Lab 04: Deploying a Code on the Virtual Machine¶

Introduction¶

In this lab, you will deploy a simple web application on the Linux Virtual Machine (VM) you created in Lab 03. We will use Apache, one of the most popular web servers, to host a “Hello World” HTML page.

By the end of this lab, you will: - Understand what Apache is and why it is used. - Learn where to run commands (inside the VM vs. outside on Windows). - Install and configure Apache inside your Linux VM. - Deploy and access a simple HTML web page from both inside the VM and your host machine.

Step 1: What is Apache?¶

Apache HTTP Server is free and open-source software that delivers web pages to users. When someone types your VM’s IP address into a browser, Apache responds by sending back the web page files.

Why Apache? - Easy to install and beginner-friendly. - Stable and widely used across the world. - Perfect for learning how web servers work.

Step 2: Tools You Will Use¶

Inside the VM: Linux Terminal (open from the VM’s desktop menu).
Outside the VM (Host Windows 11): A web browser like Microsoft Edge or Chrome to test access from your PC.
Text Editor inside VM: We will use nano (a simple text editor in Linux).

Keyboard shortcuts in nano:

Save: Ctrl + O, then press Enter.
Exit: Ctrl + X.

Step 3: Creating a Sample Code¶

We will create a simple HTML file called index.html.

Here is the code:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>Hello World</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Hello, World!</h1>
    <p>This is a simple webpage deployed on Apache.</p>
</body>
</html>

Do not create it yet — we will add it later inside Apache’s web directory.

Step 4: Setting Up Apache (Inside the VM)¶

Open a Terminal inside your VM.
Update package lists:
```
sudo apt update
```
Install Apache:
```
sudo apt install apache2 -y
```
Start Apache:
```
sudo systemctl start apache2
```
Enable Apache to start automatically when the VM boots:
```
sudo systemctl enable apache2
```
Verify Apache is running:
```
systemctl status apache2
```
If successful, open a browser inside your VM and go to:
```
http://localhost
```
You should see the Apache welcome page.

Step 5: Deploying the Code (Inside the VM)¶

Navigate to Apache’s default web directory:
```
cd /var/www/html
```
Remove the default index.html:
```
sudo rm index.html
```
Create a new index.html:
```
sudo nano index.html
```
Paste the HTML code (from Step 3). Save with Ctrl+O, press Enter, then exit with Ctrl+X.

Set proper permissions:

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html

Step 6: Accessing the Webpage¶

From Inside the VM¶

Open Firefox (or the browser installed in your VM).
Enter:
```
http://localhost
```
You should see your Hello World page.

From the Host Machine (Windows 11)¶

Find your VM’s IP address inside the VM terminal:
```
ip addr
```
Look for a line like inet 192.168.x.x (not 127.0.0.1).
Open your browser on Windows 11 and type:
```
http://<vm-ip>
```
Example: http://192.168.1.55

If your VM networking is set to Bridged Adapter (from Lab 03), you will see the webpage from your host machine.

Troubleshooting Tips¶

Apache not running: Restart with:
```
sudo systemctl restart apache2
```
Permission denied error: Check permissions on /var/www/html.
Page not opening on host: Ensure VM network is set to Bridged Adapter in VirtualBox.
Firewall issues: Allow Apache:
```
sudo ufw allow 'Apache Full'
```

✅ You have now successfully deployed and accessed a simple HTML web page hosted on your VM using Apache!