In the vast expanse of web server solutions, OpenLiteSpeed emerges as a distinguished and powerful contender, particularly for those steering through the realms of AlmaLinux 9. Its allure lies not only in its performance and efficiency but also in its seamless integration capabilities with a variety of systems. This guide is meticulously crafted to assist both newcomers and seasoned tech aficionados in the installation and configuration of OpenLiteSpeed on AlmaLinux 9. We’ll navigate through the technical nuances with clarity, ensuring an enriching journey from start to finish.

Prerequisites

Before embarking on this technological adventure, ensure that your system is a fresh AlmaLinux 9 installation. You should have root access or an account with sudo privileges to execute the commands mentioned in this guide.

Step 1: System Update

First and foremost, it’s crucial to update your AlmaLinux system to ensure all existing packages are up to date. This can be achieved by executing the following command:

sudo dnf update -y

Step 2: Installing OpenLiteSpeed

OpenLiteSpeed offers an official repository that simplifies the installation process on AlmaLinux 9. Follow these steps to add the repository and install OpenLiteSpeed.

1. Import the OpenLiteSpeed repository:

sudo rpm -Uvh http://rpms.litespeedtech.com/centos/litespeed-repo-1.1-1.el8.noarch.rpm

2. Once the repository is added, you can install OpenLiteSpeed by running:

sudo dnf install openlitespeed -y

3. After the installation is complete, you can verify the version of OpenLiteSpeed installed:

/usr/local/lsws/bin/lshttpd -v

Step 3: Starting and Managing OpenLiteSpeed

With OpenLiteSpeed installed, the next step is to start the server and ensure it runs smoothly.

1. Start OpenLiteSpeed:

sudo /usr/local/lsws/bin/lswsctrl start

2. To stop OpenLiteSpeed, use:

sudo /usr/local/lsws/bin/lswsctrl stop

3. To restart OpenLiteSpeed, which is often needed after configuration changes, use:

sudo /usr/local/lsws/bin/lswsctrl restart

Step 4: Configuring OpenLiteSpeed

Accessing the OpenLiteSpeed web administration console is straightforward. The default installation provides a web admin console running on port 7080.

1. First, you may need to set an admin password for the OpenLiteSpeed console:

sudo /usr/local/lsws/admin/misc/admpass.sh

Follow the prompts to set your username and password.

2. Then, access the OpenLiteSpeed admin console by navigating to:

http://your_server_ip:7080

Replace your_server_ip with the actual IP address of your server.

Step 5: Setting Up PHP

OpenLiteSpeed comes with LSAPI to enhance PHP performance. Follow these steps to set up PHP with OpenLiteSpeed:

1. Install the PHP package for OpenLiteSpeed. Here, we install PHP 7.4 as an example:

sudo dnf install lsphp74 lsphp74-common lsphp74-mysqlnd lsphp74-process lsphp74-mbstring lsphp74-xml -y

2. Link the installed PHP version to OpenLiteSpeed:

sudo ln -sf /usr/local/lsws/lsphp74/bin/lsphp /usr/local/lsws/fcgi-bin/lsphp5

3. Restart OpenLiteSpeed for the changes to take effect:

sudo /usr/local/lsws/bin/lswsctrl restart

Integrating with Shape.host Cloud VPS

For those seeking a reliable and efficient hosting solution for their OpenLiteSpeed-powered websites, Shape.host Cloud VPS provides an excellent platform. With Shape.host, you can enjoy seamless scalability, robust security, and stellar performance, ensuring that your web applications run smoothly. Deploying OpenLiteSpeed on Shape.host Cloud VPS not only enhances your website’s speed and efficiency but also leverages the expertise of a dedicated support team, making your hosting experience worry-free.

Exploring the extensive features and capabilities of OpenLiteSpeed on Shape.host Cloud VPS can significantly enhance your web applications’ efficiency and reliability.