Apache Web Server Admins

[Mattymatt]

Are there any Apache admins out there? I am starting to learn how to use it because if my little hosting business grows, I fear I may outgrow what I am comfortable with. I use OpenBSD as my hosting platform and it has a great and easy to configure built-in webserver that goes by the unassuming name of httpd.

Apache is huge, complex, and a bit frightening. The nice thing about OpenBSD is that I don't have to be a security expert overnight just to earn some money. Apache is a roving target.

Can anyone offer some good Apache tutorials?

 

[Bikutoso]

I have little experience in Apache or any other HTTP Daemons.
But, I would recommend the Apache documentation and "Apache: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition" from O'Reilly Media.
I have not used any of them, but it seems like the logical place to start.

 

[pjcnet]

I've worked with Apache when I was thrown in the deep end on a live system, I've tweaked it when under a DDoS attack that wasn't blocked by the host's DDoS protection, plus I've installed ModSecurity and other plugins to block it and prevent other attacks because I was up against a very determined malicious attacker who tried numerous ways to bring down the service. I never had to install it from scratch, although I doubt it would be too difficult. I tend to learn on the fly however on a need to know basis and I learn by studying working systems, I don't sit and read documentation in the way many people do, but if you have any specific questions I can normally figure them out. The hosting platform that I worked with was Debian 8, obviously there's a lot of similarities to OpenBSD.

 

[Full Steam]

I'm no expert, but when not use Cpanel and WHM?

I know it costs, but it's much easier to use, and if you're selling hosting then customers will often expect it.

I went from reseller hosting to self hosted via CentOS/cpanel, then back to highest quality reseller again.

I wouldn't use a host provider that didn't offer cPanel, as it would lock me in too much. cpanel to cpanel transfers are a doddle, so I can skip hosts with minimal user impact and zero downtime.

If I were getting into hosting as a primary business, I'd be going niche - the big guys have all the economy of scale, and can offer cheap resources.

The last host company I had ran it all from a host provider. (local Australian version of DigitalOcean: Cloud Computing, Simplicity at Scale) They just sold out for what I would imagine was a packet of cash.

They competed on service support and were the best support I've ever known.

I think you need an angle and differentiation.