How to Install SuiteCRM with Apache on Ubuntu 24.04

Install Apache HTTP server on Ubuntu

To host websites on your Ubuntu machine, you need to install the Apache HTTP server. Installing Apache is simple; you just update your system’s software list and then use a command in the terminal to install it. This process gets the web server ready to host your SuiteCRM application.

To do that, open the Ubuntu terminal and run the commands below to install the Apache web server.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2

Once Apache is installed, the commands below can start, stop, and enable the Apache web server to start automatically when your server boots up.

sudo systemctl stop apache2
sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2

You can test that the Apache web server is running by opening your web browser and browsing to the server’s localhost or IP address.

http://localhost

When you see the Apache2 Default Page, it means the Apache HTTP server is successfully installed.

Additional help on installing Apache on Ubuntu is in the link below.

How to install Apache on Ubuntu

Install the MariaDB database server on Ubuntu

SuiteCRM needs a place to store all its data, and MariaDB is a good database to use for this. Installing MariaDB on your Ubuntu system is done through the terminal. You’ll update your software lists and then run a command to install the database server, preparing it for SuiteCRM.

To install and use the MariaDB database server, use the instructions below.

Open the Ubuntu terminal and run the commands below to install the MariaDB database server.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install mariadb-server

Once the MariaDB database server is installed, use the commands below to stop, start, and enable the MariaDB server to start automatically when the server boots.

sudo systemctl stop mariadb
sudo systemctl start mariadb
sudo systemctl enable mariadb

Run the following commands to validate and test if the MariaDB database server is installed successfully.

sudo mariadb

Once you run the commands above, it will log you onto the MariaDB console and display a message similar to the one below.

Welcome to the MariaDB monitor.  Commands end with ; or g.
Your MariaDB connection id is 32
Server version: 10.11.2-MariaDB-1 Ubuntu 23.04

Copyright (c) 2000, 2018, Oracle, MariaDB Corporation Ab and others.

Type 'help;' or 'h' for help. Type 'c' to clear the current input statement.

MariaDB [(none)]> 

The message tells you that the server is installed successfully.

Additional help on installing MariaDB.

• How to install MariaDB on Ubuntu Linux
• MariaDB without password prompt

Create a SuiteCRM database

Once MariaDB is installed, you need to create a specific database for SuiteCRM to use. This involves setting up a database named ‘suitecrmdb’ and a user account, ‘suitecrmdbuser’, which will have full permissions to manage that database. This step ensures SuiteCRM has a secure place for its data.

As part of the setup, we will create a suitecrmdb database and a user account called suitecrmdbuser.

Granting the `suitecrmdbuser` full access to the `suitecrmdb` database allows SuiteCRM to read and write necessary data for its operations, as this permission is crucial for the application's functionality.

All the database steps above can be done using the commands below:

But first, log on to the MariaDB database server:

sudo mariadb

Then run the commands below to complete the steps:

CREATE DATABASE suitecrmdb CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_general_ci;
CREATE USER suitecrmdbuser@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'type_your_password_here';
GRANT ALL ON suitecrmdb.* TO suitecrmdbuser@localhost WITH GRANT OPTION;
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
exit

Install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

Since SuiteCRM is built with PHP, you must install it on your Ubuntu system to make the application work. Installing the latest PHP version and the necessary add-ons that SuiteCRM and Apache need is done with a single command in your terminal. This step ensures your server can run SuiteCRM.

Then, run the commands below to install the latest PHP version.

sudo apt install php libapache2-mod-php php-intl php-mysql php-curl php-cli php-zip php-xml php-gd php-common php-mbstring php-xmlrpc php-bcmath php-json php-sqlite3 php-soap php-zip php-ldap php-imap

Additional help on installing PHP

How to install PHP on Ubuntu Linux

Download SuiteCRM files

To start using SuiteCRM, you need to download its files from the official SuiteCRM website. You can find the latest version on their download page. After downloading the package, you’ll extract it to a specific location on your server, which is where SuiteCRM will be installed.

To always install the latest version, check the download page for SuiteCRM. Get the download link and download the archived package to your computer. Then, extract it.

The final step is to change the permissions. This will allow the Apache web server to interact safely with the files, ensuring a secure environment for your SuiteCRM installation.

Apache root folder permissions must be changed so the SuiteCRM app functions correctly. Run the following commands to grant the necessary permissions, allowing SuiteCRM to write files and create directories within its installation folder.

cd /tmp
wget https://suitecrm.com/download/148/suite87/564667/suitecrm-8-7-1.zip
sudo unzip suitecrm-*.zip -d /var/www/suitecrm
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/suitecrm/

Once you have completed all the above steps, continue configuring the Apache web server below to serve the SuiteCRM content.

Run the commands below to create an Apache virtual host file for SuiteCRM.

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/suitecrm.conf

Then, copy and paste the content block below into the Apache server block.

<VirtualHost *:80>
  ServerName suitecrm.example.com
  ServerAlias www.suitecrm.example.com
  ServerAdmin admin@example.com
  DocumentRoot /var/www/suitecrm/public/
    
  <Directory /var/www/suitecrm/public/>
       Options FollowSymlinks
       AllowOverride All
       Require all granted
  </Directory>

       ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
       CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Save the file.

You can enable the SuiteCRM virtual host for Apache by running the `sudo a2ensite suitecrm.conf` command, and then restart the Apache server with `sudo systemctl restart apache2` to apply the changes.

sudo a2ensite suitecrm.conf
sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Setup Let’s Encrypt SSL/TLS for SuiteCRM

Securing your SuiteCRM with HTTPS is important for protecting your data, and Let’s Encrypt offers free SSL/TLS certificates to do this. Setting up a Let’s Encrypt certificate involves obtaining the certificate and then configuring Apache to use it. This ensures your SuiteCRM site is secure for all users.

Please read the post below for additional resources on installing and creating Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates for Apache.

How to set up Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate for Apache on Ubuntu Linux

Once you have restarted the Apache web server, open your browser and browse to the server hostname or IP address defined in the Apache server block.

http://suitecrm.example.com

SuiteCRM installation wizard should appear.

Ensure all requirements are met or ignore and proceed. If you encounter an error that the memory limit and file upload size are too small, run the command below to resolve the issues.

sudo sed -i "s/memory_limit = .*/memory_limit = 512M/" /etc/php/8.3/apache2/php.ini
sudo sed -i "s/upload_max_filesize = .*/upload_max_filesize = 12M/" /etc/php/8.3/apache2/php.ini
sudo systemctl reload apache2

Next, type in the database name, account name, password, and the admin account and password for the portal.

SuiteCRM should be installed and ready to use.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

Installing SuiteCRM with Apache on Ubuntu 24.04 provides an efficient way to manage customer relationships. This installation process allows you to effectively organize and track all your customer interactions.

• Apache Installation: Successfully set up the Apache HTTP server essential for serving SuiteCRM.
• Database Setup: Installed MariaDB and created a dedicated database for SuiteCRM, ensuring the necessary data structure for operations.
• PHP Configuration: Installed PHP and the required extensions, vital for SuiteCRM’s functionality.
• SuiteCRM Files: Downloaded and configured SuiteCRM files, allowing the software to run correctly on the server.
• Apache Configuration: Set up an Apache virtual host specifically for SuiteCRM, facilitating direct access via a dedicated domain.
• SSL/TLS Security: Considered SSL/TLS certificate installation from Let’s Encrypt to enhance the security of your SuiteCRM application.

With these steps completed, your SuiteCRM is fully operational, providing powerful tools to streamline customer relationship management. Enjoy leveraging SuiteCRM to improve your business processes!