MACOSX Apache 2.0.52 update

I had gone back and forth between Apache 1.3.28 and 2.0 installations, staying stuck since too long with 1.3 version. Mainly because I use this webserver for business and it needs to remain available if I don't want to have business hickups. Although I have been installing and configuring so many instances of Apache web servers in the past (mostly on HP-UX and Linux) I am still intimidated when it comes to macs. Also I had tried multiple MacOSX Apache 2/MySQL/PHP bundles, and that didn't work for me, since that somehow conflicted with existing components. In fact as soon as we're back in the 100% GUI-driven syndrome, I don't get it. Wander in the internals.

Tonight I thought I should try it again. And I did. First I got Apache 2.0.52 package right from Apple website. I decided to deploy only what I needed to really upgrade, which would be Apache and PHP. Once well deployed and tested on separate port, I needed to have a couple of little things to set:

- PHP 5 load module - with a shiver about my existing code, developed in PHP 4. Same great Liyanage stuff, that guy's been around since a long time and still delivers great stuff. Little tweaks needed, but not that much.

- Name Virtual Hosts (see my other post on that)
- protected directories in my sites
- startup script (/Library/StartupItems)
- webserver user/group and privileges, session cache files permissions
- logs locations were changed
- Apache2 System Preference, which is quite nice to use (although I am a shell user by necessity)

I had absolutly no issue with the MySQL database connectivity, which is totally external to the Apache/PHP combo.

This upgrade was the oportunity to move from an old configuration file to a new one, since Apache 2 has its own specifics. There ares still litte details I didn't test yet, like some wap wml modules for cell phones, and my overal PHP 4 code.... Good thing is, the response is excellent; at least as good as my old Apache server.

I could have done it quicker, I guess. Overall it was completed in around two hours.