosting, you need to follow a simple process. First navigate into /etc/httpd/conf/ and uncomment the following line:
Then in the /etc/httpd/conf.d/ path, create a file and name it “filevhost.conf”
Open the file and add the syntax depending on the type of virtual hosting you want to set up:
Name-based Virtual hosting
Port-based Virtual hosting
To verify the virtual configuration syntax, you need to execute the below code:
You should get this output if everything is working as intended:
Virtual Host configuration:
Syntax OK
Or else, you’ll see a warning message.
Next, restart the httpd service by executing this command:
Redirecting URLs using MOD Alias
Apache configuration allows you to redirect one URL to another. For this, you have to open the Apache configuration file and edit the virtual host configuration section.
If the section reads something like this:
The insert the following lines in httpd.confas:
You can also redirect URLs using MOD rewrite. You’d need to enable mod_rewrite. You can check if its enabled by executing the following command:
If so, then it will redirect yourdomainold.html to yourdomainnew.html.
Finally, you can use Apache’s Directory aliasing for redirecting one directory to another. The following example will redirect /usr/local/email to /webmal
Alias /webmail /usr/local/mail
IP-based virtual hosting
In this type of virtual hosting, each domain is assigned a different IP. They can be attached to a single NIC card or multiple NICs.
Name-based virtual hosting
In this type, Apache is configured to recognize the resources and servers using user hostnames. All of the domains use the same IP address. It’s a common hosting type adopted by web hosting companies.
Port-based virtual hosting
Port-based virtual hosting type relies of ports for serving the requested domain. Each domain is assigned to a particular port other than 80. While useful, this method of virtual hosting is not very popular because of the complexity involved while managing.
Setting up Virtual Hosting in Apache
To set up any of the virtual hosting, you need to follow a simple process. First navigate into /etc/httpd/conf/ and uncomment the following line:
Code:
Include /etc/httpd/conf. D/vhosts/*.confOpen the file and add the syntax depending on the type of virtual hosting you want to set up:
- For IP-based virtual hosting
Code:
<VirtualHost 1.2.3.4>
ServerAdmin admin@yourdomain.com
DocumentRoot “/var/www/html/example_1”
ServerNameexample1.com
ServerAlias www. example1.com
ErrorLog “logs example1/error_log”
CustomLog “logs/example1/access_log” common
</VirtualHost>
<VirtualHost 1.2.3.5>
ServerAdmin admin@yourdomain.com
DocumentRoot “/var/www/html/example_2”
ServerNameexample2.com
ServerAlias www. example1.com
ErrorLog “logs/ example2/error_log”
CustomLog “logs/ example2/access_log” common
</VirtualHost>
Code:
NameVirtualHost *:80
<VirtualHost*:80>
ServerAdmin admin@yourdomain.com
Document Root “/var/www/html/example_1”
ServerNameexample1.com
ServerAlias www. example1.com
ErrorLog “logs example1/error_log”
CustomLog “logs/example1/access_log” common
</VirtualHost>
<VirtualHost*:80>
ServerAdmin admin@yourdomain.com
DocumentRoot “/var/www/html/example_2”
ServerNameexample2.com
ServerAlias www. example2.com
ErrorLog “logs/ example2/error_log”
CustomLog “logs/ example2/access_log” common
</VirtualHost>
Code:
Listen 80
Listen 8080
NameVirtualHost 1.2.3.4:80
NameVirtualHost 1.2.3.4:8080
<VirtualHost172.20.30.40:80>
ServerName www.example.com
DocumentRoot /www/domain-80
</VirtualHost>
<VirtualHost172.20.30.40:8080>
ServerName www.example.com
DocumentRoot /www/domain-8080
</VirtualHost>
Code:
/etc/httpd/bin/httpd -SVirtual Host configuration:
Syntax OK
Or else, you’ll see a warning message.
Next, restart the httpd service by executing this command:
Code:
/etc/init.d/httpd restartApache configuration allows you to redirect one URL to another. For this, you have to open the Apache configuration file and edit the virtual host configuration section.
If the section reads something like this:
Code:
httpd-M |grepalias
alias_module (static)
Code:
<VirtualHost*:80>
ServerName web1.testdomain.com
ServerAlias testdomain.com we.testdomain.com
Redirect / http://www.testdomain.com/
</VirtualHost>
<VirtualHost*:80>
ServerName www.testdomain.com
</VirtualHost>
Code:
httpd-M |greprewrite
rewrite_module (static)
RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^/yourdomainold\.html$ yourdomainnew.htmlFinally, you can use Apache’s Directory aliasing for redirecting one directory to another. The following example will redirect /usr/local/email to /webmal
Alias /webmail /usr/local/mail
