If you've ever needed a reliable cross platform server, then you should look no further than the Apache HTTP Server which over the years has become on of the most popular open source servers on the net.

It was born out of the Apache HTTP Server Project in an effort to develop and maintain an open-source HTTP server for modern operating systems including UNIX and Windows NT. A survey by Netcraft found that more than 68% of the web sites on the Internet are using Apache which the developers claim make it more widely used than all other web servers combined so you know you're in good hands from the start.

However, be warned if you've never used or configured a server before as this is not loaded with wizards and quick start hints to get you going. Fortunately, there is extensive documentation however that takes you through the whole installation process step by step, plus there's an extensive Wiki.

When you run the installation file, you'll be prompted whether or not you want to run Apache for all users (installing Apache as a Service), or if you want it installed to run in a console window when you choose the Start Apache shortcut. You'll then be asked for your Server name, Domain name and an administrative email account. After this, Apache takes care of much of the configuration but you'll still need to know a little about where and how you want it to install files in various directories.

Apache Server is one of the most successful cross platform open source servers on the net - invest the time in learning how to configure it and you won't be disappointed.