Apache - Rails communication

Rails
1

Please, if this question is not appropriate to this list please direct
me elsewhere. If it has been discussed in a previous thread, please
direct me there. An initial search of the archives did not appear to
show anything.

I am new to Rails but not to app servers having 4 years with J2EE.

The set up of a Rails app seams strait forward and I understand the
MVC model. Initial test code has all worked fine.

This question has to do with Rails / web server configuration.

I want to run standard Apache serving the site. I want to serve the
rails app on a separate port, often not even on the same machine but
on the same LAN. I want to direct requests to the Rails app and have
the Rails app direct a response back to the Apache server. This
would have the Rails app running under either WEBrick or Mongrel. I
have had good luck getting the Rails apps up and responding to
requests directly.

How can I get those requests / responses traveling between Apache and
the Rails web server? Is there example code of such a configuration?

All comments welcome
john

2

use the apache proxy mechanism:

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/1.3/mod/mod_proxy.html

it will allow forward and reverse proxying between apache and
webrick/lighttpd/whatever

I would consider lighttpd (at least) for production mode

  • less memory
  • easier config
  • good security
  • usually faster