MacOS – Configuring OS X Lion as server (without server.app)

I've done some experimentation in order to answer my own question...

Firstly, I've only gotten the virtual named host kludge working with Passenger, not the new Lion scheme, but hey, it's a start...

Firstly, follow the Apple temporary fix, as linked in the question.

Then, the following works for me to support two virtual named hosts, implemented using Passenger and Rails. I derived this by taking the Lion virtual host example, and merging in my Snow Leopard config.

Disclaimer this works, but needs improvement. I've not got SSL working yet.

Add the following in a file named 0000_any_80_.conf

## Example Virtual Host Configuration

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName bongle.example.com
    ServerAlias bungle.example.com
    ServerAdmin bongle@example.com
    RackEnv bongle_production
    RailsEnv bongle_production

    DocumentRoot "/Users/Nigel/Rails/bungle/public"
    CustomLog "/var/log/apache2/access_log" combinedvhost
    ErrorLog "/var/log/apache2/error_log"

    <IfModule mod_ssl.c>
        SSLEngine Off
        SSLCipherSuite "ALL:!aNULL:!ADH:!eNULL:!LOW:!EXP:RC4+RSA:+HIGH:+MEDIUM"
        SSLProtocol -ALL +SSLv3 +TLSv1
        SSLProxyEngine On
        SSLProxyProtocol -ALL +SSLv3 +TLSv1
    </IfModule>

    <Directory "/Users/Nigel/Rails/bungle/public">
        Options All +MultiViews -ExecCGI -Indexes
        AllowOverride None
        <IfModule mod_dav.c>
            DAV Off
        </IfModule>
    </Directory>

</VirtualHost> 

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName burble.anothersite.com
    ServerAlias www.anothersite.com
    ServerAdmin bongle@anothersite.com
    RackEnv burble_production
    RailsEnv burble_production

    DocumentRoot "/Users/Nigel/Rails/burble/public"
    CustomLog "/var/log/apache2/access_log" combinedvhost
    ErrorLog "/var/log/apache2/error_log"

    <IfModule mod_ssl.c>
        SSLEngine Off
        SSLCipherSuite "ALL:!aNULL:!ADH:!eNULL:!LOW:!EXP:RC4+RSA:+HIGH:+MEDIUM"
        SSLProtocol -ALL +SSLv3 +TLSv1
        SSLProxyEngine On
        SSLProxyProtocol -ALL +SSLv3 +TLSv1
    </IfModule>

    <Directory "/Users/Nigel/Rails/school/public">
        Options All +MultiViews -ExecCGI -Indexes
        AllowOverride None
        <IfModule mod_dav.c>
            DAV Off
        </IfModule>
    </Directory>

</VirtualHost>

Additional contributions to improve this are welcome.

You cannot change the port sshd listens to by changing it in sshd_config since sshd is not yet running when the connection comes in. sshd is instantly launched by launched when a connection arrives. So you need to change the port in the appropriate launched item, or create another one to have a second port listening for incoming ssh connections.

You can find the correct file in /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ssh.plist

Copy that to /Library/LaunchDaemons/ssh-alternative.plist and change the following part:

            <key>Listeners</key>
            <dict>
                    <key>SockServiceName</key>
                    <string>ssh-alt</string>
            </dict>

Notice that the SockServiceName has been changed from ssh to ssh-alt. To make it work you need to add a service named ssh-alt to /etc/services For example like this (to match your example) add this line:

ssh-alt 12345/tcp # ssh-alt

You can then load your new ssh-alternative config with sudo launchctl load -w /Library/LaunchDaemons/ssh-alt.plist

If you're running ipfw make sure to allow tcp connections to the new port. The Sharing.PrefPanel will only allow you to turn on and of the standard port 22 listening sshd (Unless you change ssh in /etc/services which I do not recommend).

In addition you can prevent this service to be advertised by Bonjour by removing the corresponding part from the launched item.

        <key>Bonjour</key>
        <array>
            <string>ssh</string>
            <string>sftp-ssh</string>
        </array>

If this was already running you need to unload and load the item again.