Install OpenLiteSpeed on Ubuntu and CentOS/Alma Linux

OpenLiteSpeed is a high-performance, open-source web server known for its speed, scalability, and security features. It’s a popular choice for web developers and system administrators looking for an alternative to Apache or Nginx. This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough of how to install and configure OpenLiteSpeed on both Ubuntu and CentOS/Alma Linux distributions.

Installing OpenLiteSpeed on Ubuntu

This section details the steps for installing OpenLiteSpeed on an Ubuntu server.

Step 1: Update the package repository

Before installing any new software, it’s crucial to update your system’s package repository. This ensures you have the latest package information and dependencies.

$ sudo apt-get update

Step 2: Install OpenLiteSpeed

With the package repository updated, you can now install OpenLiteSpeed using the apt-get package manager.

$ sudo apt-get install openlitespeed

Step 3: Configure OpenLiteSpeed

After the installation is complete, you can access the OpenLiteSpeed web administration interface to configure the server. Open your web browser and navigate to http://your-server-ip:8088/. Remember to replace "your-server-ip" with the actual IP address of your Ubuntu server.

The default username for the web interface is "admin," and the default password is "123456." Upon logging in, you can customize various aspects of the server, such as virtual hosts, security settings, and more. It’s highly recommended to change the default password immediately after logging in for security reasons.

Step 4: Start OpenLiteSpeed

To start the OpenLiteSpeed server, use the following command:

$ sudo service lsws start

This command initiates the OpenLiteSpeed web server, allowing it to handle incoming web requests. You can verify the server is running by visiting your server’s IP address in a web browser.

Installing OpenLiteSpeed on CentOS/Almalinux

This section outlines the installation process for OpenLiteSpeed on CentOS or AlmaLinux.

Step 1: Update the package repository

Similar to Ubuntu, it’s important to update the package repository before installing OpenLiteSpeed on CentOS/AlmaLinux. Use the yum package manager for this purpose.

$ sudo yum update

Step 2: Add the OpenLiteSpeed repository

CentOS/AlmaLinux doesn’t include OpenLiteSpeed in its default repositories. Therefore, you need to add the OpenLiteSpeed repository to your system.

$ sudo rpm -ivh http://rpms.litespeedtech.com/centos/litespeed-repo-1.1-1.el7.noarch.rpm

This command downloads and installs the OpenLiteSpeed repository configuration file. Note that the el7 in the URL might need to be adjusted based on your CentOS/AlmaLinux version. Check the LiteSpeed Technologies website for the most up-to-date repository URL.

Step 3: Install OpenLiteSpeed

With the OpenLiteSpeed repository added, you can now install the web server using yum.

$ sudo yum install openlitespeed

Step 4: Configure OpenLiteSpeed

Once the installation is finished, configure OpenLiteSpeed through its web administration interface. Access it by opening your browser and navigating to http://your-server-ip:7080/. Replace "your-server-ip" with your server’s IP address.

The default username is "admin," and the default password is "123456." As with the Ubuntu installation, changing the default password after the initial login is crucial for security.

Step 5: Start OpenLiteSpeed

To start the OpenLiteSpeed service on CentOS/AlmaLinux, use the systemctl command.

$ sudo systemctl start lsws

This command starts the OpenLiteSpeed web server. You can confirm that the server is running by accessing your server’s IP address in a web browser.

That’s it! You’ve now successfully installed and configured OpenLiteSpeed on both Ubuntu and CentOS/Alma Linux.

Alternative Installation Methods and Enhancements for Install OpenLiteSpeed on Ubuntu and CentOS/Alma Linux

While the above methods provide a straightforward way to install OpenLiteSpeed, alternative approaches and enhancements can streamline the process and improve security. Here are two different ways to solve the problem presented in the article, focusing on automation and security:

1. Using Docker for Simplified Deployment and Isolation

Docker provides a containerization platform that simplifies application deployment and ensures consistency across different environments. Instead of directly installing OpenLiteSpeed on the host operating system, you can use a pre-built OpenLiteSpeed Docker image.

Explanation:

Docker containers encapsulate an application and its dependencies, creating an isolated environment. This eliminates dependency conflicts and simplifies deployment, as the same container image can be run on any system with Docker installed. Using Docker also enhances security by isolating the web server from the host system.

Steps:

1. Install Docker: Follow the official Docker documentation to install Docker and Docker Compose on your Ubuntu or CentOS/AlmaLinux system.

