Moodle: what is the best set-up?

[witch]

This will probably be a very basic thread - please bear with me!

 

I now have my new Server 2008 and was about to wrestle with putting Moodle on it and then I thought...I have an unused caching server with Linux already on it - should I put Moodle on that and integrate it into the system???

If I did - how would I do so and would having Apache on it versus IIS on the main server be a problem?

Or could I somehow use the IIS from the main server even though moodle is installed on the secondary server?

Or what? (if this makes any sense at all)

Currently my main server has ports 80 and 81 enabled if that is any help (using 80 for some progs, intranet etc). Our website is hosted somewhere else (haven't found out quite where yet)

 

What do you think I should do?

(apart from run away screaming)

[rh91uk]

Hi - i'm no expert with moodle, but have just set up our new moodle box.

 

We run two boxes - a MYSQL box (peeves!, after Harry Potter) and an Apache box (hogwarts!) which run our moodle

 

I now have my new Server 2008 and was about to wrestle with putting Moodle on it and then I thought...I have an unused caching server with Linux already on it - should I put Moodle on that and integrate it into the system???

 

Good - if it is your DC I would strongly not reccomend (although I know some people that do!) install IIS and run websites off their DC. I would definetly use the old box - why not format the old linux box so you have a clean install to run from? We use CentOS here - download the ISO and burn it to a disk! Then just wipe it, Cent has an easy interface if I remember. Alternatively, use Ubuntu - which has a nice GUI for installation.

 

If I did - how would I do so and would having Apache on it versus IIS on the main server be a problem?

 

Not a problem what so ever. You'll need to install Apache and MYSQL on that box though, aswell as PHP and all the modules. This is called a "LAMP" setup ... more info here....LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) HOWTO: Installing MySQL and Apache with PHP support on Linux

 

This should give you easy advice how to do it but if you get stuck obviously post here as there are a lot more people on here (probably more experienced with linux hackery than me!) who could help you ... or pm me.

 

Or could I somehow use the IIS from the main server even though moodle is installed on the secondary server

 

In theory ... yes, but IIS would still be serving your pages - which would still put the power on the 2008 server. What specs are you running at?

 

Currently my main server has ports 80 and 81 enabled if that is any help (using 80 for some progs, intranet etc). Our website is hosted somewhere else (haven't found out quite where yet)

 

You would need to open ports 80 for sure to this new box. I'd add a DHCP reservation on your 2008 box assuming your running DHCP off this

 

What do you think I should do?

(apart from run away screaming)

If it was me - set it up on the linux box. It's great fun and you'll learn lots too - I did!

 

Are you wanting to integrate SIMS timetables with this or Active directory? There are loads of tutorials out there with intergrating Moodle with AD (LDAP)

 

Let me know if I could be any more help, sorry if none of this makes sense!

 

Rich

[kmount]

I'd go with the separate linux box especially if your new server is a domain controller or whatnot.

[CyberNerd]

It all rather depends on what the 2008 server is supposed to be doing. Can you scrap the win install? If you need to keep the windows install a better solution may be to virtualise the windows partition and install both linux and windows on the same box with xen/esxi/kvm/other virt tech.

 

what distribution is the cache running? what is the load on it?

[kmount]

It's unused by the looks of it so effectively a nice spare box.

 

Would definitely look at installing a new OS on it for a fresh start.

[CyberNerd]

It's unused by the looks of it so effectively a nice spare box.

 

Would definitely look at installing a new OS on it for a fresh start.

 

and get a refund for the unused server license!

[kmount]

Sorry I meant the cache box.

[witch]

Er...I would answer the questions if I knew what I was being asked. Way above my head, chaps.

The cache is an unused item - we got it from RM and it was in the system, then the HD went and I sent it off to be mended, but never put it back because it didn't seem to be doing much. So it is currently sitting in its box.

The server is my only server, so it does everything that needs to be done in a school.

 

I had moodle on the old 2000 Server using the 'lamp' (well, xamp as it was windows) setup before (well, Bossman did it for me actually) so I could hopefully get that on the spare box.

Sorry but after that I don't really get what I would have to do.

Suppose I have moodle set up on the spare box,added a DCHP reservation on the server, then what?

IIS is on the server as I stated and I cannot take it off due to the usage by programs etc

As for integration with anything - I don't know what I want. Not Sims yet, I know that, as currently we have a separate admin network and need to get a trust set up (Dorset LA's solution to the whole school network).

Do I want it integrated into AD - do I?

More (simpler) instructions needed please....not good with fiddling about and anyway have no time AT ALL to do it.

Moodle is needed at the beginning of term and I am beginning to panic

Edited September 1, 2009 by witch

[kmount]

witch,

 

I'd use the spare rm cache box to be honest, I'd get a fresh installation of linux on there, and set up for moodle and then transfer your stuff over if its currently running elsewhere.

 

The important first question to save you some sanity is whether Dorset LA will provide you with a public IP address to allow access to moodle from the outside so it can be completely separate to the existing server. (The alternative is to mess around redirecting etc which will only confuse)

 

The AD integration is straight forward, and can be done either now or in the future so don't worry.

 

Don't worry about SIMS for now either.

 

Do you want me to give you a ring for a chat, might this be easier?

[witch]

witch,

 

The important first question to save you some sanity is whether Dorset LA will provide you with a public IP address to allow access to moodle from the outside so it can be completely separate to the existing server. (The alternative is to mess around redirecting etc which will only confuse)

 

 

I am not sure that they will provide us with another public IP address - I think I have seen this problem before from other people.

Thanks for the offer - I am not at school until later in the week - may well take you up on it.

[kmount]

Sure no problem, drop me a pm and we can have a natter if needed.

 

If they won't give you another IP and you want to be able to use moodle from the outside then we need to think about how to address this, whether to host on the existing server, or somehow redirect traffic from it to the moodle one.

 

Gut feeling tells me to not make it more complicated than it need be and to set up wamp on the current server because the ip etc is all in place. Not a great idea in practice but if you don't have much time nor a cooperative isp it might be easier. - Further down the line we can easily move it from one box to another.

[plexer]

There is no issue having iis on the current main server and having an apache web server too.

[witch]

There is no issue having iis on the current main server and having an apache web server too.

 

but how do you do it? how is it set up so that the traffic for the moodle site is redirected?

We just want to put a link on the website and intranet site direct to the moodle installation

 

As for putting it all on the server, I can't find any documentation and fn-gm was going to send me some and then he had a fire in his server room and I haven't heard anything since!