What is Apache? I'm sorry but I've been drawing blank on what it really is? Can anyone expound more what it is and what is used for and how can you start to set it up?

Definitions:
Apache is primarily used to serve both static content and dynamic Web pages on the World Wide Web.

Apache is the web server component of the popular LAMP web server application stack, alongside Linux, MySQL, and the PHP/Perl/Python programming languages.

Apache can be configured in the main configuration file, httpd.conf, or on a per-directory basis with .htaccess files. It is meant to be edited by commenting out or removing the "#" at the beginning of the line and setting values for each directive.

Features:
Apache supports a variety of features, many implemented as compiled modules which extend the core functionality. These can range from server-side programming language support to authentication schemes. Some common language interfaces support mod_perl, mod_python, Tcl, and PHP.
Apache features configurable error messages, DBMS-based authentication databases, and content negotiation. It is also supported by several graphical user interfaces (GUIs) which permit easier, more intuitive configuration of the server.

-V.Vadivelan

Hi,

Can anyone explain the important steps in Apache Configuring
( httpd.conf, or on a per-directory basis) ?

Visit the link u got the steps for config.

V.Vadivelan