Step-by-Step Guide: LAMP Stack Setup on Azure for Q2A and WordPress Hosting

This guide will walk you through the process of setting up a testing environment on Azure using an Ubuntu virtual machine (VM). We will cover the installation of necessary software and the configuration of the environment to host a Question2Answer (Q2A) or WordPress site. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a fully operational server environment, ready to deploy and manage your site efficiently.

1. Create a Resource Group

To begin, you’ll need to create a resource group in Azure, which serves as a logical container for your resources. Use Azure Cloud Shell and execute the following command:

az group create --name rg-q2a-test-uksouth-001 --location uksouth

This command sets up a resource group called rg-q2a-test-uksouth-001 in the uksouth region.

2. Set Up a Virtual Machine (VM)

Next, create an Ubuntu 22.04 VM that will act as the server for your Q2A or WordPress application:

az vm create --resource-group rg-q2a-test-uksouth-001 --name vm-q2a-test-uksouth-001 --image Ubuntu2204 --admin-username azureuser --admin-password 'password'

• VM Name: vm-q2a-test-uksouth-001
• Image: Ubuntu 22.04
• Admin Username: azureuser
• Admin Password: Replace 'password' with a secure password of your choice.

After running the command, Azure will provide details about the VM, including its publicIpAddress. Keep this information handy as it will be needed for SSH access and to navigate to the site later.

3. Allow HTTP Traffic on Port 80

To make your web application accessible, you’ll need to open port 80 on your VM:

az vm open-port --port 80 --resource-group rg-q2a-test-uksouth-001 --name vm-q2a-test-uksouth-001

This command allows HTTP traffic to reach your VM, enabling users to access your web server via port 80.

4. Open Port 3389 for RDP Access (Optional)

If you wish to connect to your VM using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), open port 3389:

az vm open-port --port 3389 --priority 1100 --resource-group rg-q2a-test-uksouth-001 --name vm-q2a-test-uksouth-001

• Priority: 1100 (This ensures there is no conflict with other rules.)

5. Connect to the VM via SSH

With the VM running, connect to it using SSH. Use the command below, replacing yourPublicIpAddress with the VM’s public IP address provided earlier:

ssh azureuser@yourPublicIpAddress

Replace yourPublicIpAddress with the VM’s public IP address and azureuser with the username you specified when creating the VM.

6. Update and Upgrade the System

It’s important to keep your system updated. Start by updating the package lists and upgrading installed packages:

sudo apt upgrade -y

sudo apt upgrade -y

• sudo apt update updates the list of available packages and their versions.
• sudo apt upgrade installs the latest versions of all currently installed packages.

The -y flag automatically answers “yes” to prompts, making the upgrade process smooth and unattended.

7. Install Xfce and XRDP for GUI (Optional)

If a graphical user interface (GUI) is needed, install the Xfce desktop environment and XRDP for remote desktop access:

sudo DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get -y install xfce4

This command installs the XFCE4 desktop environment on your system. XFCE4 is a lightweight graphical user interface suitable for remote desktop use.

sudo apt install xfce4-session -y

This command installs the XFCE4 session management package, which handles user sessions within the XFCE4 desktop environment.

sudo apt-get -y install xrdp

This command installs XRDP, a server that enables remote desktop access to your Linux machine using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

sudo adduser xrdp ssl-cert

This command adds the xrdp user to the ssl-cert group, allowing XRDP to use SSL certificates for encrypted connections.

echo xfce4-session >~/.xsession

This command configures XFCE4 to be the default desktop session when logging in via XRDP.

sudo service xrdp restart

This command restarts the XRDP service to apply the new configuration settings.

8. Install Google Chrome or Firefox

For web browsing or file downloads directly on the VM, install a browser like Google Chrome or Firefox.

To Install Google Chrome:

wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
sudo apt --fix-broken install -y

To Install Firefox:

sudo apt install firefox -y

9. Install Unzip or Unrar

To manage compressed files, install unzip or unar:

To Install Unzip:

sudo apt install unzip

To Install Unrar:

sudo apt install unar

10. Install the LAMP Stack

For hosting Q2A or WordPress, you need to set up a LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP):

sudo apt update && sudo apt install lamp-server^ -y

11. Verify LAMP Installation

To ensure everything is installed correctly, check the versions of Apache, MySQL, and PHP:

apache2 -v
mysql -V
php -v

These commands verify that Apache, MySQL, and PHP are installed and running as expected.

12. Secure MySQL Installation

For added security, run the MySQL secure installation script. This script prompts you to set a root password, remove anonymous users, disallow root login remotely, and more, to enhance your MySQL security.

sudo mysql_secure_installation

This command is used to improve the security of your MySQL installation by guiding you through several important security-related steps

13. Configure MySQL Root User

Finally, update the MySQL root user to use native password authentication, setting a strong password:

sudo mysql

ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'YourSecurePassword';

exit

Replace YourSecurePassword with a strong password of your choice to secure your MySQL installation.

Following this guide will set up a ready-to-use environment for hosting your Q2A or WordPress site, optimized for performance and security on Azure. Adjust the configurations as needed to suit your specific requirements.

You can watch the following video that walks you through all the steps explained in this post.