Throughout we will assume you are using the Apache web server, if not you will have to adapt these instructions accordingly.
All you really need to do is make sure you the webserver will allow you to run a CGI in the
directory in which you have selected to install VOCPweb.
If you have a domain name, you could choose to create a virtual host for the messaging system, such
that http://vocp.yourcompany.com/ leads directly to the login.
This would involve adding something to httpd.conf similar to:
<VirtualHost *>
ServerAdmin whoever@yourcompany.com
DocumentRoot /usr/local/apache2/htdocs/vocpweb/
ServerName psychogenic.com
Options ExecCGI
<Location />
AuthName "Yourcompany VOCP messaging area"
AuthType Basic
AuthUserFile /usr/local/apache/access/vocp.db
require valid-user
</Location>
ServerAlias vocp.yourcompany.com
</VirtualHost>
and setting up the DNS to respond with the correct IP for request about vocp.yourcompany.com.
You may choose not to create a virtual host for VOCPweb. In that case, choose an existing host entry in httpd.conf and add an appropriate Location entry, for example:
<Directory /path/to/vocp>
Options ExecCGI
AuthName "Yourcompany VOCP messaging area"
AuthType Basic
AuthUserFile /usr/local/apache2/access/vocp.db
require valid-user
</Directory>
The important things to note here are:
- The Options ExecCGI which allow executions of CGIs.
- The Auth* entries and the require directive, which password protect the VOCPweb interface. This is
not required but highly recommended.
To complete the setup of the password protected directory, create the access control file with htpasswd. For example
# htpasswd -c /usr/local/apache2/access/vocp.db pat
will create the vocp.db file and ask for pat's password. Type it in. You may add entries to the file with
# htpasswd /usr/local/apache2/access/vocp.db ausername
at any time.
We recommend that you give each user a unique password. That way if you wish to later deny someone access to the interface, you
may simply remove that person's entry instead of changing the password for everyone.
It is also recommended to have users login and check their messages through an SSL connection (encrypted connection, easily identified
by the https://... URLs). SSL must be enabled through the webserver setup and is beyond the scope of this document, however it is well worth looking into.
That's pretty much all there is to setting up the webserver for use with VOCPweb. For additional assistance in configuring Apache, please see httpd.apache.org
You can now log in and use VOCPweb!
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