DNS, ServerName? on local WinXP test Mach.

I'm looking for a little advice for installation of Apache on a WinXP
machine for testing only. (Serving webpages locally only).

I'm aware that I would need to modify the "hosts" file and associate
the ServerName with 127.0.0.1

In this situation, can I use anything I want for the ServerName?

Does the "hosts" file, serve as a local DNS ? if not, what does?
Which DNS would be queried 1st ? local/net ?
What would take priority ?

I've used VirtualHosts before, but I'm only building 1 site.
Any other suggestions ?

invinfo@rcn.com wrote in
news:1119483440.731639.195330@g14g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com:

> I'm looking for a little advice for installation of Apache on a WinXP
> machine for testing only. (Serving webpages locally only).
>
> I'm aware that I would need to modify the "hosts" file and associate
> the ServerName with 127.0.0.1
>
> In this situation, can I use anything I want for the ServerName?

Pretty much, yes. So long as you only need to access it from the same
machine.
>
> Does the "hosts" file, serve as a local DNS ? if not, what does?
> Which DNS would be queried 1st ? local/net ?
> What would take priority ?

By default, Windows will check the hosts file first, then normal DNS to
whatever DNS servers it has for the connection. It can be changed, but you
don't wnat that.
>
> I've used VirtualHosts before, but I'm only building 1 site.
> Any other suggestions ?
>
Sounds like you're on the right track, so long as you only need to access
it from the same machine.

--
Terry Austin
www.hyperbooks.com
Campaign Cartographer now available