Web Server Upgraded Apache HTTPD 2.4.26

     Our web server software has been upgraded to Apache httpd 2.4.26.

     This primarily improves HTTP 2.0, it does some things to further enhance speed, reliability, and security for this new HTTP protocol.  There are minor improvements to other aspects of Apache as well.

Apache HTTP Server 2.4.26 Released

June 19, 2017

The Apache Software Foundation and the Apache HTTP Server Project are pleased to announce the release of version 2.4.26 of the Apache HTTP Server (“Apache”). This version of Apache is our latest GA release of the new generation 2.4.x branch of Apache HTTPD and represents fifteen years of innovation by the project, and is recommended over all previous releases. This release of Apache is a security, feature, and bug fix release.

We consider this release to be the best version of Apache available, and encourage users of all prior versions to upgrade.

Apache HTTP Server 2.4.26 is available for download from:

http://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi

Please see the CHANGES_2.4 file, linked from the download page, for a full list of changes. A condensed list, CHANGES_2.4.26 includes only those changes introduced since the prior 2.4 release. A summary of all of the security vulnerabilities addressed in this and earlier releases is available:

http://httpd.apache.org/security/vulnerabilities_24.html

This release requires the Apache Portable Runtime (APR), minimum version 1.5.x, and APR-Util, minimum version 1.5.x. Some features may require the 1.6.x version of both APR and APR-Util. The APR libraries must be upgraded for all features of httpd to operate correctly.

Apache HTTP Server 2.4 provides a number of improvements and enhancements over the 2.2 version. A listing and description of these features is available via:

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/new_features_2_4.html

This release builds on and extends the Apache 2.2 API. Modules written for Apache 2.2 will need to be recompiled in order to run with Apache 2.4, and require minimal or no source code changes.

http://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/httpd/httpd/branches/2.4.x/VERSIONING

When upgrading or installing this version of Apache, please bear in mind that if you intend to use Apache with one of the threaded MPMs (other than the Prefork MPM), you must ensure that any modules you will be using (and the libraries they depend on) are thread-safe.

Please note that Apache Web Server Project will only provide maintenance releases of the 2.2.x flavor through June of 2017, and will provide some security patches beyond this date through at least December of 2017. Minimal maintenance patches of 2.2.x are expected throughout this period, and users are strongly encouraged to promptly complete their transitions to the the 2.4.x flavor of httpd to benefit from a much larger assortment of minor security and bug fixes as well as new features.

Debian Stretch Initial Impressions and Observations

     Debian stretch appears to use memory extremely efficiently.  With a full Mate Desktop and X session running, bash shell, synaptic installing 4000+ packages, the total amount of system memory used is less than 600Mb.  This is considerably less than Jessie.  It is unusual and refreshing to see an operating system slim down rather than bloat out.

 

Debian Upgraded to Debian9 (stretch)

     Debian has been upgraded to Debian 9 (Stretch)

PRETTY_NAME="Debian GNU/Linux 9 (stretch)"
NAME="Debian GNU/Linux"
VERSION_ID="9"
VERSION="9 (stretch)"
ID=debian
HOME_URL="https://www.debian.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://www.debian.org/support"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.debian.org/"

     Because an in-place upgrade failed, a full install was required.  Consequently, some of the programs that were previously available may not be installed or may not be properly configured.  If you encounter something that is not functioning properly or is missing, please e-mail nanook@eskimo.com.

 

Debian Maintenance

     The debian folks have kicked out a new version of stretch already, v9.01, and I’ve confirmed, by loading into a separate virtual machine, that the install disk iso does work this time.

     I am therefore taking debian.eskimo.com offline for a while to upgrade it to stretch.

Debian In Service

     The live CD ISO image of Debian Stretch is broken, the Network install also failed, the in place upgrade failed, so I’ve reverted to debian Jessie until such time as they get their act together and fix their install media.  It’s incredible to me that an operating system would be released that is so broken it can’t be installed.

 

Debian Stretch

     I guess it’s a “stretch” to get it working.

     The in place upgrade failed.

     The live install CD fails.

     Now  I’m doing a net-install.  It’s going but very slowly and I may not finish tonight.  If it isn’t up please use mint.eskimo.com or ubuntu.eskimo.com, both of which are debian derivatives, actually ubuntu is more up to date than debian.

Debian Maintenance

     As of 12:55AM June 20th, Debian is presently down for an upgrade from Jessie to Stretch.  As with previous debian releases, an in place upgrade failed horribly and so re-installation is necessary to upgrade.

Mail pop-3/imap Server

     There was an issue with the pop-3 and imap mail server today.  It stopped accepting connections for imap and ssh when I tested, some customers said it also stopped for smtp although it did not for me.

     Since it was not accepting connections via ssh, I was unable to get into the server while it was in a failed state to see what was wrong.  I had to force reset it and then nothing in the logs really offered a clue.

 

Owncloud

     I upgraded the owncloud server to version 10.0.2, for some reason the backend authentication is not working so unless you specifically create an account in owncloud, it will not recognize your username and password.  I am working on this.  If you do create an account, use the same username and password so that when I get the backend authentication that calls the system authentication method working again, it will match.

     Also many of the apps are gone or no longer supported in this version.  I am researching where to find current versions to replace them.

Maintenance June 15th and 22nd

     Isofusion, previously Isomedia, where we have our equipment co-located, will be performing network maintenance on the mornings of June 15th and June 22nd between 12AM – 4AM.  This will cause periods of high latency and packet loss during this maintenance window.