Apache2 not reading my conf file - Ask Ubuntu

i'm used apache2 , can running without of headache. time stumbled on problem can't shake off.

on local work nginx have modification on .htaccess file. installed apache2. both apache2 , nginx use port 80 disabled nginx time being.

i ceated virtual host file under /etc/apache2/sites-available/ , looks this:

<virtualhost *:80>     servername dev-my-site.apache     serveradmin my-email@gmail.com      documentroot /var/www/html/my-site </virtualhost> 

basic, should enough, right? there symbolic link in corresponding /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/ pointing conf file. restarted apache , added following entry /etc/hosts:

127.0.0.1  dev-my-site.apache 

from here expect http://dev-my-site.apache point /var/www/html/my-site/ doesn't. points instead /var/www/html/ default document root apache2, , displays index.html file sits there.

here result of apache2ctl -s, supposed list vhosts:

virtualhost configuration: serverroot: "/etc/apache2" main documentroot: "/var/www/html" main errorlog: "/var/log/apache2/error.log" mutex watchdog-callback: using_defaults mutex default: dir="/var/lock/apache2" mechanism=fcntl  mutex mpm-accept: using_defaults pidfile: "/var/run/apache2/apache2.pid" define: dump_vhosts define: dump_run_cfg user: name="www-data" id=33 not_used group: name="www-data" id=33 not_used 

it seems virtual host not taken account @ all. doing wrong here?

as found answer realized question a duplicate.

to short: nginx not require specific extension configuration files, apache do.

i forgot suffix conf file *.conf extension, causing file not recognized apache.

thanks henning kockerbeck, put me in right direction.