How to make Apache2 to use nfs mount with symlinks
 

I have a Debian server (version 8) with Apache2 installed from repository.

I need help making Apache to use an nfs mount and with symlinks

Is running OK and it has Followsymlinks enabled. I know because I tested it using a symlink to a local folder not on the same path of the Document Root.

I have a Windows Server sharing a NSF folder with read and write access to the root user.

I mount it with this command:

I test it and I can read,write,delete files and folders on the path.

The owner is root:root and the chmod is drxw-rx-rx. I created a folder inside the htmldata path and it has the same privileges (sarg/sarg-reports)

Then I did a symlink at /var/www/html (Document Root) as
When I go to the browser to the address http://myserver/sarg-reports I get error 403 Forbidden access.

I need to use nfs because the server does not have enough space to hold all the sarg reports in its local HD

If SElinux is enabled on the server, then the directory will have to be updated to utilize the webserver context. Something like:

I looked how do I know SElinux status:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...no-gui-620864/

I did:
cat /etc/sysconfig/selinux
cat: /etc/sysconfig/selinux: No such file or directory
And
sestatus
-bash: sestatus: command not found

So I have to say that SElinux is not enabled in my server, then your suggestion does not apply.

There are about 20 different reasons this could be happening. The fastest way to the answer is to provide as much info as possible. So how about:

• What does your apache configuration look like near the 'followsymlinks' section that you added?
• What does the command 'mount' output?
• What does 'ls -alh /var/www/html' output?
• What does 'ls -alh /mnt/nfs/external/htmldata/sarg' output?
• What does 'ls -alh /mnt/nfs/external/htmldata/sarg/sarg-reports' output?
• What does your apache error and access logs output when requesting the page?

*Please provide the output in CODE blocks in the editor to make it easy to read.

As requested:

apache2.conf relevant section (This comes default with apache2.conf):
mount output:
'ls -alh /var/www/html' (Using sarg-reports-test symlink):
'ls -alh /mnt/nfs/external/htmldata/sarg':

'ls -alh /mnt/nfs/external/htmldata/sarg/sarg-reports-squid' (Testing with smaller directory):
access.log:
error.log

Maybe im missing something but at first blush, your symlink says "sarg-reports-test -> /mnt/nfs/external/sarg/sarg-reports-squid" but you provided the ls -alh output of "/mnt/nfs/external/htmldata/sarg" which is a different directory.

What user does apache run as in Debian?

Also,. I would try making a symlink to index.html and seeing if apache was able to pick up a file in the same directory as the symlink.

Sorry.

I tried a web page on a symlink within the same path (/var/www/html) to a local directory instead of nsf directory and it worked, that is why I know the FollowSymLinks directive is active.

Apache service user run as?
'ps -aux |grep apache2':
Providing update with fixed symlink:


'ls -alh /mnt/nfs/external/htmldata/sarg':
'ls -alh /var/www/html' (Using sarg-reports-test symlink):
access.log
error.log

Think I see the issue.

To verify:

what does your /etc/fstab look like?

I might be leaving soon - so here is my thought.

You have symlinks allowed, and you have a symlink. Fine. That works.

That symlink points to a DIFFERENT directory that is mounted through NFS. And the NFS mount gives that directory its permissions.

Looks like "drwx------ 2 4294967294 4294967294 64 Nov 23" specifically.

Your apache runs as 'www-root' which is a different user and group than '4294967294' and so doesn't have access to that directory.

So - make sure that your /mnt directories allow the www-data user or group and your NFS mount is mounted with the correct permissions to allow www-data user or group. You can also do this by allowing read and execute for 'world/other' for those directories. Files should be chowned similarly.

fstab does not have the nfs mount. I have not add it yet waiting for it to work with manual mount.

The mount point is own by root and the chmod is already with world rx access, so I dont understant .

The mount is own by root because the user that has access to the nfs is root.

Maybe I can add the user www-data to the root group but still being in the www-data group. This way the apache service user will have the access by the group.

I made the www-data user to belong to the root group.

Tried to access the Web site but still gives me Forbidden error.

error.log
id www-data:
groups www-data:

Look how www-data becomes the owner under webdav that uses Apache's default place /var/www/

http://bernaerts.dyndns.org/linux/75...n-webdav-share

Ok thats only an impression.

Now read how you should do it in principle:

http://askubuntu.com/questions/76750...-for-a-website

I wanted to replicate this out of the box. So I logged into digital ocean and spun up two Debian 8 instances. One I called NFS-server and the other is APACHE-server. Here is the setup I did:

root@nfs-server:
root@apache-server
root@tool-box
So it works out of the box. Not sure what that proved though.

What I am wondering now is ... try this ...

then try to hit http://yourserver/asymlink

I have not done your last suggestions. I don't know why the thread changes/additions are not being notified to my email even that I am supposedly registered to the thread and set to receive notifications immediately. As soon as I can do your request I will post back.

By the way I did not install nfs-client itself but nfs-common.

I did that and it worked.

I see a web page with the word HELLO.

By the way I executed the command lines with root user

Ok. So YOUR original symlink is pointing to a directory and not a file.

My TEST symlink points to a FILE and proves that NFS is working, permissions are correct, and symlinks are allowed.

Looking back at our conversation and your symlinks - are you pointing to a directory on purpose? Do you want to display the directory contents in the browser? is that what you are trying to do?

If so, then look up DirectoryIndex and configure it correctly for your server.

If not, then create your symlink to point to a file instead of a directory.

Yes, I am pointing it to a Directory on purpose. I want to display all web pages and subdirectories web pages inside the Directory.

Right on. Try this configuration (notice the + ), restart apache, then:

apache2.conf has:

I should change to?:

Or to?

I want apache to make its own index file if it does not found any index file

For starters, add a plus sign + to Indexes,.. like this

And see if that gets us a directory listing.

Service failed to start.

I will add the + sign to Followsymlinks to verify

I added the + sign to the options.


Service started successfully.

Tried and got:

You don't have permission to access /sarg-reports-test on this server.
You don't have permission to access /sarg-reports-test/index.html on this server.