Configure Virual host in Apache

Virtual hosting is a method for hosting multiple domain names on a computer using a single IP address. This allows one machine to share its resources, such as memory and processor cycles, to use its resources more efficiently.

One widely used application is shared web hosting. Shared web hosting prices are lower than a dedicated web server, because this allows many customers to be hosted on a single server.

Setting Up A Virtual Host in Apache
Setting up a virtual host in the Apache web server is not exactly a PHP topic, but many PHP developers use the Apache web server to test web pages on their development machine.

There is a lot of information around on how to do this, but the first time I tried it, I found the existing information to be more confusing than helpful. Hopefully, this page will simplify the process a bit. Please note that this information pertains to setting up a virtual host in Apache on a Windows machine for use as a local testing server.

Configuring Apache

The first file we'll need to edit is the Apache httpd.conf file. If you installed the Apache software using the download from the Apache web site, you should have a menu item that will open this file for editing. Click Start->Programs->Apache HTTP Server->Configure Apache Server->Edit the Apache httpd.conf Configuration File. If you don't have that start menu item, start your text editor and open the file. It will be in a sub-folder named conf of your Apache folder. For example, mine is here:

C:\Program Files\Apache Group\Apache\conf\httpd.conf

Notes for Apache Server Versions Since 2.2 Configuration

Note that Apache changed the preferred method for configuring the Apache server with the release of Apache 2.2. For versions beginning with 2.2, the peferred configuration is more modular. Setting up a virtual host as described here will still work with the newer versions, but to follow the modular approach, the editing of httpd.conf is only to uncomment (remove the # from the beginning of the following line:

#Include conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf

Everything else is entered in the file httpd-vhosts.conf, which will be located in the extra folder below the below the folder containing httpd.conf. As mentioned, the method described here will still work.
Security

Version 2.2 also changed some of the default security configuration parameters. To set things up the way you'll need them, you'll need to add the following block to either your httpd.conf file, just above the virtual hosts, or to your httpd-vhosts.conf file:

<Directory "C:\ My Sites ">
Order Deny,Allow
Allow from all
</Directory>

Simple Steps are:

1. Open the vhosts file in the apache folder and create a virtual path and the name which will be map the related folder and the server name for example

<VirtualHost 127.0.0.1>
DocumentRoot "C:\My Sites\Site1"
ServerName original
</VirtualHost>

<VirtualHost 127.0.0.1>
DocumentRoot "C:\My Sites\Site2"
ServerName testing
</VirtualHost>

2. Open 'hosts' file which is present in path "C:\WINNT\system32\drivers\etc\hosts"
add the server name to them. This will tell the apache that both the server
names should be responded For example

127.0.0.1 original
127.0.0.1 testing

Restart the apache server and your done