NOTE: This article is written for our First-Generation Cloud Control Panel. You can access this interface from the Next-Generation Cloud Control Panel by clicking your username in the upper-right of the control panel and selecting "First-Generation Control Panel".

Pre-reqs

• Administrative access to the Rackspace Cloud to create domains and add databases
• Joomla software from http://www.joomla.org/download.html uncompressed in a local repository
• Ftp access to website, and a ftp client like ExpanDrive in order to use the ftp method of uploading files (optional)

Procedure

• Login to the Services Control Panel
• If you are new to Rackspace Cloud, please refer to Adding a new website and add the website
• Navigate the Hosting->Cloud Sites menu to the website hyperlink on which Joomla needs to be installed

NOTE: The domain must have php enabled, and database feature selected. The database feature can be added by using the CHANGE PLAN hyperlink on the domain General Settings tab.

• Upload the Joomla files to the desired location on the website using FTP - Refer to Upload content to a website using FTP
  • To integrate Joomla to the root of domain (e.g. http://example.com/), place all contents of the unzipped Joomla directory (but excluding the directory itself) into the root directory of /web/content/.
  • To have the Joomla installation in its own subdirectory on the website (e.g. http://example.com/Joomla/), rename the directory to the name of choice and place it on the web server, for e.g. to use a subdirectory called "Joomla", rename the directory called "Joomlaxxx" to "Joomla" and upload it to /web/content/.

• Next create a new Mysql database (e.g. joomla15) with user (e.g. joomla15) (Refer to * Add a MySQL database to a website or domain).
• Note the database information a) database name b) user name c) password d) hostname (not localhost) for use during the Joomla installation.

• With this, Cloud Sites specific steps are complete. Follow on screen prompts to continue the installation.
• Run the Joomla installation script by accessing Joomla for the first time in your favorite web browser. ( see below)
  • If Joomla files are placed in the root directory, e.g. visit: http://www.example.com
  • If Joomla is in its own sub-directory called "Joomla", e.g. visit: http://www.example.com/Joomla
  • If DNS is not setup for the domain, use the Testing URL provided in the control panel under the General Settings tab, e.g. visit: http://www.example.com.php5-7.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/Joomla.

• Select a language and follow the on-screen prompts
• Proceed to next step and note warning that the configuration.php file is not writable. (This will happen if a secondary ftp user uploads the files)
• Proceed to the next step and accept license.
• Select "mysql" as the database type. Fill in the required information for database which was noted down when it was setup earlier.

• Skip the FTP Configuration for now. Default is not to use the FTP layer. Accept it and move to next step.
• In the Main configuration, Customize the site name, specify an administrative password and Install sample data if needed.
• Follow instructions to create a configuration.php if prompted.
• As prompted, after installation, be sure to log in via FTP and delete the "installation" directory as prompted on screen by the Joomla Install process.
• Note the Administrative user name.
• Access the newly installed Joomla software in your favorite web browser as follows:
  • If Joomla files are placed in the root directory, e.g. visit: http://www.example.com
  • If Joomla is in its own sub-directory called "Joomla", e.g. visit: http://www.example.com/Joomla
  • If DNS is not setup for the domain, use the Testing URL provided in the control panel under the General Settings tab, e.g. visit: http://www.example.com.php5-7.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/Joomla
• Sign in as "admin" and customize site as needed

Additional Resources

• A video tutorial is available at http://www.rackspacecloud.com/cloud_hosting_demos/cloud_computing_joomla
• Add new articles using the Joomla documentation at http://docs.joomla.org/

---RKN - 12/6/2009