Ubuntu Vmware Lamp

Setting Up Your LAMP Testing Server: A How-To Guide

If you’re transitioning from Windows using XAMPP to a setup closer to a server environment, setting up a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) stack on Ubuntu can streamline your development process. This guide is designed to help you bypass some common hurdles and ensure that you have an effective testing server that mirrors your production environment.

Why Choose LAMP?

LAMP is a well-known stack used for web development. Here’s why it’s worth your while:

  • Open Source: All components are free to use.
  • Flexible: The stack supports an array of applications and services.
  • Community Support: Extensive documentation is available to help troubleshoot potential issues.

Now, let’s walk through the setup process step by step.

Setting Up Your LAMP Testing Server

Step 1: Install Necessary Packages

Start by updating your package manager and installing necessary applications. Here’s a complete script to set up your environment:

apt-get -yq update
apt-get -yq upgrade
apt-get -yq install sudo
apt-get -yq install gcc g++ make apache2 php5 php5-curl php5-mysql php5-gd mysql-common mysql-client mysql-server phpmyadmin samba

Step 2: Configure Samba

To enable shared directory access, configure Samba. Create a Samba configuration file with the following content:

echo '[global]
   workgroup = workgroup
   server string = %h server
   dns proxy = no
   log file = /var/log/samba/log.%m
   max log size = 1000
   syslog = 0
   panic action = /usr/share/samba/panic-action %d
   encrypt passwords = true
   passdb backend = tdbsam
   obey pam restrictions = yes
   ;invalid users = root
   unix password sync = no
   passwd program = /usr/bin/passwd %u
   passwd chat = *Enter\snew\sUNIX\spassword:* %n\n *Retype\snew\sUNIX\spassword:* %n\n *password\supdated\ssuccessfully* .
   socket options = TCP_NODELAY
[homes]
   comment = Home Directories
   browseable = no
   writable = no
   create mask = 0700
   directory mask = 0700
   valid users = %S
[www]
   comment = WWW
   writable = yes
   locking = no
   path = /var/www
   public = yes' > /etc/samba/smb.conf

Step 3: Set Up Apache Virtual Hosts

You should define your Apache virtual hosts. Replace the default configuration file with:

echo 'NameVirtualHost *
<VirtualHost *>
        ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost
        DocumentRoot /var/www/
        <Directory />
                Options FollowSymLinks
                AllowOverride None
        </Directory>
        <Directory /var/www/>
                Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews
                AllowOverride None
                Order allow,deny
                allow from all
        </Directory>
        ErrorLog /var/log/apache2/error.log
        LogLevel warn
        CustomLog /var/log/apache2/access.log combined
        ServerSignature On
</VirtualHost>' > /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/000-default

Step 4: Restart Services

After making your configuration changes, restart Apache and Samba:

/etc/init.d/apache2 stop
/etc/init.d/samba stop
/etc/init.d/apache2 start
/etc/init.d/samba start

Step 5: Secure MySQL

To secure your MySQL installation, run the following commands to set your root password:

/etc/init.d/mysql stop
echo "UPDATE mysql.user SET Password=PASSWORD('MySQLPassword') WHERE User='root'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES;" > /root/MySQLPassword
mysqld_safe --init-file=/root/MySQLPassword &
sleep 1
/etc/init.d/mysql stop
sleep 1
/etc/init.d/mysql start

Step 6: Automate with a Script

If you find yourself reinstalling often, streamline the process by saving your installation commands in a script file named install:

chmod +x install
./install

Conclusion

Your LAMP testing server is now ready to help you replicate a production-like environment directly on Ubuntu! With a well-set server, you’ll improve your development workflow and spending less time running into issues.

For additional configurations, always refer to official documentation or explore community forums.

Happy coding!