Securing your dedicated server is an important part of any webmaster’s job. While services and features like Managed Hosting can assist in keeping your dedicated server safe, you will also need to turn on or install an advanced firewall to protect your machine.

In dedicated web hosting, APF or Advanced Policy Firewall is one of the best solutions for assisting in securing your dedicated server. So what is APF?

APF (Advanced Policy Firewall) is a modular, policy based firewall system. As one of the easiest to configure, it helps you secure and protect your dedicated web server from attacks and threats. It is for Linux web hosting users and is simple enough for a novice or guru alike.

Here are the steps necessary to install APF on your Dedicated Server Hosting plan.

1. Download and extract to /usr/local/downloads/ directory. Create it by executing the following command:

mkdir -p /usr/local/downloads/
cd /usr/local/downloads/
wget http://www.rfxnetworks.com/downloads/apf-current.tar.gz

URL is http://www.rfxnetworks.com/downloads/apf-current.tar.gz

2. Extract and install APF using the following code:

cd /usr/local/downloads/
tar xvzf apf-current.tar.gz

rm -f apf-current.tar.gz
cd apf*
./install.sh

After installing APF on your dedicated server, you should then see the following code without any errors!

Installation Details:
Install path: /etc/apf/
Config path: /etc/apf/conf.apf
Executable path: /usr/local/sbin/apf
AntiDos install path: /etc/apf/ad/
AntiDos config path: /etc/apf/ad/conf.antidos
DShield Client Parser: /etc/apf/extras/dshield/

It’s actually incredibly simple, but if you get stuck, contact your web hosting provider and they can likely point you in the right direction via tutorials and online assistance. Our recommended best dedicated host, Lunarpages Web Hosting, will actually install APF for you for free if you have Managed Hosting with them, an amazing deal which can save you time and money.