🚀 Apache Tomcat Deployment on Linux (Production-Oriented Setup)

This project demonstrates the installation, configuration and deployment of a Java web application using Apache Tomcat on a Linux server.

It simulates a real-world application server environment with proper service configuration, deployment structure and basic security practices.

🏗️ Application Flow

Client → Apache Tomcat (Java Application Server) → Web Application (WAR)

🎯 What this project demonstrates

• Installation and configuration of Apache Tomcat on Linux
• Deployment of a Java web application (.war)
• Configuration of systemd service for Tomcat
• Directory structure and permissions management
• Basic hardening and service exposure

🔧 Contenido del laboratorio

• 📘 Preparación inicial de AlmaLinux
• ☕ Instalación de Java 21
• 👤 Creación del usuario tomcat y estructura
• 🚀 Instalación de Apache Tomcat 11
• 🛠️ Habilitación de Manager y Host-Manager
• 🌱 Despliegue de aplicación Spring Boot en Tomcat
• 🔗 Compartición de archivos Linux ↔ Windows

⚙️ Installation Overview

1. Install Java (OpenJDK)
2. Download and extract Apache Tomcat
3. Configure environment variables (JAVA_HOME)
4. Configure Tomcat users and roles
5. Deploy WAR file
6. Configure systemd service
7. Start and enable Tomcat service

📦 Application Deployment

The application is deployed as a .war file inside the Tomcat webapps directory.

Example:

/opt/tomcat/webapps/myapp.war

Tomcat automatically extracts and deploys the application.

🔐 Security Considerations

• Restricted access to Tomcat manager
• Use of dedicated service user
• Controlled permissions on Tomcat directories
• Firewall rules applied to expose only required ports

🧪 Validation & Testing

• Accessed application via browser: http://:8080
• Verified Tomcat service status
• Checked application logs inside /logs directory

📄 Logs and Troubleshooting

Tomcat logs are located in:

/opt/tomcat/logs/

Useful files:

• catalina.out
• localhost.log

⚙️ Tomcat as a Service

Tomcat is configured as a systemd service:

systemctl start tomcat systemctl enable tomcat systemctl status tomcat

☁️ Cloud Equivalent (Azure)

This architecture can be mapped to Azure using:

• Azure VM (Linux)
• Azure App Service (Java / Tomcat)
• Azure Application Gateway (reverse proxy)

💼 Skills Demonstrated

• Linux system administration
• Java application server management (Tomcat)
• Service configuration with systemd
• Web application deployment (WAR)
• Network and service exposure

🔄 Future Improvements

• HTTPS configuration (SSL/TLS)
• Reverse proxy with NGINX in front of Tomcat
• Deployment automation with Ansible
• CI/CD pipeline for WAR deployment