= Dolphin Hosting Requirements =

Default Dolphin installation works with most common configurations of hosting server, however, since Dolphin is a package with multiple scripts and apps, it is very important to ensure that all of the following requirements are met. Most of the technical problems occur due to improper server setup, so make sure that your hosting provider is Dolphin-compatible.

To help avoid trouble, we gathered a number of '''[http://www.boonex.com/hosting/ Recommended Hosting Providers]''' that have Dolphin-ready accounts and experience with managing accounts that have Dolphin installed. Some of them offer instant installation or even pre-installed Dolphin.

Providing that the server is properly configured, it is possible to run Dolphin on a shared hosting account. We do recommend, however, to have a VPS or a Dedicated Server for Dolphin. 

== Server Requirements ==

	* !Linux/Unix (Red Hat, Debian, FreeBSD, Mandrake, etc.) or Windows OS 

	* Apache Web Server ver. 1.3 or higher.

	* '''[http://www.php.net/ PHP 5.2.0]''' or higher.

        * '''register_globals''' must be '''Off'''[[BR]]
          '''safe_mode''' must be '''Off'''[[BR]]
          '''exec()''' (executable files) must be '''allowed'''[[BR]]
          '''allow_url_fopen''' should be '''On'''[[BR]]
          '''allow_url_include''' should be '''Off'''[[BR]]
          '''open_basedir''' should not have any value
          '''memory_limit''' should be '''128M''' or higher

        * '''''mbstring''''', '''''gd''''' and '''''xslt''''' extensions must be installed.

	* '''[http://www.mysql.com/ MySQL 4.1.2]''' and higher.

	* The '''magic_quotes_gpc''' option must be disabled for Dolphin 7.x, but enabled for Dolphin 6.x.

	* If security module is installed (such as '''mod_security''' for Apache), it should be able to be configured for specific folders (or disabled).

	* Direct connection to boonex.com should be able to be established (i.e. connection without requiring proxy authorisation). This is required for license verification.

	* '''[http://www.boutell.com/gd/ GD library]''' compiled with '''!FreeType''' fonts (for photo processing) or '''[http://imagemagick.org/ ImageMagick]''' as an alternative.

	* '''Sendmail''' or '''Postfix''' programs for sending emails.

	* Ability to create '''[http://www.unixgeeks.org/security/newbie/unix/cron-1.html Cron Jobs]'''.

	* You should be able to run executable files (you would need it for '''ffmpeg.exe''', which converts videos).

== Server Requirements for Media Streaming ==

Some of the Dolphin's features (such as Flash Chat, Flash IM, Boards, Video Recorder, Video Comments) require media streaming capabilities.  To use those, you need to make sure that the following requirements are met: 

	* '''VPS''' or '''Dedicated''' server is generally required in order to be able to install and run '''RMS (Ray Media Server)'''. You would need an access to '''root''' or '''administrator''' account on the hosting server. 

	* '''[http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp JRE] (Java Runtime Environment) ver. 1.6''' or higher should be installed.

        * Ports '''1935''', '''1936''' and '''5080''' should be open on the server.

	* Allowance of at least 15 KB/sec for media streaming for each user.
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'''It is a good idea to send the list above to your hosting provider to make sure the server is ready for installation. If all the above requirements are met you are all set to proceed to [wiki:ThingsToKnow Before You Install] and then [DolInstallation Dolphin Installation]'''.
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== Recommended Hosting Providers ==

Over years we worked with many different hosting providers and some of them are very experienced when it comes to managing Dolphin sites. Going for one of our '''[http://www.boonex.com/hosting Recommended Hosting Providers]''' is a good idea for both starters and those willing to work with companies that have Dolphin-experience. Most of our hosting partners provide automatic Dolphin installation and special discounts for Dolphin users.

== Recommended Server Setup ==

Since Dolphin is a resource-intensive platform, it is very important to "fine-tune" your server. In some cases (for popular sites) you may have to setup servers-cluster, and/or remove database server. Alternative "web-server" software, such as '''[http://nginx.org/ nginx]''' may also be beneficial to your site performance. We plan to provide a more detailed tutorial on how to configure your server for Dolphin soon. 
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