VPS v1 Support Documentation

Tomcat

Java Servlets and JSPs are made available on the Virtual Private Server via Tomcat, the flagship product of the Apache Jakarta Project. Tomcat is a world-class implementation of the Java Servlet 2.2 and Java Server Pages 1.1 Specifications.

Installation

1. Install Java (JDK 2).

2. There are currently two versions of Tomcat available for use. To install the newer Tomcat 4, run the following command from your Virtual Private Server SSH or Telnet prompt:

   % vinstall tomcat4

   If your servlets require Tomcat version 3, you can install it using the following command:

   % vinstall tomcat

   This is the Java Servlet engine. It knows how to parse JavaServer pages, Java Servlets, and other kinds of things. It runs a web server on port 8080 and has a special jserv-type protocol listening on 8007. It also has an enhanced and improved protocol listening on 8009, which is what the mod_jk Apache Module talks to it on. The mod_jserv Apache Module talks on 8007.

Configuration

The Tomcat installation includes online admin pages that can be accessed at this URL:

http://YOUR-DOMAIN.NAME/admin/contextAdmin/contextAdmin.html

In order to set up a user name and password for these online admin pages, complete the following steps.

1. Change the admin context to true. Open the ~/usr/local/jakarta/jakarta-tomcat/conf/server.xml file and look for the following entry:

   <!-- Admin context will use tomcat.core to add/remove/get info about
   the webapplications and tomcat internals.
   By default it is not trusted - i.e. it is not allowed access to
   tomcat internals, only informations that are available to all
   servlets are visible.
   
   If you change this to true, make sure you set a password.
   -->
   
   <Context path="/admin"
     docBase="webapps/admin"
     crossContext="true"
     debug="0"
     reloadable="true"
     trusted="false" >
   </Context>

   You need to change the field trusted="false" to trusted="true".

2. Open the ~/usr/local/jakarta/jakarta-tomcat/conf/tomcat-users.xml file and add a user with roles set to admin. An example would be as follows:

   <user name="johnny"  password="cash" roles="admin" />

   The name and password fields can be whatever you want but the roles need to include admin, though there can be additional (comma separated) roles.

3. Restart Tomcat. Use these commands:

   % kill PID

   (use the ls or top command to find the PID of the Tomcat process).

   % virtual /usr/local/jakarta/jakarta-tomcat/bin/startup.sh

More Information

For more information, see:

• Tomcat Documentation