Ubuntu Virtual Servers

(This section is under construction.)

The idea is to use a URL for your site (that is registered on Internet DNS (Domain Name Servers)) to access the VistA server, instead of the actual IP address. However, almost always all configurations involve a LAN, so often the URL that has been registered will point to the IP address of the router for your LAN.

NAT

Consumer-grade routers generally use NAT port-forwarding to send traffic the arrives at the router to a specific computer (such as the one hosting the VistA server) on the LAN. Your specific router's configuration utility (often accessible from a web browser) should be able to allow you to configure NAT port forwarding.

With Astronaut, all communications are sent through a secure SSH tunnel. By convention, SSH communications are often sent on port 22 (but that can be changed). If you only have one SSH server on your LAN, using port 22 will be fine. However, if there are more than one SSH servers on your LAN, or if you want a modicum of greater security, then another port for SSH can be used.)

• Copy and edit a configuration file in the Apache2 sites-available folder.

cd /etc/apache2/sites-available
sudo cp default worldvista
sudo kate worldvista

• Edit the virtual host file so that it looks like:

<VirtualHost *:22>
ServerAdmin webmaster@worldvista.myoffice.org
DocumentRoot /opt/worldvista/EHR
ServerName worldvista.myoffice.org
ServerAlias www.worldvista.myoffice.org worldvista.myoffice.org
</VirtualHost>

where worldvista.myoffice.org is an example URL for your server (use your own, of course)

• Restart Apache2:

sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 restart

• Make sure your router forwards port 22 to the (static) IP address (on your LAN) at which the computer (or virtual machine) hosting the VistA server resides.

Changing the SSH port

(Under construction).

• See Ubuntuguide's section on SSH in the meantime.