VHOST Service for OSDN Projects

OSDN provides VHOST service. It let's you configure Web server to respond to traffic destined to your user domain. The configuration is a four-step process.

Register Your Domain

To make OSDN respond to your domain, user will have to check if the desired domain registered properly. For most types of domain name registration, he/she will have to pay annual fee to the registration agency. The registration of the desired domain name will be processed directly between the user and the registration agency chosen by the user.

Currently there are many available registration agencies such as egister.com, Network Solutions, and Doster.

How to Seek DNS Service

Currently OSDN does not provide DNS service. Therefore, you will have to look for DNS hosting providers. Choose one DNS service from among many providers. Most of the internet service providers charge for DNS service. There are some domain registration agencies who provide DNS service as part of their domain name registration services. There are also web based projects (like dyndns.org) who provide DNS service free of charge or with low price.

Setting Up CNAME Record

After you're done with domain registration and is getting DNS hosting service for your domain, the next step will be to setup for the domain record (or ask someone to setup for you). The correct setups will differ depending on the DNS hosting provider you have chosen (some providers will do the setups for you, and some providers provide web interface so that you can configure DNS information on your own). Whenever you are in need of support with the configuration, contact your DNS hosting provider. For example, let's say you are using www.example.com as your domain for VHOST, the configuration will be as follows.

• Suppose, CNAME for www.example.com is vhost.osdn.jp.

In BIND's zone file, configuration will be as follows.

www.example.com. IN CNAME vhost.osdn.jp.

Please note that the IP address of the above host, vhost.osdn.jp, could change without notice (there won't be any announcement made even it gets changed). Hence you are recommended not to configure DNS with A record of which the value is specified as your IP address.

Should you have any questions, enter the support request form, and submit it directly to OSDN staff.

OSDN's Request for VHOST Configuration

During the process, user can request OSDN to make web server begin responding to the traffic directed to the user's domain name. (OSDN server can confirm the traffic directed to the user's domain only after the above three steps are completed. That said, to curtail downtime, we will go ahead with the setup in advance.) The VHOST configuration process is automated through the use of automated service tool. (Project admins can setup the VHOST configuration according to his/her own project.) Go to project's “Project Admin” page and then click the “Edit” under “Virtual Host”. The added VHOST will be available in six hours after processing.

HTTPS for VHOST domain

Currently at this point in time, we don't have plans to offer automatic HTTPS access to all the VHOST domains. For projects that request changing VHOST domain to HTTPS, OSDN side will manually configure HTTPS. If your project requests changing VHOST domain to HTTPS, please contact via support ticket after HTTP VHOST access setup.

We'll use Lets encrypt certification for HTTPS VHOST access. HTTP-01 protcol will be used for the domain authenticatin.So finished VHOST HTTP access setup is required before HTTPS access setup. Please check bellow point before you create support ticket.

• VHOST access via HTTP is setup.
  • Please check VHOST DNS setting described above.
  • Please check Anyone can access VHOST via HTTP

And Please tell us Project Name and VHOST hostname you want to setup HTTPS on the ticket.