Conflicting advice on apache upgrades

[TomP]

I have a server running Plesk Obsidian Version 18.0.29, and CentOS Linux 7.8.2003.
I am looking into upgrading all my Drupal sites on the server to the latest version, but one of the requirements is Apache 2.4.7, and CentOS only has 2.4.6. I see how to upgrade, but my support people that maintain my server say upgrading might break Apache modules, and Plesk.
Does anyone know if upgrading Apache 2.4.6 to 2.4.7 will CentOS and any modules?

[TrevorH]

That recommendation appears to come from https://www.drupal.org/project/drupal/issues/3114079 and at the top of that it talks about two methods to fix the problem, one hacky and one not. It is the 2nd "not hacky" one which does not work on 2.4.6 but presumably the hacky version does still work.

You can also find newer copies of httpd in a few places:

Code: Select all

httpd24.x86_64                                                 1.1-19.el7                            centos-sclo-rh  
httpd24-httpd.x86_64                                           2.4.34-18.el7                         centos-sclo-rh  
httpd24u.x86_64                                                2.4.43-1.el7.ius                      ius             

The IUS version is a drop in replacement for httpd as supplied by CentOS and conflicts with it which means you have to remove the distro version before you can install it. The SCL version is an SCL which requires special stuff)TM) to be done to make it work but installs alongside the distro version though you obviously cannot run both at once.

[TomP]

Thanks for the reply. If possible I would rather upgrade the version the server is running than try some Drupal "tricks".

I'm okay working at the command line, but I don't suppose there is a step by step somewhere on how to do the IUS version drop in replacement for httpd? Hopefully something with a way to backup the current Apache in case there is something that doesn't play well.

[TomP]

After posting that last question I looked around. I can't find much of anything about how to back up a full install of Apache. All I find is is how to back up the config files. If I want to try the drop in upgrade, there should be a way to go back if it doesn't work. Also, can I backup the config files and use them in the new copy?

How about this: can CentOS 7.8.2003 handle a higher version of Apache?

[TrevorH]

It is only your config files that you need to back up. The rest of the content won't be changed by an httpd upgrade. So backup /etc/httpd though mind the symlnks from that to other locations that you won't need to back up like logs, www content etc. Then all you need to do is either yum remove httpd (and read the list of things it will take with it so you can put them back afterwards) or use IUS's yum-plugin-replace plugin to do a yum swap for httpd and httpd24.

[TomP]

It is only your config files that you need to back up. The rest of the content won't be changed by an httpd upgrade. So backup /etc/httpd though mind the symlnks from that to other locations that you won't need to back up like logs, www content etc. Then all you need to do is either yum remove httpd (and read the list of things it will take with it so you can put them back afterwards) or use IUS's yum-plugin-replace plugin to do a yum swap for httpd and httpd24.

That sounds great. Is there a way to go back if the upgrade breaks things?

[TrevorH]

Yes, reverse the process.

[TomP]

Yes, reverse the process.

I'm sorry but I don't understand. I have only updated Apache using yum update or upgrade before

[TomP]

I made a full backup tgz of the whole httpd folder, symlinks and all. I installed IUS's yum-plugin-replace so I'm ready to try:

yum replace httpd --replace-with httpd24u

It doesn't say I have to remove the old copy first so if I can get the go ahead from my server support, I'm just going to run the plugin and pray.

[TomP]

Unfortunately I just found out this is all for nothing. The license that Plesk has says that we can not install any third party upgrades at all! Apparently it changed on September 1st. So after all that I'm still not going to be able to upgrade Drupal until CentOS adds a more current version,then it will automatically get included in Plesk updates. I realize that the 2.4.6 has all the backports, but it really would help if CentOS would just update the version.
Thanks for all the help.