2. Create a docker-compose.yml file: This file defines the OpenLiteSpeed container and its configuration.

version: "3.8"
services:
  openlitespeed:
    image: litespeedtech/openlitespeed:latest
    ports:
      - "80:80"
      - "443:443"
      - "7080:7080" # WebAdmin Console
    volumes:
      - ./data/html:/usr/local/lsws/Example/html
      - ./data/conf:/usr/local/lsws/conf
    environment:
      - OLS_ADMIN_PASS=your_strong_password #Replace with a strong password

3. Run Docker Compose: Navigate to the directory containing the docker-compose.yml file and run the following command:

docker-compose up -d

This command downloads the OpenLiteSpeed image, creates a container based on the image, and starts the container in detached mode. The -d flag runs the container in the background. The OLS_ADMIN_PASS environment variable allows you to set the web admin password during initial container setup, enhancing security.

4. Access OpenLiteSpeed: Open your web browser and navigate to http://your-server-ip or https://your-server-ip. Access the web admin console at http://your-server-ip:7080.

This approach offers several advantages:

• Simplified installation: No need to manually install OpenLiteSpeed and its dependencies.
• Isolation: The web server runs in an isolated container, improving security.
• Portability: The same Docker image can be deployed on different systems.
• Easy updates: Updating OpenLiteSpeed is as simple as pulling the latest Docker image.

2. Ansible for Automated Configuration Management

Ansible is an open-source automation tool that allows you to automate tasks such as software installation, configuration, and deployment. Using Ansible, you can create a playbook to automatically install and configure OpenLiteSpeed on multiple servers.

Explanation:

Ansible uses a declarative approach to configuration management, where you define the desired state of the system, and Ansible takes care of bringing the system to that state. This eliminates manual configuration errors and ensures consistency across all servers.

Steps:

1. Install Ansible: Install Ansible on your control machine (the machine from which you will run the Ansible playbook). Refer to the official Ansible documentation for installation instructions.

2. Create an Ansible playbook: Create a file named openlitespeed.yml with the following content:

---
- hosts: all
  become: true
  tasks:
    - name: Update package cache
      apt:
        update_cache: yes
      when: ansible_os_family == "Debian"

    - name: Update package cache (CentOS/AlmaLinux)
      yum:
        update_cache: yes
      when: ansible_os_family == "RedHat"

    - name: Install OpenLiteSpeed (Ubuntu)
      apt:
        name: openlitespeed
        state: present
      when: ansible_os_family == "Debian"

    - name: Add OpenLiteSpeed repository (CentOS/AlmaLinux)
      yum_repository:
        name: litespeed
        description: LiteSpeed Technologies RPM Repository
        baseurl: http://rpms.litespeedtech.com/centos/$releasever/$basearch/
        gpgcheck: yes
        gpgkey: http://rpms.litespeedtech.com/centos/RPM-GPG-KEY-litespeed
      when: ansible_os_family == "RedHat"

    - name: Install OpenLiteSpeed (CentOS/AlmaLinux)
      yum:
        name: openlitespeed
        state: present
      when: ansible_os_family == "RedHat"

    - name: Start OpenLiteSpeed (Ubuntu)
      service:
        name: lsws
        state: started
        enabled: yes
      when: ansible_os_family == "Debian"

    - name: Start OpenLiteSpeed (CentOS/AlmaLinux)
      service:
        name: lsws
        state: started
        enabled: yes
      when: ansible_os_family == "RedHat"

3. Configure Ansible inventory: Create an inventory file (e.g., hosts) that lists the target servers and their connection details.

[webservers]
server1 ansible_host=your_server_ip1 ansible_user=your_username ansible_ssh_private_key_file=~/.ssh/id_rsa
server2 ansible_host=your_server_ip2 ansible_user=your_username ansible_ssh_private_key_file=~/.ssh/id_rsa

Replace your_server_ip1, your_server_ip2, your_username, and ~/.ssh/id_rsa with the appropriate values for your servers.

4. Run the playbook: Execute the Ansible playbook using the following command:

ansible-playbook -i hosts openlitespeed.yml

This command connects to the target servers, installs OpenLiteSpeed, and starts the service.

This Ansible playbook automates the entire installation process, including updating the package cache, adding the OpenLiteSpeed repository (for CentOS/AlmaLinux), installing the OpenLiteSpeed package, and starting the service. The when conditionals ensure that the correct commands are executed based on the operating system family. This approach is ideal for deploying OpenLiteSpeed across multiple servers consistently and efficiently. It is a much better alternative than running the commands on each server individually.