Apache on Aaron West's technology blog

Super Guide: Installing ColdFusion 9 on CentOS Linux

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 08:14:00 -0500

This post is a followup to my previous guide to installing ColdFusion 9 on Ubuntu. While that post was all about the specifics to getting ColdFusion up and running on Ubuntu, this post is all about CentOS. The overall process is the same and I’m covering all the same steps, but the commands in this post are specific to the CentOS operating system. So why I’m writing this?

Overall, installing ColdFusion isn’t that big of a deal. But I’ve yet to see a guide or blog post that outlines all the other topics related to getting a decent ColdFusion server on CentOS up and running. That’s why I wrote this super guide, to outline what I believe is important to know about installing ColdFusion. Of course, I’m not covering every single possible detail, but I believe I’ve hit on all the major topics. Along the way I sprinkle in my own ideas, thoughts, and what I believe are best practices. After you read this post and walk through all the instructions you should have a very solid ColdFusion / Apache set up on CentOS Linux.

Super Guide: Installing ColdFusion 9 on Ubuntu Linux

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 08:50:00 -0500

As I was finishing this guide on installing ColdFusion 9 on Ubuntu Linux I tweeted how many words made up the text (over 6,000). Several people commented on Twitter and Facebook saying things like: “[the length] seems a bit excessive,” and “is it that complicated?” The thing is, I’m covering much more than simply installing ColdFusion. Overall, just installing ColdFusion isn’t that big of a deal. But I’ve yet to see a guide or blog post that outlines all the other topics related to getting a decent ColdFusion server on Ubuntu up and running. That’s why I wrote this super guide, to outline what I believe is important to know about installing ColdFusion. Of course, I’m not covering every single possible detail, but I believe I’ve hit on all the major topics. Along the way I sprinkle in my own ideas, thoughts, and what I believe are best practices. After you read this post and walk through all the instructions you should have a very solid ColdFusion / Apache set up on Ubuntu Linux.

Blocking ColdFusion Administrator in Apache

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 09:00:00 -0500

Web application security is a difficult topic and can’t be covered completely in a single blog post. After the break I discuss one quick way to block ColdFusion Administrator requests in Apache. I also list other resources that will help you understand ColdFusion security and how to apply practical security constructs on your ColdFusion servers.

As a ColdFusion developer or administrator you should always protect your server by locking out requests to the ColdFusion Administrator. Having a Web-based admin panel for ColdFusion is fantastic but if an unauthorized user were to gain access to it they could cause serious harm to your application, your customers, and your business. Privatizing access to the ColdFusion Administrator should be high on your priority list.