Non-Matrix sites/directories on Matrix server

Squiz Matrix General Discussion
1

Hello


We are migrating a number of sites over to Matrix. Some applications exist in the old sites as IIS virtual directories. Is it easy enough:



[list=1]

  • to host non-Matrix sites on a Matrix box?
    [*]to have directories within a Matrix site which are not served by Matrix but by another application on the server?


    Thanks

    Tom
    • 2

    [quote]
    Hello



    We are migrating a number of sites over to Matrix. Some applications exist in the old sites as IIS virtual directories. Is it easy enough:



    [list=1]

  • to host non-Matrix sites on a Matrix box?
    [*]to have directories within a Matrix site which are not served by Matrix but by another application on the server?


    Thanks

    Tom
    [/quote]

    Hi Tom,

    Yes it is.

    You just need to set Apache and/or Squid up accordingly.

    Steve
    • 3

    Yeah it's possible and potentially painful depending on how your other pages are served. If you can get the pages in a state so they can be served by apache, just add aliases in httpd.conf

        
    Alias "/notmatrix" "/path/to/files"

    http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/mod_alias.html





    That's if all content is served with apache… we were in a similar situation as you, but had the luxury of a layer 7 switch and irules so we could pish the traffic to the right places (ie point some pages at the old system(s))



    Another option is to use apache's mod_proxy: http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/mod_proxy.html





    Sounds like fun :stuck_out_tongue:

    4

    [quote]
    If you can get the pages in a state so they can be served by apache, just add aliases in httpd.conf


        
    Alias "/notmatrix" "/path/to/files"

    http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/mod_alias.html





    That's if all content is served with apache…[/quote]



    Yes, we're currently auditing the existing content, to work out what is Apache-friendly, given that the existing hosting is IIS. Thanks for this initial info, which should work for a good chunk of our content.


    [quote]we were in a similar situation as you, but had the luxury of a layer 7 switch and irules so we could pish the traffic to the right places (ie point some pages at the old system(s))[/quote]



    It is possible (though unlikely) that such a switch might exist in our ISP's datacentre, but we really want to decommission the old servers, as far as possible, to save money, so we want to avoid this if at all possible.


    [quote]Another option is to use apache's mod_proxy: http://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.2/mod/mod_proxy.html[/quote]



    Will also investigate.




    [quote]Sounds like fun :stuck_out_tongue:

    [/quote]



    Be my guest…



    Thanks



    Tom

    5

    We are needing to do something similar, but what kind of information wouldn't be Apache friendly, as you say? Our files are all html and javascript, so that should be fine, yes?

    6

    [quote]
    We are needing to do something similar, but what kind of information wouldn't be Apache friendly, as you say? Our files are all html and javascript, so that should be fine, yes?

    [/quote]



    Yes, these would be fine.

    7

    [quote]
    what kind of information wouldn't be Apache friendly[/quote]



    Yes, I'm talking about .NET and old ASP stuff, together MS SQL server data (and even Access). That's what's going to take time to migrate.



    Thanks, everyone, for the info



    Tom

    8

    [quote]
    Yes, I'm talking about .NET and old ASP stuff, together MS SQL server data (and even Access). That's what's going to take time to migrate.



    Thanks, everyone, for the info



    Tom

    [/quote]

    Late to the thread…



    Another option is to put nginx in front and direct requests based on URL. Nginx is lightweight you could run it on the matrix box, and proxy the IIS requests to the other box.



    We are doing this at the moment (not to IIS though) and it works great. Each section of the the site is migrated, then we add those urls to redirect the traffic. Because it is regex based you can pick of any URL you need.



    This avoids having to muck around with your matrix server setup.



    Cheers



    Richard