[SOLVED]Apache Web Server and Apache Tomcat, do I need both?

[Danielsan]

Hi All,

I have question for the web savvy guys, I would like to take a look to Lucee an open source implementation of Coldfusion, I understood it need Apache Tomcat to work but I would like to know if I need to install also Apache Web Server, what should I do?

Thanks!

[debiman]

you need tomcat, because it's a java thing.
you don't necessarily need apache (or any other server software).
if this is the only thing your machine is serving, you can probably do that.

i run libresonic on my server (java media server, requires tomcat) but i let it serve only to localhost, from where nginx picks it up and serves it to the world via ssl. safer that way, i'm being told. and anyhow, i already have nginx running, serving other stuff, so 1 more doesn't matter.

[Danielsan]

Eventually I installed a minimal debian with the web server stack, then I used the installer provided by lucee that installed me, in opt/, beside lucee itself all the bloated java component so I am not using the ones provided by Debian... I really don't like this Windows approach... Anyway I have my Lucee server available through Virtualbox and I can reach it by my browser.

Lucee provides also an express jar file to check it out, so I could use this one as well, probably that would help to use the Debian tools, anyway I am not really interested in find which is the best way to install it in Debian, I am just checking is worth give it a chance and avoid to pay the enterprise version of Coldfusion of the company where I work in.

[sevendogsbsd]

Tomcat is an application server and it can work standalone without Apache. Apache is only a web server, not an application server. For example, I have a Java web application I run on Tomcat. I can just run it on Tomcat without Apache. A better (more secure) architecture is to run Apache as your web server in a DMZ with Tomcat as the application server in your core network. To do this, you use a connector to allow the two to communicate. This article explains it: https://tomcat.apache.org/connectors-doc/webserver_howto/apache.html. You don't have to do this but being a security guy I have to at least mention it

[debiman]

To do this, you use a connector to allow the two to communicate.

essentially the same as the previously mentioned nginx reverse proxy.
"connector" sounds like something from the Windows world, "nginx reverse proxy" like sth from Bladerunner...

[sevendogsbsd]

To do this, you use a connector to allow the two to communicate.

essentially the same as the previously mentioned nginx reverse proxy.
"connector" sounds like something from the Windows world, "nginx reverse proxy" like sth from Bladerunner...

Lol, I was referring to the mod_jk connector - that's Apache's terminology. Right - in my example, Apache is essentially a proxy and by putting web services in a dmz, it provides better protection for the app server and database server, if there is one.

Reminds me I need to see the new bladerunner! I still haven't seen all of the old one (shame on me).

[debiman]

Reminds me I need to see the new bladerunner!

it looks like the new one will be out in a few days.
meanwhile, check out these!

I still haven't seen all of the old one (shame on me).

indeed!
fix that asap, please!

[sevendogsbsd]

Very cool, thanks!