Run fastcgi in Apache 1.3, or proxy through lighttpd?

Rails
1

I’m working with a guy who has Apache 1.3 installed on his server, and
it’s not an option to simply use lighttpd for a Rails application I’m
helping him with. I’ve seen that Apache 2 apparently is crappy when
it comes to fastcgi, but 1.3 isn’t so bad. I can then either just run
my app straight in Apache, or I could proxy it through to lighttpd.
Which is a better option in general? Also, if I should go the Apache
route, what module should I use? I’ve only used lighttpd to this
point on my own.

Pat

2

On Jan 26, 2006, at 5:03 AM, Pat M. wrote:

Pat-

I would personally recommend that you proxy to lighty from apache.

Especially since you already know lighty well it will be easier for
you to use. Also you will be able to restart your rails app with out
restarting apache. So you can switch to dev or production mode and
reload changes without bouncing the whole server. In my tests, you
shouldn’t notice much performance difference as proxying is a very
quick process.

I have a server at work with around 32 client web sites on it under

apache1.3. Most of them are php/html sites but about 7 of them are
rails sites and each of them runs their own lighty. It runs great and
I have had no problems at all using it. Whereas I was always
fidgeting with apache/mod_fcgi when I tried to use that, always
getting random 500 errors that would never fully go away.

Here is my apache1.3 vhost conf that I use that is tried, tested and

trueL

Apache 1.3.x:

<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName example.com
ServerAlias www.example.com
ProxyPass / http://example.com:8000/
ProxyPassReverse / http://example.com:8000/

Cheers-

-Ezra Z.
Yakima Herald-Republic
WebMaster

509-577-7732
[email protected]

3

On 1/26/06, Ezra Z. [email protected] wrote:

point on my own.
reload changes without bouncing the whole server. In my tests, you
Here is my apache1.3 vhost conf that I use that is tried, tested and

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Hey Ezra,

Thanks for the advice. My next problem here is that it apparently
doesn’t have mod_proxy compiled in. I did lots of googling to see if
somehow I could download and build the module independently, then
dynamically load it in, but couldn’t find anything. I guess I’d have
to recompile Apache to make it happen. This is on a CPanel server
though (BLEH!) so I don’t think it’s a simple recompile. Anyway, it’s
hosted at servint.com, so he can get those guys to do it for us.

If you know how I can just build the module and load it dynamically,
I’d really appreciate some pointers.

Pat