Enabling Zend Optimizer with DirectAdmin

I have always used PHP optimizers like Zend Optimizer and even third-party products like Turk MMCache for my web sites.

Previously, all I had to do was make a request to my web host, and everything was installed, set up securely and enabled for my sites. Now, I have to do everything myself... :(

Since Turck MMCache is now an abandoned project/product, I will skip it altogether -- actually, I already had it removed from my old Virtual Private Server many months ago.

Still, I wanted Zend Optimizer installed and set up on this new dedicated server of mine. Fortunately for me, installing Zend Optimiser with the DirectAdmin Web Hosting Control Panel is such an easy thing to do. Here's how I did it:

Installing Zend Optimizer with DirectAdmin

Log into your server and log in as root.

Change directory to:

cd /usr/local/directadmin/customapache/

Using the (DirectAdmin) ./build script, this is what you type:

./build clean
./build zend

As soon as the script finishes downloading the file, it will start prompting you with a series of questions. I just kept hitting the ENTER key -- in other words, I just selected the default answers all the way. All except the last question: Do you want to restart the web server? or something like that. I have read that this doesn't work very well and so I didn't take any chances and simply selected the NO option instead.

When I was safely back at the command line prompt, I just typed:

/sbin/service httpd restart

to restart the Apache Web Server.

To confirm that Zend Optimizer is now installed and enabled, I just typed:

php -v

And if you do this, and everything goes well, you might get a response like this:

PHP 4.4.1 (cli) (built: Dec 2 2005 17:20:51)
Copyright (c) 1997-2004 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v1.3.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2004 Zend Technologies
with Zend Extension Manager v1.0.8, Copyright (c) 2003-2005, by Zend Technologies
with Zend Optimizer v2.5.10, Copyright (c) 1998-2005, by Zend Technologies

with Zend Optimizer v2.5.10 is what I was looking for... and it was there. All good...