Setup Apache httpd + PHP on Ubuntu16

 //Install Apache httpd server
 //---------------------------
 apt-get install apache2
 //verify it's configured OK
 apache2ctl configtest
 //Check httpd version and installed modules
 apache2ctl  -v
 apache2ctl -M
 
 //Installing PHP
 //---------------
 //couldn't install php from exiting repos, added this one to install it:
 add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php
 apt-get update
 apt-get install php5.6
 //check php version
 php -v
 
 //Install the php apache module
 //------------------------------
 apt-get install libapache2-mod-php
 //remove the added repo
 add-apt-repository --remove  ppa:ondrej/php
 //restart apache to load the php module
 apache2ctl stop
 apache2ctl start
 systemctl status apache2
 //list apache module, verify php is listed
 apache2ctl -M
 
 //Setting up SSL
 //---------------
 //Adding support for SSL
 //first, check if the module exist but not enabled:
 dpkg -S mod_ssl.so
 //if the output shows the so in the apache folder, you just need to enable it. otherwise you neeed to install it first:
 apt-get install mod_ssl
 //Enabling the module:
 a2enmod ssl
 //restart apache2 service
 service apache2 restart
 //apache port conf checkes if mod_ssl is enabled and if so listens on 443 as well. verify:
 netstat -plnt
 //generate a self-signed certificate and a private key:
 //for all questions you can answer with a '.' (=leave blank) apart from FQDN - put the server's public IP
 openssl req -x509 -nodes -days 365 -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout /etc/ssl/private/apache-selfsigned.key -out /etc/ssl/certs/apache-selfsigned.crt
 //make sure both files have been created
 //Create a new Apache conf file:
 nano /etc/apache2/conf-available/ssl-params.conf
 //paste the following , save and close:
 
# from https://cipherli.st/
# and https://raymii.org/s/tutorials/Strong_SSL_Security_On_Apache2.html

SSLCipherSuite EECDH+AESGCM:EDH+AESGCM:AES256+EECDH:AES256+EDH
SSLProtocol All -SSLv2 -SSLv3
SSLHonorCipherOrder On
# Disable preloading HSTS for now.  You can use the commented out header line that includes
# the "preload" directive if you understand the implications.
#Header always set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=63072000; includeSubdomains; preload"
Header always set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=63072000; includeSubdomains"
Header always set X-Frame-Options DENY
Header always set X-Content-Type-Options nosniff
# Requires Apache >= 2.4
SSLCompression off 
SSLSessionTickets Off
SSLUseStapling on 
SSLStaplingCache "shmcb:logs/stapling-cache(150000)"

//backup the file before we modify it:
cp /etc/apache2/sites-available/default-ssl.conf /etc/apache2/sites-available/default-ssl.conf.bak
nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/default-ssl.conf
//just below ServerAdmin, add the line:
ServerName <server_domain_or_IP>
//Modify the lines pointing to the cert and key files:
SSLCertificateFile      /etc/ssl/certs/apache-selfsigned.crt
SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/ssl/private/apache-selfsigned.key
//uncomment the following lines:
BrowserMatch "MSIE [2-6]" \
             nokeepalive ssl-unclean-shutdown \
             downgrade-1.0 force-response-1.0
//save & close
//enable the changes in apache:
a2enmod headers
a2ensite default-ssl
a2enconf ssl-params
//verify conf syntax is correct:
apache2ctl configtest
//restart to take effect:
systemctl restart apache2

//Test it works:
//open browser with https://<public IP>
//you will get an error that the CA is not trusted, proceed anyway
//check the site details (icon in address bar), see that it uses the certificate issued by the same server

// Optional part - for the DNS mng specific app:
//----------------------------------------------
sudo apt install bind9utils
mkdir -p /var/local/dns/zones/
chmod a+w /var/local/dns