Runnig Php
There are several nonexcluding ways to setup und run Php. I will treat the three most used.
Php as module
means, Php is running as a module from the webServer. That also means, Php scripts run with the webServers sysUser security context. Each running Php script has the same process owner and the same permissions. The advantages are: best performance, easy setup, less resources needed. The disadvantage is obvious: the secutity context in case of running in shared environments.
Php cgi mode
that is an answer to the security leak in case of shared environments. Php in cgi mode runs in several issues with the security context of the desired sysUser. But that means first, isolated from the webServer. To bring them together, there are complex configurations to wire the webServer with the Php-cgi. The advantage is small: more security. The disadvantages require attention: complex setup, hudge resources requirements influence the servers performance, complex maintenance needs. Some Isp's offer such configurations. But you may assume, there is an option more:
FastCgi
The answer to all the advantages and disadvantages of the mentioned two Php modes is FastCgi. It enables to run Php in the performant module mode together with, so called wrappers, with their mission to switch Php to a cgi mode. The advantages are the beats: it has experinced only a bit less performance against native Php module run, economical resource needs, good security context, best fine tuning possibilities. The disadvantage is: more complex configuration. But let say, for shared environments today that is the choice of where now no choice else is.
FastCgi cannot treated without to regard chrooted environments. Together with Apache's suexec module, that wants attention to complex and very rigid preliminary conditions, ISP's hopefully soon have no more reasons to disregard these technologies.
Conclusion until now
To setup and run phpWebSite with success, best you have an environment, if shared (most are shared), with a Linux operating system where sysUsers are chrooted, with an ApacheV2 webServer (one detail: configured to run DSOs) with suexec and fastCgi and Php module, and to have Php wrapped with fastCgi. The dbServer should be mySql, because it works very well with Apache, and Php runs very well with mySql. All these components are OpenSource, means free software. You also should have SFTP/SCP for data transfers and you should have ssh shell access, that gives the most power and best security to you and the shared neighbors (protect youself from yourself and your neighbors, and your neighbors from yourselv :-).
The difficultness until now is, to detect an Isp offering such environments. All Isp's offer the mentioned components, but most hide their configurations with success for different reasons.
eZine
