User:Aeric/Configuration
From AgileApps Support Wiki
Configuration Notes
- The wiki is hosted at Rackspace.
- The server can be accessed with a VPN connection, using either FTP or SSH.
- FTP gives access to all of the Wiki files, which is generally sufficient.
- (Access details are in emails.)
- DNS entries that point to the server are agileappscloud.info and platformatyourservice.com.
- Location of any given wiki is /usr/share/mediawiki/{wikiName}
- Multiple subdomains are set up using Apache, the DNS server, and LocalSettings.php.
- The DNS entries determine which subdomains are known to the world.
- The wiki name in the url determines which wiki is accessed. (E.g. /wiki)
- The LocalSettings.php file in that wiki uses the subdomain to determine which skin is used.
- The skin determines which logo is shown, which platform name to use, and the settings for several other variables, including the site name.
- Organization of the mediawiki.conf Configuration File
-
- There are two <VirtualHost> sections, one for each virtual server:
(agileappscloud.info and platformatservice.com).
- There are two <VirtualHost> sections, one for each virtual server:
- Inside each virtual host, there is a <Directory> section for each wiki that can be accessed, as well as an Alias setting that maps the {domain}/xyz URL to the /usr/share/mediawiki/xyz wiki folder.
- In the AgileAppsLive domain, the "/wiki" alias points to the aawiki wiki, as does the "/aawiki" alias.
- When scripts/versionProductionWiki is run to make a versioned copy of the production wiki, a new directory-section and alias are created for it. E.g. "aa90".
- Each <Directory> contains a number of URL rewrites that are needed to make the wiki work properly. Unfortunately, they need to be copied for each directory.
- Attempts to do global rewrites failed, as recorded in notes at the top of the file. However, the rewrites were not attempted inside the <VirtualHost> headings, as those came later.
- So it is possible that a clever configuration could cut down the size of the <Directory> segments.
- But, as the notes in the file attest, the Apache rewrites frequently do not work as documented--so the actual semantics must be discovered by trial and error. (A rainy day project for sure, not worth the time given that we have a working system.)
Configuring Apache
- The Apache configuration file is /etc/httpd/conf.d/mediawiki.conf.
- Always preserve the original and edit a copy in /usr/share/mediawiki/apache_config
- To edit, either:
- SSH to the server using PuTTY or the SSH shell, and use a line-oriented editor like nano.
- Use FTP to bring the file back to your workstation, and use a terrific editor like NotePad++
Maintenance Scripts
To use these scripts:
- Using PuTTY, log in to Rackspace
- cd /usr/share/mediawiki/apache_config
Scripts:
- ./get_conf
- Gets a copy of the three main configuration files, primarily for backup:
- httpd.conf
- phpMyAdmin.conf
- mediawiki.conf
- ./try_setup
- Copies the current config file as mediawiki.conf_sav.
- If no else is editing mediawiki.conf, then mediawiki.conf_new has the same content, and is ready to be edited. Otherwise, copy _sav to _new before you begin.
- ./try
- Put mediawiki.conf_new in place and restart the server.
- For a quick test, refresh the page for each of the main wikis:
- If you can see the page and the generated links are correct, the wiki is usable.
- If you've done any work on the skins, then test the changes, as well
- ./revert
- Put mediawiki.conf_sav back in place, in case the _new version didn't work.