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How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha folder

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    How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha folder

    Hosting and networking experts out there, we have the following need:

    With a single instance of Alpha App Server, a single physical server, and a single ip number, can we get two or more domains to resolve to their own separate associated Alpha database?

    for example

    www.candystore.com > alpha database stored on ip number 40.50.60.70 C:\webdata\candystore
    www.hardwarestorte.com > alpha database stored on ip number 40.50.60.70 C:\webdata\hardwarestore
    etc etc.

    Thanks much for your insight and advice
    Logical Design
    Keven Thibeault
    Boston, Massachusetts
    Dwell in possibility

    #2
    Re: How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha fold

    Keven,

    I'm pretty sure the Application Server does NOT support the same equivalent feature of IIS that you would normally use - the virtual host/directory - where you map the external IP to a folder/directory within the main server area. For me, it's a big hole in the feature set and it's not made clear at the outset.

    I think that's a show-stopper for you in this case. You would need another server. I have tried a very cheap VPS implementation with nothing other than the App Server running and the A5sportsweb does run (384Mb RAM, Win2003) but its not snappy.

    Hope this helps.

    Comment


      #3
      Re: How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha fold

      Keven,

      I'm also sure you can't use one IP address to go to multiple www address entries. The DNS entry only links one IP to one domain name address and that does not contain a folder option. Each of your clients web sites has to have a unique IP.

      The problem of then getting at the App Server sub folders still applies. You could redirect www.myclient.com to www.myserver.com/myclient (for as many pairs as you like) by having a routing web site that just performs the redirection.

      I don't know how you would then stop the browser displaying www.myserver.com/myclient instead of www.myclient.com

      At this point, I'm getting out of my comfort zone...

      Comment


        #4
        Re: How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha fold

        I know you can do it, not sure how. But it has been discussed on the board many times, so search. Alpha was supposed to come out with a product that did this, the Cluster Server, but I have not heard a thing about it since maybe eight months. Call Brett at Alpha Software and ask about this perhaps, ask about Apache or IIS options at the same time.
        Steve Wood
        See my profile on IADN

        Comment


          #5
          Re: How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha fold

          Just Asking but:
          At one time we put 2 network cards in 1 server.
          2 IP addresses comming into 1 server each pointed to a different folder.
          candystore.com would point to 1 IP
          hardwarestore.com would point to another IP
          but on the same server.

          Charlie Crimmel

          Comment


            #6
            Re: How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha fold

            We have a working solution that involves using an Apache server running on the same box. The Apache server redirects the incoming traffic on each respective URL to the appropriate Alpha port / web folder combination.

            I will get the actual syntax used and post it here later... thanks
            Logical Design
            Keven Thibeault
            Boston, Massachusetts
            Dwell in possibility

            Comment


              #7
              Re: How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha fold

              Keven's on track here. I lease a server with multiple A5 domains, managed through Apache. I'm no expert in this so I shouldn't attempt to give you the technical answer - I pay people who understand this stuff. Just pitching in here to assure you it can be done.
              -Steve
              sigpic

              Comment


                #8
                Re: How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha fold

                Instructions for hosting multiple domains on a single webserver, single IP number, and single instance of Alpha Application Server


                In the domain management console provided by the company that is hosting your domain, you will need to direct traffic from your site(s) to the server hosting Alpha App server. This is done differently with various companies, but is pretty straight forward. You will be asked for a server alias name or IP number or both.

                Installation of Apache 2.2 is required for these instructions (there may be other similar methods with IIS or other platforms). Apache is an open source web server that has been available for years and is very mature. There are some advances management features that make it the best choice for our set up, specifically its proxy module.

                � Apache 2.2
                � Alpha Five v9 Application Server

                The default Apache configuration will use port 80. Set A5 WAS to run on 8080.
                In the firewall, un-block port 80, and BLOCK port 8080. Port 8080 does not need to be added to the firewall exception list with this approach. Apache is used to manage the communication to and from the Alpha web server.

                In this example, we have multiple websites running on one physical server with one IP-address. We need to first configure a default virtual host name for the server, such as �your_domain1.com�. This virtual host will be virtual host #1, and will respond to requests to the IP number itself. In other words, if someone types the ip number to your server into their browser, your server should respond with some page. This page can say whatever you want, such as under construction, but will NOT be the page users see when attempting to access your Alpha database application.

                Next we will configure your Alpha web applications to be virtual host #2, #3, and so on, one virtual host for each separate Alpha application.

                We need to modify two configuration files that Apache uses: HTTPD.CONF and HTTPD-VHOSTS.CONF. (technically this can be done in one file, but splitting to another make maintenance easier)
                ;)
                In order to support this the following settings were done in Apache configuration files:
                �#� means the line is commented, and does not need to be in the file, just for explanation purposes only.

                In httpd.conf file:
                # load Apache proxy_module
                LoadModule proxy_module modules/mod_proxy.so
                # load Apache mod_proxy_http module
                LoadModule proxy_http_module modules/mod_proxy_http.so
                # Virtual hosts should be kept in a separate file for ease:
                # Tell Apache name and location of VirtualHost.conf file with �include� statement
                Include conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf



                In the instructions above, we told Apache to load the proxy_module. This allows requests redirects to the EXACT Alpha Application we specify in the following httpd-vhosts.conf file. We will use the following sample, bogus IP number in the configuration examples below: 200.10.10.10. This is just a random IP number for illustration, and not to be used in real life. Substitute your ip number here.

