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VERIFYING APACHE CONFIGURATION

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Abstract

A short Zen-like test which verifies that your web server has been properly configured to run the ScriptServer® PAN Printing System.

Motivations and instructions for configuring Apache are given in Technical Memo 99: Apache Considerations when Installing ScriptServer PAN as well as in the installation readmes.

Why?

ScriptServer® PAN requires CGI support

ScriptServer PAN requires the ability to execute CGI scripts and programs. For security reasons, Apache requires that this be turned on on a case by case basis.

ScriptServer® PAN installation is tailored to other factors

In particular, PAN is usually installed under its own account. The group membership of this account is dependent on whether or not suexec is configured (and utilized) in Apache.

The test in a nutshell

This test is borrowed from the standard protocol for installing PAN on RedHat 7/SuSE 8 Linux systems. This test will:

• confirm that the targeted PAN server directory is enabled from the web server;
• validate that the cgi-bin subdirectory of that directory is properly configured to execute CGIs; and
• verify/determine whether or not suexec is in operation

... all in one simple experiment.

Step by step

1. su or log in to the pan account

2. In server-directory/cgi-bin, create the following file called test.cgi:

   #!/bin/sh
echo "Content-type: text/plain"
echo ""
echo "It works," `whoami`
exit 0

3. chmod a+x test.cgi
4. Connect to http://server-name/server-directory/cgi-bin/test.cgi with your web browser.

5. Your browser should display the following, verbatim:

   It works, somebody

   where somebody is either the pan account or the web server account.

Interpreting the results

• If it doesn't say "It works, somebody", then your Apache configuration or pan account setup is incorrect.
• If somebody is the pan account, then suexec is enabled; otherwise it is not.

  NOTE: If suexec is not enabled, be sure to put the pan account in the same group as the web server account before proceeding with the installation!

(Variations on this technique can be used to test other operational parameters.)

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