How To Install and Configure WordPress in AWS on RHEL 7 or CentOS 7

Overview

The purpose of this document is to install and configure WordPress on AWS and local database on RHEL 7 or CentOS 7.

Applies To

CentOS 7, RHEL 7

Pre-requisites

·        Apache httpd

·        Firewall Configuration (Open port) – 80

·        PHP, PHP-MYSQL

·        MariaDB – (MySQL)

Installation – Apache Webserver

First and foremost thing that you need to do install WordPress, is the install Apache httpd on the server.

Check Package – httpd

Before you install the httpd package on the server, check whether the package is already installed, to check run the command.

rpm -qa | grep httpd

Install Package – httpd

After validating the package installation status, to install httpd package run the command;

yum install httpd -y 

Service Management

httpd Service – Enable

After installation, next step is to enable the service which will start the service by default at multi-user Runlevel, run the command;

systemctl enable httpd

If the service is disabled which is default setting, it create a new symbolic link in the folder “multi-user.target.wants” for the service.

ln -s '/usr/lib/systemd/system/httpd.service' '/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/httpd.service'

httpd Service – Start

The next steps is to start the service to start the service, to start run the command;

systemctl start httpd 

httpd Service – Disable

In order to disable the service to start on boot run the command; Its optional. Though every time the server is rebooted httpd service has to be started manually.

systemctl disable httpd.service

If the service is already enabled, it remove existing symbolic link in the folder “multi-user.target.wants” for the service.

rm '/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/httpd.service'

httpd Service – Open Port (AWS Security Group)

The next steps is to open port “80” in the inbound rules of the security group wherein the server is associated, in the AWS Management console.  After adding the new rule, click on “Save” button.

httpd Service – Launch Website

After adding the new inbound rule and saving it, launch the webserver with the public IP address from the web browser.

http://<WebserverIP or FQDN>

Install – PHP, PHP-MySql

The next step is to install packages “php and php-mysql”, to install these packages run the command;

yum install php php-mysql -y

Validate PHP Installation

Next, we will create a php information page, in the DocumentRoot of httpd; run the command;

cd /var/www/html

vi phpinfo.php

To test php is working, In the vi editor the text type “i” and then copy and paste below line, save and exit the file “phpinfo.php”.

<?php phpinfo() ?>

Launch PHP Info Webpage

After adding the new webpage and text “phpinfo.php”; restart the httpd service and launch the webpage “phpinfo.php” in the web browser. Php and MySQL version information should be populated in the webpage as shown in the below screenshot.

systemctl restart httpd.service

http://<WebserverIP or FQDN>/phpinfo.php

PHP Version and libraries that are configured and enabled information will be displayed in this page.

Install – Database Server

The next step is to install mariadb  database server. Mariadb is an in-line replacement for the MySQL Server.

Check Package – Mariadb Server

Before you install the mariadb server package on the host, check whether the package is already installed, to check run the command.

rpm -qa | grep mariadb-server

rpm -qa | grep mysql-server

Install Package – mariadb Server

Next step, in order to install the mariadb server package on the host, to check run the command;

yum install mariadb-server -y

Enable – Service mariadb

systemctl list-unit-files | grep mariadb.service

After installation, the next step is to enable the service to start the service by default at multi-user Runlevel, run the command;

systemctl enable mariadb.service

If the service is disabled which is default setting, it create a new symbolic link in the folder “multi-user.target.wants” for the service.

Start – Service mariadb

When the mariadb server is installed database service does not start by default. You can check the status of the mariadb service and to then start the service, run the commands below, to know status and start the service respectively.

systemctl status mariadb.service

systemctl start mariadb.service

Create Database – blog

Next step after starting the database service is to create the database named “blog”, run the command;

mysqladmin -uroot create blog

Connect Database – blog

After creating the database, to ensure the database has been created, we will connect to the database, run the command;

mysql -uroot -Dblog -s

Note: We are connecting to database in silent mode.

Securing Mariadb – Database

One of the most important step after installing Mariadb database server is the securing it.  To secure it run the command;

mysql_secure_installation

Securing Mariadb – Login Password

When mariadb server is installed, password is not configured or set for the root user, hence we in this step press enter.

Enter current password for root (enter for none): Press enter key for none

Securing Mariadb – Confirm Password Change

Next step is to confirm the root password change, to continue the password change press “Y” and press enter.

Set Root password? [Y/n]: Y

Securing Mariadb – Set New Password

The next step is to set the new password and re-enter the new password again. After confirming the new password. The root password will be set and privilege tables will be reloaded.

New Password: Enter your new password

Re-enter new password: Re-enter your new password again 

Securing Mariadb – Remove Anonymous User

Next step is to remove anonymous user access, this option will secure the database by allowing access to the database wherein their user account created in the database, enter “Y” to revoke anonymous users access.

Remove anonymous users? [Y/n]: Y

Securing Mariadb – Disallow root Login Remotely

The next step is to restrict access to root user from a remote system.  This step will help database administrator to login the server directly and only then login with “root”. Database Admin’s who to login will from localhost only.

Disallow root login remotely? [Y/n]: Y

Securing Mariadb – Remove test Database and Access

In this step you will remove test database and the privileges for the “test” database.

Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n]: Y

Securing Mariadb – Reload Privilege Tables

Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n]: Y

Install WordPress

In this section we will navigate through the steps for download, installing and configuring wordpress.

Download Package

Next step is to download wordpress package from the internet, to download run the commands below, if wget utilitiy is not installed, you can utilize curl utility to download the package.

cd /tmp

curl -OL http://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz

or

wget http://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz

Extract Package

Next step is to extract the wordpress package that was downloaded from the internet and list the contents after extracting to the DocumentRoot folder. Apache httpd service DocumentRoot by default is configured as “/var/www/html” folder, run the command below to extract and verify the extraction.

tar -zxf latest.tar.gz -C /var/www/html/

ls -l /var/www/html/

Configure Wordpress

The next phase is to configure wordpress as the requirement, we will first rename the folder as “blog”, configure database for the blog.

Rename Folder

After extracting the content, next step is to rename the “wordpress” folder as per your need, in this case we will rename it as “blog”. 

Rename Sample Configuration File

The next step is to rename the sample configuration file to “wp-config.php”, where in we will configure database parameters for the blog website, run the below commands.

cd blog

mv wp-config-sample.php wp-config.php

Configure Database Parameters

The next step is to configure database parameters, to modify database attribute values, open “wp-config.php” in editor, modify the below database connectivity attribute values. After modifying values save and exit the file.

Attribute Name	Default Value	Modified Value
DB_NAME	database_name_here	blog
DB_USER	username_here	blog
DB_PASSWORD	password_here	blog
DB_HOST	localhost	localhost

WordPress Portal – Start Page

Next step is to launching the website, access the URL from the browser, welcome page is displayed.

http://54.165.245.172/blog/

WordPress Portal – Install WordPress

After launching the website, you need to configure administrator’s profile, fill below fields and click on “Install WordPress” button.

Site Title	Set Wordpress Site Title
Username	Set Wordpress administrator username
Password	Set Wordpress administrator password
Your E-Mail	Set Wordpress administrator’s email ID
Privacy	Set Privacy option

WordPress Portal – Login

After successful installation of “WordPress”, click on “Log In” button.

WordPress Portal – Administrator Login

Enter the administrator username and password set earlier and click on “Log In” button.

WordPress Portal – Dashboard

After login into the portal with administrator user, Portal's Dashboard will be displayed.

SlideShare Information

A step by step by guide installation and configuration with screenshots, uploaded to SlideShare.