Configuring the IBM HTTP Server—Powered by Apache

The IBM® HTTP Server—Powered by Apache files are installed with z/OS® V2R2 and later; however, to display Infoprint Central web pages, you must configure and start the HTTP server. The following steps describe how to set up a default configuration for the HTTP server that is used exclusively by Infoprint Central:
  1. Create an installation directory for the server configuration files. For example:
    cd install_directory
mkdir -p etc/websrv1
  2. Change the directory to the IBM HTTP Server—Powered by Apache product directory: 
    cd /usr/lpp/ihsa_zos/.31bit
  3. Run the installer program, bin/install_ihs, to install the HTTP server product files in your installation directory, do the initial configuration, and create symbolic links from your home directory to the product directory. Use these parameters to run the installer program:
    • The installation directory for the configuration files.
    • The non-SSL port for the web server. Select a port other than the default port of 80; for example, 8081 or 8082. You might also want to change the port on the Listen directive.
    For example:
    ./bin/install_ihs install_directory/etc/websrv1 8081
  4. Confirm that you successfully installed an operating version of the IBM HTTP Server—Powered by Apache in your installation directory:
    1. Change to the server's installation directory:
      cd install_directory/etc/websrv1
    2. Run these commands to verify that the IBM HTTP Server - Powered by Apache was successfully installed:
      bin/apachectl -v
bin/apachectl configtest
      You see output similar to this example when an installation is successful:
      # bin/apachectl -v
Server version: IBM_HTTP_Server/8.5.5.2 (Unix)
Server built:   Jul  11 2014 18:07:04

# bin/apachectl configtest
Syntax OK
  5. Use this command to start the IBM HTTP Server—Powered by Apache: 
    bin/apachectl start
  6. Configure and enable SSL on the HTTP server. For instructions, see z/OS HTTP Server—Powered by Apache User's Guide. For more information about the HTTP Server—Powered by Apache, see WebSphere Application Server IBM Documentation. This step is required if the use-unencrypted-connection attribute is set to no, the default value. If you do not want to use SSL, set use-unencrypted-connection to yes.
    Warning: IBM does not recommend setting use-unencrypted-connection to yes. Using an unencrypted connection can expose your network communication to nefarious actors. User IDs, passwords, and data are vulnerable to attacks against the browser or during data transmission using network traffic system techniques.
  7. Run this command to stop the IBM HTTP Server—Powered by Apache before you edit the HTTP server configuration file:
    bin/apachectl stop
  8. Edit the HTTP server configuration file. For instructions, see Editing the configuration file for the IBM HTTP Server—Powered by Apache (conf/httpd.conf).
  9. Start of changeEdit the environment variables file for the IBM HTTP Server—Powered by Apache. For instructions, see Customizing the environment variables file for the IBM HTTP Server—Powered by Apache (bin/envvars).End of change
  10. Start of changeCreate a task to run the IBM HTTP Server—Powered by Apache. For instructions, see Creating a started task to run the IBM HTTP Server—Powered by Apache.End of change
  11. Restart the IBM HTTP Server—Powered by Apache.
  12. Verify that the IBM HTTP Server—Powered by Apache is running successfully by loading the default Infoprint Central web page with the host name or IP address of your z/OS system and the non-SSL port number you specified in step 3. For example:Start of change
    http://hostname:port/Infoprint/En_US/IPS.html
    End of changeIf you have problems opening the web page, see z/OS HTTP Server—Powered by Apache User's Guide.
  13. Stop the IBM HTTP Server—Powered by Apache before you edit the environment variables file.