[users@httpd] "Web Host"-styled HTTPd Configuration (Comments, Suggestions and Pointers Welcome!)

[Jeff Wilges <jw...@gmail.com>]

Hello, everyone (sorry for the slightly lengthy post)!

I am very interested in learning how to configure Apache's HTTPd in a
style similar to what most large web hosts use, minus anything that
would entirely over-complicate my slightly small setup (I only have a
handful of domains hosted). I am no stranger to Apache, but this is my
first step towards working with dynamically-defined virtual hosts
(previously I defined each one by hand).

With this in mind, I have been reading around in the Apache HTTPd 2.2
documentation for a handful of hours, today, and have tweaked my
virtual host setup to a single catch-all virtual host directive (I
will deal with the SSL virtual hosts later):

<VirtualHost *:80>
    VirtualDocumentRoot /usr/local/www/data/%2+/%1.1/%1
    LogFormat "%V %h %l %u %t \"%r\" %>s %b \"%{Referer}i\"
\"%{User-agent}i\"" vhost_combined
    CustomLog /var/log/httpd/vhost_access.log vhost_combined
</VirtualHost>

Amazingly enough, as it stands right now, this is quite close to what
I need accomplished (as far as a general document directory layout is
concerned). After reading what Apache's documentation had to say about
splitting log files using the Perl script "split-logfile" that comes
with the Apache HTTPd distribution, I came to the swift conclusion
that I will end up having to write a shell script to automatically
split the combined log file into per-sub-domain log files (in the same
format that my VirtualDocumentRoot is using, essentially) on my
own--considering Apache's HTTPd seems to have no internal way of
accomplishing this (please, feel free to correct me on this if I am
wrong, as it would make my life easier). Does this sound reasonable?
Does anyone know any better way to split the log files, or perhaps
even a better way to store them (i.e. perhaps in a SQL database, as
someone briefly mentioned on this list in the archives)?

Now, with the log issues out of the way (well, figuratively speaking),
I have a few other questions regarding statistics and general virtual
host management (in terms of network use). I am well aware that many
hosting companies tend to use the bloated web hosting management
solution collectively referred to as CPanel. My setup is far too small
for me to ever dream of using something as overcomplicated as that,
however; so, I am interested in any alternative suggestions for ways
to limit bandwidth consumption in terms of both a general periodic
quota and actual transfer speeds and ways to allow my users to analyze
their web site's statistics (perhaps webalizer, or is there something
better?).

I know there are solutions out there for all of these issues, and,
considering this is my first time trying to bring my Apache HTTPd
installation into a more professional atmosphere, I am completely open
to the expertise this list has to offer (hopefully nobody
misinterprets my tone, I am aiming for 'kind' :)); all suggestions and
pointers that will help me get started in the right direction are
appreciated with utmost respect.

Lastly, if I have missed any crucial questions for getting started as
a "miniature" web host, feel free to point out what I failed to ask
(and possibly even a response if possible), because I am not sure if I
asked enough to cover all of the basic web host niceties (dynamic
virtual hosts, split logs per domain/sub-domain, per-domain site
statistics, bandwidth caps (both quotas and actual transfer rates),
etc.).

Thanks in advance,
Jeff Wilges

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