Apache as a Reverse Proxy for Tomcat and JBoss - Simple Steps

Article to explain how to configure Apache Web Server as a reverse proxy for a single or multiple application servers. I assume that Apache Tomcat or Jboss is already installed and serving on the port 8080 or any other port of your choice.

OS: CentOS/RHEL

You guys must be wondering when Apache is used as Reverse proxy when it dominates > 60% of the Web Server space, but it acts as the best reverse proxy with the help of "mod_proxy" module

Configuration for Single Application Server

Step 1: Installing Apache

cmd # yum install httpd -y

Step 2: Edit Apache Configuration (Enable the mod_proxy module for make Apache to act as proxy)

# vi /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

LoadModule proxy_module modules/mod_proxy.so
LoadModule proxy_balancer_module modules/mod_proxy_balancer.so
LoadModule proxy_http_module modules/mod_proxy_http.so

Step 3: Edit Apache Configuration (Proxy configuration for the Application Port, proxy for single server)

# vi /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf


    ProxyPreserveHost On
    # ProxyPass / http://[IP Addr.]:[port]/
    # ProxyPassReverse / http://[IP Addr.]:[port]/
    # Example:

    ProxyPass /myapp http://0.0.0.0:8080/myapp
    ProxyPassReverse /myapp http://0.0.0.0:8080/myapp



# Thats it, done!, just restart the apache service and check the website being proxy'd through Apache

cmd # service httpd restart

Step 4: Edit Apache Configuration if you want the traffic to fall on the domain name itself instead of "/myapp" suffix

# vi /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

Step 5: If you want the website served on the Base URL "www.theiot.in", the below configuration will make the page served on "www.theiot.in"

#vi /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

RedirectMatch ^/$ http://www.theiot.in/myapp

# This will make the "myapp" page server when the end user enters "www.theiot.in" on their browser instead of "www.theiot.in"

==================================

Configuration for Multiple Application Servers (Apache as a Load Balancer)

Step 1: Edit the Apache configuration (Assuming two Application Servers)



    # Server 1
    BalancerMember http://0.0.0.0:8080/myapp

    # Server 2
    BalancerMember http://0.0.0.0:8081/myapp





    ProxyPass /myapp balancer://mycluster


Step 2: Restart Apache Service

cms # service httpd restart

Done!, now check the URL and confirm the page is served.

Note:

cmd is the prefix for the commands to be executed in the terminal

This is a simple tutorial to help the IT admins out there, but still many configurations can be done using "mod_proxy" such a sticky sessions and so on, which will be covered in my future articles.

Please write to me if you like this post!