Setting Up LAMP: Getting Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP Working Together (Paperback)

by Eric Rosebrock (Author), Eric Filson (Author) "If you are a webmaster, a web developer, or a company that is interested in running your own web server, look no further: LAMP is..." (more)
Key Phrases: tar zxpf, relay log, ttab file, Red Hat, Off Allowed, Fedora Core (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This is THE book for webmasters, developers, and IT departments looking to create sophisticated Internet applications with open-source technologies. Setting Up Lamp teaches you how to develop a complete web server solution from the ground up. You'll learn how to install, configure, use, and integrate all four LAMP components--Linux operating system, Apache web server, MySQL database manager, and PHP programming language. And, you'll discover how to get support from open-source web sites and communities. Focusing on fundamental concepts of the technologies, this book is not version specific. In fact, it addresses how to use future updates of LAMP technologies to extend its shelf life.

From the Back Cover
You could think of Setting Up LAMP as four books in one, but it's actually something much more valuable: a single volume that presents the open-source technologies known collectively as LAMP-- Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP--as tightly dovetailed components of today's most affordable and effective platform for building dynamic web-based applications.

Each technology has uses outside of this context, of course, but within it they form something greater than the sum of their parts. This book shows you how to take full advantage of this power, walking you through all the steps required to lay your Linux foundation, install and configure your Apache web server, and then begin using PHP to access content stored in MySQL. Here are a few of the specific topics you'll find covered inside:

Installing and configuring qmail with support for IMAP, POP3, SMTP, virtual domains, spam filtering, and antivirus

Managing system users and groups

Configuring your network

Creating a custom firewall script using IP tables

Recognizing when a system is in distress

Handling MySQL database replication

Configuring virtual domains

Writing a basic PHP script that integrates with MySQL

If you're new to all of this, you'll quickly get to where you need to be to start developing and deploying the higher-level pieces of your web application. Even if you have experience with one or all of these technologies, this book--including its quick-start installation appendix--is a resource you'll want close by whenever you're setting up or fine-tuning your LAMP system.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Sybex; 1 edition (July 22, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0782143377
• ISBN-13: 978-0782143379
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #443,638 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy read, but room for improvement, September 7, 2005

By	Gadget Geek - See all my reviews

This book was most certainly an easy read, giving step-by-step explanations and instructions for setting up LAMP, that is no where near as intimidating as all the other resources out there. I was quite pleased with it! As you can see by the other reviews, this book has hit the mark!

However, my complaint about the book is that since it is geared more towards newbies to the Linux world, the step-by-step instructions are not completely accurate. Those that follow the book word-for-word will find themselves stuck unless they have a basic working knowledge of Unix/Linux, or know someone that does.

This book uses Fedora as the linux-distribution.

Despite my one complaint, this is one of the easier to read books out there, and I would recommend for anyone new to the Linux world wanting to set up a web server.

Edit (9/27/05): If you prefer to take an easier route than this guide, search google for apachefriends.org or XAMPP. This book will teach you different processes, and go through reasons why certain things are done. While the information is useful, if you do not wish to go that in-depth into the subject, and just get a webserver up quickly, try this method. You will not learn all the intricate step-by-step procedures this book will teach you, but you should have LAMP set up within 10 minutes. Hope this information helps! :)

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A valuable book for setting up a web and e-mail server, September 19, 2004

By	Kurt Jung (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

Linux, qmail, PHP, MySQL and Apache form a rewarding and rock-solid combination. Authors Rosebrock and Filson and the good folk at Sybex deserve accolades for conceiving a book directed at just this combination and bringing it to press.

The distinctive feature of this book is just how readable it is. A myriad choices exist when it comes to Linux distributions and server applications for e-mail, database, web and server-side scripting. In each case, the authors summarize the alternatives and, with focused and generally unarguable judgment, choose the one they consider to be best. Without looking back, they then proceed to guide the reader through its essential installation and maintenance. It is clear they strive to make a system that is well integrated. An example of this is their decision to cover Apache 1.3 rather than Apache 2.0. Although they clearly like what they see in the newer branch, for reasons of interoperability with PHP they select Apache 1.3 for their book.

Rosebrock and Filson serve as trustworthy mentors in the whole process of getting a complete installation up and running. They clearly teach from experience and with an appreciation of the frustrations beginning administrators may face. For example, while admitting the vi editor's power, they have the reader use the friendlier editor pico for basic editing.

In addition to covering the main server applications, this book provides a cursory introduction to auxiliary programs like the various MySQL and qmail utilities. A number of network tools such as nmap and traceroute are given quick overviews. For my part, I think the book should contain more discussion of the secure shell client and server and the process of creating and maintaining public and private keys.

"Setting up LAMP" is a well-written, well-targeted book. May it serve as a guide to a whole new generation of administrators who wish to build a complete, fast and robust web and mail server.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book - got everything working (took a while), December 28, 2005

By	Jim Bowden (indianapolis, in USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've been working on getting my RedHat Fedora 3 working with LAMP. Finally I sat down and spent some dedicated time with this book and got it working.

apache: apache_1.3.33
mysql: 5.0.2-alpha
php-5.1.1

This is my environment I setup and it worked! Good step by step instructions and the quick reference steps in the back of the book were excellent.

Highly recommend.