How to configure SVN Server(Subversion) with LDAP Authentication on CentOS/RHEL 5/6/7

More organizations are utilizing directory services for lodging their user credentials and data. Example directory services are Active Directory, eDirectory and OpenLDAP.

Starting now, the best way to use your directory services for verification is by utilizing Apache as your network layer. This permits you to utilize any of the accessible authentication option to Apache for your Subversion authentication and with mod_auth_ldap, Apache can validate against your directory service for Subversion.

In this article we can see how to configure Subversion Server on CentOS/RHEL.

Step 1: Install Required Packages

Before installing SVN packages, you must install required packages.Type the below command to install require packages.

# yum install httpd mod-ldap mod_authnz_external mod_ssl openssl

Start the apache service.

# chkconfig httpd on
# service httpd start

Step 2: Disable Iptables and Selinux

If you not able to see the apache test page, disable the iptables and selinux service on your server. Use following steps to disable the service.

For CentOS/RHEL 5/6
# service iptables stop
# chkconfig iptables off
For CentOS/RHEL 7
# systemctl stop firewalld
# systemctl disable firewalld

Now disabled the selinux of server. After disable the selinux reboot the server.

# vim /etc/sysconfig/selinux

SELINUX=enforcing
and replace with
SELINUX=disabled

Step 3: Install SVN Server

Once the Apache Web Server is installed, we’ll need to execute the following command to install subversion.

# yum install subversion mod_dav_svn

Check SVN Server Version

After installing the SVN Server check the version of SVN using following command.

# svn --version

svn, version 1.6.11 (r934486)
   compiled Feb 10 2015, 22:08:22

Copyright (C) 2000-2009 CollabNet.
Subversion is open source software, see http://subversion.tigris.org/
This product includes software developed by CollabNet (http://www.Collab.Net/).

The following repository access (RA) modules are available:

* ra_neon : Module for accessing a repository via WebDAV protocol using Neon.
  - handles 'http' scheme
  - handles 'https' scheme
* ra_svn : Module for accessing a repository using the svn network protocol.
  - with Cyrus SASL authentication
  - handles 'svn' scheme
* ra_local : Module for accessing a repository on local disk.
  - handles 'file' scheme

Step 4: Create Directory

Now create directory on server for SVN repositories.

# mkdir /var/www/svn/repos

Step 5: Configure SVN Server

After installing Apache Webserver we open or create the SVN configuration file and add the below lines in the file.

# vim /etc/httpd/conf.d/subversion.conf

<Location /repos>
DAV svn
SVNParentPath /var/www/svn/repos
AuthzSVNAccessFile /var/www/svn/user
SSLRequireSSL
AuthBasicProvider ldap
AuthType Basic
AuthzLDAPAuthoritative off
AuthName "My Subversion server"
AuthLDAPURL "ldap://192.168.10.55:3268/DC=techoism,DC=com?sAMAccountName?sub?(objectClass=*)" NONE
AuthLDAPBindDN "svn.admin@techoism"
AuthLDAPBindPassword "r3Dh@+@123"
require ldap-attribute objectClass=user
</Location>

Step 6: Create SVN Repository

Create a new repository and change the ownership of repository using following command:

# cd /var/www/svn/repos
# svnadmin create techoism
# chown -R apache.apache techoism

Step 6: Repository access to LDAP User

After creating new svn repository now we need to give permission to any LDAP user to access the repository.

# vim /var/www/svn/user

[techoism:/]
dennis.r = rw
steve.jobs = rw

Note: If you want to give permission to any user to access all the repository, then do following entry in the file.

[/]
dennis.r = rw

Now dennis has rights to access all the SVN repositories

After creating user we will restart Apache Service.

# service httpd restart

Now you should be start the svnserve process by using this script:

# service svnserve start

Next, to set this script to run ‘start’ on server boot register the service:

# chkconfig --add svnserve
# chkconfig enable svnserve

Step 7: Access Your Repository in Browser

Now open your svn repository in a browser. It will prompt for authentication.

# http://192.168.10.55/repos/techoism
or
# http://svn.techoism.com/repos/techoism

Reference Articles:

How to Configure SVN Server on CentOS/RHEL
Backup and Restore SVN repository on CentOS/RHEL