Before proceeding, let us know what is a web server.
A web server is a part of communication software which means that it is a medium between the server and the user on which the data is present.
Different types of servers: –
A server is a device that manages network resources in a single network.
like:- a file server is a server whose only function is that it will simply store files.
- Web Server:- A web server stores the data of blogs and websites on the internet. It is also connected to your web browser in every way.
- Email Server:- Email server is a server that helps us to send or receive emails or send or receive messages and also it stores all the personal details and messages of the users on the server.
- File Server:-File server helps us to move a file from one place to another. It is used from the local network via the file server network. All the files of the file server are stored inside the computer as well as managed so that whenever the user needs that file, at that time a copy of that file is sent to the user which he can edit.
- Audio/Video Server:- As we all know about audio or video, all audio or video files are stored in this server, but because of this server, multimedia applications have that facility. We can watch and enjoy all those audios and videos anytime or anywhere by searching the audio, and video whenever we want in the browser.
- Chat Server:- The main work of a chat server is that with the help of this server you can chat with people in real-time. Actual Time Means Instant i.e. you sent the message and it was immediately received by the receiver. This is called the actual time on the shelf of this server we can easily talk with each other without being in front of them as well as we can share data, information etc. with each other that too instant.
- Fax Server:-Fax server is mainly used by big businessmen or companies because in these industries time is most important that’s why to save time and work fast as soon as possible. By using the fax server user can also transfer data, files and information from one place to another. It also reduces the telephone resources burden and saves much time.
- FTP Server:- Full Form of FTP is File Transfer Protocol Full meaning of this server is understood that it is a protocol which is used to send or move a file from one place to another. These are very old internet services in the internet world. With full security, it helps us to move data from one place to another.
Now we talk about the types of Web server
When we are talking about types of web servers then we have 5 mainly types
- Apache HTTP Server
- Internet Information Services (IIS)
- Lighttpd
- Sun Java System Web Server
- NGINX Web Server
- Apache HTTP Server:- This is a very famous and old web server in the world. It is developed in America by Robert McCool, in 1995. It is an open-source server or software that you can install on any operating system. Example – Linux, UNIX, Windows, FreeBSD, Mac OS X etc. Many types of web server machines are running in the whole world but around 60% of their web server machines are running on Apache web server.
- Internet Information Services (IIS):- This is a very high-performance web server of Microsoft. This is developed by Microsoft for runs in Windows NT/2000 and 2003. It comes bundled with Windows NT/2000 and 2003. Because Internet Information Server (IIS) is combined with Windows operating system to make it very easy to manage.
- Lighttpd:- This server is developed by Jan Kneschke in 2003. This server is also known as a free and light server, Which is shared with FreeBSD operating system. This web server is fast and secure and also it is an open-source web server.
- Sun Java System Web Server:- First of all sun java system web server is a brand used by Sun Microsystems in the market for computer software, which is founded by Scott McNealy, Vinod Khosla, Andy Bechtolsheim, Bill Joy on 1982 in February. This web server Sun Microsystems is very applicable for medium and large websites. This is a free server but not open-source software. It also runs in Windows, Linux and UNIX.
- NGINX Web Server:- This server is developed by Igor Sysoev on 4 October 2004 and this web server is based on free and open-source software. This web server is mostly used by web hosting companies because this server does not use browser threats, this is its speciality. Now it is also used as a reverse proxy.
Suppose we install and configure the Internet Information Services (IIS) web server in Windows 10:-
Step 1:- Enable the IIS web server on windows 10
In the windows 10 web server, we will not need to download any special features or package because it is already there in our system we just need to activate it
- Go to Control panel-> Select Program-> Turn Windows features on and off.
- Now, scroll down and select “Internet Information Services” and press the OK button to install it. After that restart your device for the changes to handle the effect
Step 2: Now Start the Internet information service (IIS) Manager
- Now go to the search box of Windows 10 and type IIS and you will see that your web server manager application must have been installed so click on it before starting it.
- then finally you see the IIS manager with so many options to operate and manage different Web server application tasks.
Step 3: Now you Test IIS Webserver
- After the installation of IIS, Windows will automatically start the webserver services on default port number 80. Thus, to check whether it is functioning properly or not, open your system browser and type http://localhost to see.
- By default, the IIS shows the local HTML page to show everything is working fine. In case not then check whether the HTTP server (localhost) is listening on port 80. Run the following command in the command prompt.
- However, for the newly installed IIS webserver, such a problem would not appear.
- In case, your port 80 is already bound to some other application then you can change the default website or HTTP listening port on IIS.
- Right-click on the Default website option given under the Sites and select Edit Bindings.
- Now Click on the Edit button and change the port number to the one which you want to use. You can also specify any particular IP address you want to use that port number.
Step 4: Configure and install WordPress with IIS Manager
- So, to give you an idea of how to host an HTML website or web application like WordPress on IIS, we are going to configure it.
- However, for hosting a website on IIS, the steps will be the same for both WordPress and just a simple HTML one. Yet being a web application WordPress needs PHP support too.
- Right-click on the default website and select Explore.
- The root directory at %SystemDrive% \inetpub\wwwroot will open. Now simply extract all your WordPress files there. If it asks for permission give it.
- Now, Select your newly created website and click on the restart option given in the right-side panel.
- Add index.php to the Default Document.
- Select Default website and double click on the Default Document icon then Add link given on the right-side panel. Type index.php and save it.
- Open the browser and point it to http://localhost, this time it will show the hosted website. However, in the case of WordPress, it gives an error because we haven’t yet configured its Wp-config file.
- Again right-click on the Default website ->Explore and then rename wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php.
- Now edit the wp-config.php file and change the following things given in red colour… In short, add the database details.
- In case, it will say you don’t have permission to write a wp-config file, then simply right-click on the Default website in IIS manager and select Edit Permissions.
- Go to Security Tab and select your Windows system user. Then Edit button-> Give all permissions to it and then press OK button.
- Now, type http://localhost/index.php and you would be able to access your WordPress installation.
- Now, if you have hosted some HTML-based website file for development in the root directory of the Default website you will get to see that.