News & Blog

Apache Redux

In keeping with the new, recommended Django deployment method of mod_wsgi with Apache , we have migrated our internal processes as well as deployed multiple  new systems this way – and from this point forward, this is how Django (current, 1.1+) will be deployed by default.

We also still fully support the mod_python deployment method, and will be happy to work with you to set up your custom environment, whatever it may be.

Please note that nginx, Lighttpd, and of course Apache with mod_python are also all still available on request.

Just put your request in the “Notes” field when you place your order and we’ll get it done for you.

j

Motivation

So, after numerous issues with Mongrel and Mongrel Cluster, as reported in our last Rails-related post, and after following all the buzz, we decided to give Phusion Passenger a try – we were not disappointed!

Don’t get us wrong, we still prefer Mongrel as our development server, and there are instances where Mongrel Cluster makes lots of sense (load balancing, for example), but we wanted to explore the reputed simplicity of Passenger –

..And we wanted to multiplex multiple websites onto one Apache instance, simply and easily!

Simplicity

So, we followed the gem-basedinstallation  instructions here: http://www.modrails.com/install.html

After installation with Gem, the nicely-written text mode installer guided us through the install process for the ‘dev’ packages, and then compiled itself from source – Very nice! A polished touch!

Done!

So after one global include in /etc/apache2/conf.d/passenger:

LoadModule passenger_module /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/passenger-2.2.4/ext/apache2/mod_passenger.so
PassengerRoot /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/passenger-2.2.4
PassengerRuby /usr/bin/ruby1.8

We were able to use multiple files in ‘sites-available’ of the format:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName www.yourhost.com
    DocumentRoot /somewhere/public
    #                       ^-- be sure to point to 'public' within your rails app!
</VirtualHost>

To easily achieve multiple rails apps, with disparate domains, served by the single instance, reasonably painlessly – Note that you do have to have the domains point to the correct IP address, of course 🙂

The Verdict

Our verdict: All in all pretty painless and professional – and the benchmarks seem to support great performance –

So, if you want us to install Passenger for you, just indicate this in the “Notes” field when you place your order, and we’ll get it done for you.

We will likely soon make it the default, if no objections are heard from you, our customers, in the near future.

Notes

Please note that we can do this on top of either Turnkey rails, or our regular Rails instance.

Rails 2.3.3 now available

Please note that Rails 2.3.3 is also now available from the dropdowns when you place your order!

Nginx

Note also that Phusion Passenger also offers an Nginx version – we will be happy to install the highly acclaimed Nginx web server, along with the corresponding version of Phusion Passenger, via custom quote – Please contact us today regarding getting this set up for you!

j

Libre hosters,

We are proud to announce that the Django-based social-network-enabling Pinax project, is now one of our standard instances, and can be hosted here at Libre hosting, with the usual full root access.

Pinax version (as of this writing), is v0.7.0dev, and is installed with svn to be updatable with svn up, as always (and as our Django instances are, by default). Other versions available on request.

All plugins are preinstalled, and enabled, along with the usual list of example Pinax projects:

drwxr-xr-x  7 root root 4096 2009-03-29 05:18 basic_project
drwxr-xr-x 10 root root 4096 2009-03-30 15:38 complete_project
drwxr-xr-x  7 root root 4096 2009-03-29 05:18 intranet_project
drwxr-xr-x  7 root root 4096 2009-03-29 05:18 private_beta_project
drwxr-xr-x  7 root root 4096 2009-03-29 05:18 temp_content_project
drwxr-xr-x  7 root root 4096 2009-03-29 05:18 temp_group_project
drwxr-xr-x  8 root root 4096 2009-03-29 05:18 temp_schedule_project

Apache with mod_python is the default webserver installed, but we will be happy to install Lighttpd on request (or nginx by prearrangement – contact us for details) with mod_wsgi instead.

Our default Pinax installation includes Django svn trunk (~1.1 as of this writing) with all plugins preinstalled by the Pinax installation scripts. We do not install into a Python virtualenv, because this is intended to be a dedicated Pinax / Django installation.  We can make changes accordingly as desired, upon your request.

Pinax really turbocharges the Django framework, and includes (at least) these pluggables:

• django-email-confirmation
• django-timezones
• django-threadedcomments
• django-ajax-validation
• django-flags
• django-pagination
• django-oembed
• django-notification
• django-mailer
• django-dbtemplates
• django-robots
• django-announcements

Here are a few example Pinax sites to show a portion of what it can do:

• foodsel
• Trailmapping
• tuttivisti

Let us know what you think,
j