In the SSL/CW list of top IT skills, Apache is number 69
What is it?
Apache is far and away the most popular web server, with more than
double Microsoft's market share. But perhaps market share is the
wrong term, since anyone can download and install Apache free of
charge. It is an open source product, maintained by the the Apache
Project, which describes itself as "a collaborative software
development effort aimed at creating a robust, commercial-grade,
featureful, and freely available source code implementation of an
HTTP web server."
Like Linux, Apache is managed by a core of dedicated developers
around the world, linked by the internet. The Apache people believe
the tools of online publishing should be open to everyone, and
software companies should make their money by providing value-added
services. They are fiercely opposed to the idea of one company
owning the protocols through which we all communicate.
Where did it originate?
In 1995, at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications
(NCSA), University of Illinois, eight people took over
responsibility for an existing HTTP server which had been
languishing since its creator left the NCSA. They added all the
outstanding patches and enhancements, and released it as version
0.6.2 of the Apache Server ("a patchy server").
The Apache Software Foundation was formed in 1999 to provide
organisational and financial support for Apache, which by then was
running on 57% of the world's web server hardware.
What is it for?
It is a highly configurable HTTP/1.1-compliant web server which can
be extended with third-party modules or customised with modules
written using the Apache application programming interface. It can
be configured as a proxy server, and support for Java and Active
Server Pages can be added.
What makes it special?
Apache may or may not be the fastest web server - benchmarks can be
selected to suit the strengths of particular products. The Apache
view is that it is better to have a fairly fast free server than an
extremely fast server costing thousands of pounds.
Apache has had its share of bugs and security vulnerabilities, but
the involvement of a worldwide community means these are found and
fixed extremely quickly.
How difficult is it to master?
One regular complaint is the lack of graphical user interface tools
to make it easier to use.
Where is it used?
Apache has been widely taken up by commercial companies. Like
Linux, Apache is now backed by some heavyweight software companies.
Paid-for commercial support is available for the nervous, and
Apache is bundled with the Oracle database and Borland's Kylix and
Delphi development tools.
Not to be confused with...
A military helicopter. A guitar instrumental by the Shadows.
What makes it hot?
According to the Netcraft Web Server Survey, in May 2003, Apache
was running on 62.5% of the world's web servers, Microsoft products
on 27%, Zeus on 2%, and Sun One on 1%.
What systems does it run on?
Most versions of Unix, Linux, Windows, 0S/2 and other operating
systems.
What is coming up?
There are regular minor releases of Apache as bug fixes and new
features are added. The Apache Project receives about 40
contributions a day from the developer community.
Training
There are lots of tutorials on the web. A good starting place is
www.apache.orgRates of pay
Apache skills are used in web development, systems administration
and support, and there is a wide range of salaries.