Webserver setup, (apache/php/mysql)

[WannaFly]

I hope this is the right forum, wasnt sure if this belogs here or in software.

I wrote a small application for my company that will be implemented on our intranet. I wrote and have been testing it off of my local machine, but it is time for me to move it to a production-level machine. I need apache/php/mysql and thats about all - maybe more later (ftp, anything).

I just wanted to find out if anyone here had some suggestions on security or setup issues, I have installed these three products many of times but never before in a production environment where it'll get used alot, so, I'm not asking for installation help. I know it would probably be more stable and faster if i set it up on a linux box, but i'm not too familiar with administering a linux box if something goes wrong, So i'm thinking 2000 Pro, Server or XP. I also would write a batch file to backup the database daily, etc.

Any other major suggestions that I might be overlooking?

 

[Fuzznuts]

take a look a phptriad its an all in one installer that may take some of the pain out of installation. look here http://sourceforge.net/projects/phptriad/

as for security running apache over IIS is always good of course running it on a vunerable os like XP or 2k unpatched would be a bad thing as the os rather the applications will be the security hole.

worse case turn on the xp firewall and allow in port 80 to 127.0.0.1 should be all you need if its only hosting webpages.

or have the server behind a nat router may help. tbh though i would take the time and learn linux its not as daunting as you may think and it is simply better at this sort of thing.

 

[WannaFly]

thanks for the reply, Fuzznuts. I've heard of phptriad, but never really used it because i havent run into installation/config issues with the three, but if it makes it easier, i'll try it. I've installed and used linux many times before, in fact, i have RH 9 on my laptop, but i just am not AS familiar with what to do if anything goes wrong with it or howto secure it, etc. I'll look into it though, thanks.

 

[Fuzznuts]

If you do go the linux route http://httpd.apache.org has amazing docs all well laid out with easy to use info. If you are worried about security then go with a firewall package on the linux box for example shorewall http://www.shorewall.net it blocks all incoming connections as default (as it should) so should be quite secure out of the box again the shorewall docs are very good and the mailling lists are very active.

All i can offer really but go for it if you get stuck i work for a hosting company that is solely linux so should be able to help you out if ya get stuck

 

[WannaFly]

Fuzznuts, thanks for the suggestion, i've setup RH with httpd and shorewall before, so maybe i will go ahead and try it this way.

 

[skyking]

Devside.net
Here is a very helpful site with some pared down httpd.conf files, for either win32 or linux.
if you do not need all 1100 or so lines of httpd.conf, why scroll through them??
I still use the default files and edit to taste, but it is nice to start with a 100 line file to get the hang of it.

 

[WannaFly]

Wow, thats an awesome link skyking, thanks. It seems I might end up going on linux. As soon as i can find a spare box and KVM around here (at work) i'm gonna get working on it, thanks!