Web server

tl;dr

Description

Nginx would be our server of choice for the CLACI project. Currently we are running nginx version 1.10.0 on Javelin.

The main configuration is stock, except that the 'default' site (whose config is located at /etc/nginx/sites-available/default) has been disabled. In the main config file (/etc/nginx/nginx.conf), only our custom site config (/etc/nginx/sites-enabled/javelin) has been included (via the 'include' directive). The details of the Javelin configuration are given below in the Virtual Hosts section.

Virtual hosts

Wikipedia defines Virtual Hosting as follows:

Virtual hosting is a method for hosting multiple domain names (with separate handling of each name) on a single server (or pool of servers). This allows one server to share its resources, such as memory and processor cycles, without requiring all services provided to use the same host name. The term virtual hosting is usually used in reference to web servers but the principles do carry over to other internet services.

For the CLACI project, the nginx process currently hosts one virtual host with the root URL (javelin.ischool.utexas.edu/) pointing to the main project website (WordPress).

While we eventually plan to point the domain name www.coloredinsaneasylums.org to our servers, in the interim the main project website will be accessible at http://javelin.ischool.utexas.edu. In addition to that a wiki-based site will be accessible at javelin.ischool.utexas.edu/dokuwiki. This wiki is intended for the team of researchers associated with the project to collaborate and share knowledge among themselves, and with the world.