Open Web Analytics (OWA) is an open-source web analytics software created by Peter Adams. OWA is written in PHP and uses a MySQL database, which makes it compatible for running with a LAMP solution stack on various web servers. OWA is comparable to Google Analytics, though OWA is server software anyone can install and run on their own host, while Google Analytics is a software service offered by Google. So, OWA supports tracking with WordPress and MediaWiki, two popular web site frameworks. This application helps you keep track of and observe the influx of views on your website. The program also tracks your competitors and their company’s growth compared to yours.
So get ready and in this guide, you will learn how to install OWA on your server and set up your own web analytics tool.
Step 1: Install Apache, PHP
First, Install Apache webserver. As the root user, run the following commands
dnf install httpd -y
Now start and enable apache service on boot.
systemctl start httpd systemctl enable httpd
Adding Apache ports in the firewall.
firewall-cmd --add-port={80/tcp,443/tcp} --permanent
firewall-cmd --reload
Then, install PHP
dnf install php php-common php-pecl-apcu php-curl php-gd php-xml php-json php-pcntl php-zip php-cli php-pear php-pdo php-mysqlnd php-pgsql php-gd php-mbstring php-opcache php-xml -y
Install MYSQL
dnf install mysql-server -y
Start and enable MYSQL service on boot.
systemctl start mysqld systemctl enable mysqld
Secure the MYSQL installation using the mysql_secure_installation script:
mysql_secure_installation
Set root password? [Y/n] Y
New password: password
Re-enter new password: password
Remove anonymous users? [Y/n] Y
Disallow root login remotely? [Y/n] Y
Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n] Y
Reload privilege tables now? [Y/n] Y
After Database server installation, create database and user for OWA.
Then, log into the MySQL console using below command and type your password when asked.
mysql -u root -p
now create a new database
CREATE DATABASE openweb;
Now create a new MySQL user and grant it privileges on the created database. You can replace username and password with the username and password of your own choice.
CREATE USER ‘database_user’@’localhost’ IDENTIFIED BY ‘user_password’;
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON database_name.* TO ‘database_user’@’localhost’;
Exit the MySQL console.
exit
Step 2: Install Open Web Analytics
First, install wget.
dnf install wget -y
Create owa directory ins /var/www/html/ path
mkdir /var/www/html/owa
Switch into owa directory
cd /var/www/html/owa
After that, Download Open Web Analytics (OWA)
wget https://github.com/padams/Open-Web-Analytics/archive/1.6.2.tar.gz
Uncompress Downloaded archive and move its content in owa directory.
tar xvf 1.6.2.tar.gz cd Open-Web-Analytics*/ mv * /var/www/html/owa cd .. ls
Now set appropriate permissions for apache on owa directory.
chown -R apache:apache /var/www/html/owa/
Create and activate SELinux policy
semanage fcontext -a -t httpd_sys_rw_content_t "/var/www/html/owa(/.*)?" restorecon -Rv /var/www/html/owa
So, restart Apache service
systemctl restart httpd
Step 3: Access Open Web Analytics (OWA) Web Interface
Open your browser and browse the path http://SERVER-IP/owa
Click on “Let’s Get Started” and proceed to installation. Enter database details on the next page.
Now type your domain name and set login credentials for OWA and click “Continue”
Then you will see below screen with success and your login information. Click on “Login and generate a site tracker”
So, you will be redirected to the login page, enter your login details
Finally, you will see below the dashboard of OWA (Open Web Analytics)
That’s it!
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