Configure Apache with OpenSSL in SUSE

1. Create a random data file
   cat /dev/random > randomfile
   
   
2. Create key pair
   openssl genrsa -des3 -out server.key -rand randomfile
   
   
3. Sign the created Public Key and create a digital certificate
   openssl req -new -x509 -key server.key -out server.crt
   Answer the questions posed and then copy the Public Key and digital certificate into appropriate directories:
   server.key --> /etc/apache2/ssl.key/
   server.crt --> /etc/apache2/ssl.crt/
   
   
   
4. Configure Apache to use OpenSSL
   Edit the /etc/sysconfig/apache2 file
   APACHE_START_TIMEOUT="10" - the httpd start time out
   APACHE_SERVER_FLAGS="SSL"
   
   
   
5. Configure the main site to use HTTPS
   Edit the /etc/apache2/default-server.conf file and add the following directives from the /etc/apache2/vhost.d/vhost-ssl.template file
   SSLEngine on
   SSLCipherSuite ALL:!ADH:!EXPORT56:RC4+RSA:+HIGH:+MEDIUM:+LOW:+SSLv2:+EXP:+eNULL
   SSLCertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl.crt/server.crt
   SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/apache2/ssl.key/server.key
   
   
   
6. Configure a Virtual Host to use HTTPS
   
   • Follow steps 1 to 3 to create the key and digital certificate
   • Edit the /etc/apaches2/vhost.d/.conf file
   • Change VirtualHost :80 to VirtualHost *:443
   • Append the ServerName directive with 443 e.g. vhost.mydomain.lan to vhost.mydomain.lan:443
     

How to upgrade openSUSE 11.4 to use GNOME 3

Just managed to get GNOME 3 running on my openSUSE 11.4 desktop. GNOME 3 is pretty and does need getting used to but so far I have been pretty happy with it on Fedora 15. I have an old Pentium D with 2GB of RAM and an ancient NVIDIA GeForce 7600GT. To upgrade to GNOME 3 you need to add the repo.

Adding the repo:
zypper ar -f obs://GNOME:STABLE:3.0/openSUSE_11.4 GNOME_STABLE_3.0

The do a distribution upgrade:
zypper dup

Before you reboot the system to enjoy the GNOME 3 goodness, install the gnome-shell and theme packages:
zypper in gnome-shell metatheme-adwaita-common

The GNOME tweak tool is a must to modify the GNOME 3 desktop:
zypper in gnome-tweak-tool

Enjoy!!

KVM on openSUSE 11.4

KVM hasn't been as popular as the XEN hypervisor on the SUSE/openSUSE platform. However, Red Hat has been instrumental in drumming up interest and support for KVM in the past couple of years. I still feel that XEN has a greater support (as in official support that is!) for "Enterprise" apps like SAP and such, but the inner geek in me is absolutely trembling with joy for KVM support since openSUSE 11.3 and in SLES/SLED 11 SP1.

For those who want to get KVM on openSUSE 11.4, have a look at the excellent article at http://howtoforge.com/virtualization-with-kvm-on-an-opensuse-11.4-server

Enjoy....now back to work....and happy hacking!!