                We will illustrate two Alpha applications / URL�s alphasports.com and fastnetworks.com. To test your application you would type the following into your browser to pull up your application: http://200.10.10.10/alphasports. If this loads properly we are in good shape. Now to redirect our registered www.alphasports.com and www.fastnetworks.com domains.

                In httpd-vhosts.conf file:
                For each separate site an additional <VirtualHost> directive will be created.

                # this is the default host, for your server itself � NOT your hosted Alpha apps
                <VirtualHost *:80>
                ServerAdmin admin@your_domain1.com
                DocumentRoot "C:/htdocs/your_domain1.com"
                ServerName your_domain1.com
                ServerAlias *.your_domain1.com
                ProxyRequests Off
                # VERY important to include ProxyRequests Off in your configuration, to prevent
                # hackers from using your server as a proxy
                </VirtualHost>

                #this is your FIRST virtual host for your FIRST Alpha application
                <VirtualHost *:80>
                ServerAdmin [email protected]
                ServerName alphsports.com
                ServerAlias *.alphasports.com
                ProxyRequests Off
                # VERY important to include ProxyRequests Off in your configuration, to prevent
                # hackers from using your server as a proxy
                # Next we are doing redirects to A5 WAS
                ProxyPass /alphasports/ http://200.10.10.10:8080/alphasports/
                ProxyPass / http://200.10.10.10:8080/alphasports/
                </VirtualHost>

                #this is your SECOND virtual host for your SECOND Alpha application
                <VirtualHost *:80>
                ServerAdmin [email protected]
                ServerName fastnetworks.com
                ServerAlias *.fastnetworks.com
                ProxyRequests Off
                # Next we are doing redirects to A5 WAS
                ProxyPass /fastnetworks/ http://200.10.10.10:8080/fastnetworks/
                ProxyPass / http://200.10.10.10:8080/fastnetworks/
                </VirtualHost>


                And so on for each separate application. Apache does not need to know where the document root of the virtual host is, because Alpha is managing this location. However, if you want to have an "Apache served" under construction page, you will want to add this line back in there for that virtual host.
                DocumentRoot "C:/htdocs/alphasports/ and you will have to program an "index.html" page with the message you want to appear.
                This allows you to bring down the Alpha app server and still have a nice message, "maintenance outage" or something.
                Good luck everyone! :D
                Logical Design
                Keven Thibeault
                Boston, Massachusetts
                Dwell in possibility

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha fold

                  Thank you Kevin for the in depth explanation. I was just searching the site to see how I can do this with A5 apps server. It seemed to make sense it could be done in the same way I have set up our external facing reverse proxy server for our Oracle apps, and it is.

                  I am going to go test this out right now. Thanks!
                  Land of the Free, Because of the Brave
                  Support our US Military

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha fold

                    Works great! Thanks
                    Land of the Free, Because of the Brave
                    Support our US Military

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha fold

                      Would this work:

                      1. set up the Alpha Five root folder as:

                      C:\A5Webroot\domain_1
                      C:\A5Webroot\domain_2
                      C:\A5Webroot\domain_n

                      2. The data folder as

                      C:\data\domain_1
                      C:\data\domain_2
                      C:\data\domain_n

                      Then have

                      domain_1.com point to http://ipaddress/domain_1
                      domain_2.com point to http://ipaddress/domain_2
                      domain_n.com point to http://ipaddress/domain_n

                      You would need a publishing profile for each one and would need to be careful not to publish to the wrong folder.

                      We don't recommend hosting multiple domains on one WAS just because of the difficulty in managing them. Technically though it is possible.

                      Clive
                      Affordable Alpha Five, PHP, MySQL Hosting.
                      Serving Webmasters since 2000.ZebraHost

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha fold

                        Originally posted by ZebraHost View Post
                        Would this work:

                        1. set up the Alpha Five root folder as:

                        C:\A5Webroot\domain_1
                        C:\A5Webroot\domain_2
                        C:\A5Webroot\domain_n

                        2. The data folder as

                        C:\data\domain_1
                        C:\data\domain_2
                        C:\data\domain_n

                        Then have

                        domain_1.com point to http://ipaddress/domain_1
                        domain_2.com point to http://ipaddress/domain_2
                        domain_n.com point to http://ipaddress/domain_n

                        You would need a publishing profile for each one and would need to be careful not to publish to the wrong folder.

                        We don't recommend hosting multiple domains on one WAS just because of the difficulty in managing them. Technically though it is possible.

                        Clive


                        Hi Clive,

                        It seems to me that would work just fine.

                        But why do you say it is not recommended "because of the difficulty in managing them"? What difficulties would there be?

                        Gary
                        Gary S. Traub, Ph.D.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha fold

                          The main problem we have seen is people accidentally using the wrong publishing profile and overwriting one domain's data with that of another.
                          Affordable Alpha Five, PHP, MySQL Hosting.
                          Serving Webmasters since 2000.ZebraHost

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha fold

                            Originally posted by ZebraHost View Post
                            The main problem we have seen is people accidentally using the wrong publishing profile and overwriting one domain's data with that of another.
                            Hello Clive,

                            Correct me if I'm wrong, but publishing profile is something on the project level and not on the WAS level, so that I do not understand how it is possible to overwrite one project data with another... since each project does not contain publishing profiles of other projects.

                            Thank you,
                            Olga

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: How to point multiple domains to a single server/ip/correct associated Alpha fold

                              As long as you make sure you are using the correct Profile when you publish you should be OK.
                              Affordable Alpha Five, PHP, MySQL Hosting.
                              Serving Webmasters since 2000.ZebraHost

                              Comment

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