To install Apache Tomcat on CentOS, make sure you have the latest version of java installed on your system. Otherwise just download the Java RPM or BIN from the following link:
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk-6u25-download-346242.html
Mininumun JDK 6 is required to install Apache Tomcat 7
Check which version of java is installed by default, on your system
[root@server ~] # java -version
Create a directory java under /usr
[root@server ~] # mkdir /usr/java
Go to the download location where you downloaded the JDK file.
[root@server ~] # cd Downloads
[root@server Downloads] # cp jdk-6u25-linux-i586-rpm.bin /usr/java
[root@server Downloads] # cd /usr/java
[root@server java] # chmod 775 jdk-6u25-linux-i586-rpm.bin
[root@server java] # ./jdk-6u25-linux-i586-rpm.bin
It will self extract and install java on your system.
Now check the java version
[root@server java] # java -version
If it still remains the same then execute the following
[root@server java] # ln -sf /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_25/bin/java /usr/bin/java
(Here s is for softlink, f is forcefully)
Now verify the java version, it should now point out to the new version.
Create a Tomcat system user account responsible for running tomcat as running it with root is not a good practice and it will create a entry to break into the system.
[root@server java] # useradd -r tomcat
Download the tomcat package from the apache tomcat website using the following link
http://apache.petsads.us/tomcat/tomcat-7/v7.0.40/bin/apache-tomcat-7.0.40.tar.gz
After downloading the package copy the package to the /usr/local directory.
[root@server java] # cd /root/Downloads
[root@server Downloads] # cp apache-tomcat-7.0.40.tar.gz /usr/local
[root@server Downloads] # cd /usr/local
[root@server local] # tar -xvzf apache-tomcat-7.0.40.tar.gz
[root@server local] # mv apache-tomcat-7.0.40 apache-tomcat7
[root@server local] # chown -R tomcat.tomcat apache-tomcat7
Making the Tomcat script.
[root@server ~] # vim /etc/init.d/tomcat
#!/bin/bash
#
# tomcat Starts Tomcat Java server.
#
#
# chkconfig: 345 88 12
# description: Tomcat is the server for
# Java servlet applications.
### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides: $tomcat
### END INIT INFO
JAVA_HOME=/usr/java/jdk1.6.0_25
PATH=$JAVA_HOME/bin:$PATH
export PATH
TOMCAT_HOME=/usr/local/apache-tomcat7
START_TOMCAT=/usr/local/tomcat7/bin/startup.sh
STOP_TOMCAT=/usr/local/tomcat7/bin/shutdown.sh
# Source function library.. /etc/init.d/functions
[ -f $START_TOMCAT ] || exit 0
[ -f $STOP_TOMCAT ] || exit 0
RETVAL=0
umask 077
start() {
echo -n $"Starting Tomcat Java server: "
daemon su -c $START_TOMCAT tomcat
echo
return $RETVAL
}
stop() {
echo -n $"Shutting down Tomcat Java server: "
daemon su -c $STOP_TOMCAT tomcat
echo
return $RETVAL
}
restart() {
stop
start
}
case "$1" in
start)
start
;;
stop)
stop
;;
restart|reload)
restart
;;
*)
echo $"Usage: $0 {start|stop|restart}"
exit 1
esac
exit $?
Change the permission on the tomcat script that we just created.
[root@server ~] # chmod 755 /etc/init.d/tomcat
Add the tomcat to the chkconfig
[root@server ~] # chkconfig --add tomcat
[root@server ~] # chkconfig tomcat on
Test the script by starting, stopping and restarting the tomcat service.
[root@server init.d] # service tomcat start
[root@server ~] # service tomcat stop
[root@server ~] # service tomcat restart
Check for errors in the file /usr/local/apache-tomcat-7/logs/catalina.out
[root@server bin] # cat /usr/local/apache-tomcat7/logs/catalina.out
If you dont have any errors then you can proceed further, or else rectify it first.
Now open a browser and test the homepage of the tomcat.
[root@server init.d] # firefox http://localhost:8080
