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Essay on Apache Web Server
What is Apache and usage?
Apache HTTP Server is an open source HTTP web server for Unix-like systems (BSD, Linux, and UNIX systems), Microsoft Windows, Novell Netware and other platforms. Apache features highly configurable error messages, DBMS-based authentication databases, and content negotiation. It is also supported by several graphical user interfaces (GUIs), which permit easier, more intuitive configuration of the server. The Apache HTTP Server is developed and maintained by an open community of developers under the auspices of the Apache Software Foundation. (Ben Laurie, Peter Laurie, pp.28-30)
Initially, Apache was the only viable open source alternative to the Netscape web server (currently known as Sun Java System Web Server). It has since evolved to rival other Unix based HTTP servers in terms of functionality and performance. Since April 1996 Apache has been the most popular HTTP server on the Internet: in May 1999 it was running on 57% of all web servers; by August 2005 this percentage had increased to 69%. (Coar, Bowen, p. 15)
Some important features
Apache supports a variety of features, many implemented as compiled modules. These can range from server-side programming language support to authentication schemes. Some common language interfaces support Perl, Python, Tcl, and PHP. Popular authentication modules include mod_access, mod_auth, and mod_digest. A sample of other features include SSL and TLS support (mod_ssl), a proxy module, a useful URL rewriter (also known as a rewrite engine, implemented under mod_rewrite), custom log files (mod_log_config), and filtering support (mod_include and mod_ext_filter). Apache logs can be analyzed through a web browser using free scripts such as AWStats or Visitors. (Ford, p.34)
Some of the core enhancements in the new features of apache servers are:
Apache modules may now be loaded at runtime; this means that modules can be loaded into the server process space only when necessary, thus overall memory usage by Apache will be significantly reduced. DSO currently is supported on FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, Linux, Solaris, SunOS, Digital UNIX, IRIX, HP/UX, UnixWare, NetWare, AIX, ReliantUnix and generic SVR4 platforms....
