Virtual Private Server User Guide

The Apache Web Server

The standard Apache distribution currently produced by the Apache Software 

Foundation places all of the configuration directives in a single configuration file 

named httpd.conf. Because there are so many different configuration directives 

and so much that can be done, we have instead divided the configuration into 

three distinct files with separate functions. Each of these files reside in the /www/

conf directory and are described below:

httpd.conf   This file contains configuration directives of how the Apache Web 

server application should behave as a whole, such as where to find things, and 

which modules it should load.

defaults.conf   This file contains configuration directives that affect the way every 

Web site (virtual host) on the account behaves by default, unless overridden by 

directives in vhosts.conf for a specific virtual host. This file also contains the 

configuration directives relating to Apache's SSL features. 

vhosts.conf   This file contains definitions for the virtual hosts that you host on 

your server and the configuration directives specific to those virtual hosts.

In addition to these files, there is also another file that Apache looks to:

mime.types   This file contains declarations for file types so that the server can 

help client applications such as Web browsers and media players know how to 

handle the file being served. 

Whenever you modify any of the above Apache configuration files, you must 

restart your Web server for the changes to take effect. See the previous section 

entitled "Controlling Apache" for information on how to correctly restart Apache.

Hosting Multiple Web Sites Through Virtual Hosting

An Introduction to Virtual Hosting

One of the great features of Apache is its ability to host multiple Web sites, known 

as virtual hosts, on the same virtual server. 

Virtual hosting allows you to provide an inexpensive, professional Web service to 

your clients. For example, assume that Example Industries, a prospective client, 

wishes to develop a Web presence for as little money as possible. Your VPS 

server offers the perfect solution. You can help Example Industries register or 

transfer the domain name "example.com," so that it points to your IP address, and 

then host iexample.comi on your server. Visitors to the Example.com Web site will 

see only Example's portion of your VPS server, and will never know that the files 

actually reside in a directory of your VPS server.

Despite some limitations (as documented in the next section), virtual hosting can 

provide you with a way to offer prospective clients a low cost solution for Web 

hosting, or host several of your own Web sites without the need of purchases 

separate servers for each site. 

Technical Training Department

August 2004

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