How to use Apache version 2.4 for the Applications Manager Client.

Products

• CA Automic Applications Manager (AM)

Issue/Introduction

How can I use Apache version 2.4 for the Applications Manager Client?

Environment

Release: AAMOS499000-8.0-Automic Applications Manager-OS400 Agent
Component:

Resolution

Applications Manager is a 32-bit application, so we ship with a base 32-bit version of Apache that can be used to access the AM Client.  This base version is usually an older version as well in order to be used by older OS versions we support.  However, you can use a newer 64-bit version of Apache should you require greater security.
 
If you upgrade to a newer version of Apache such as version 2.4 (64-bit), and see an error similar to this:

Invalid command 'Order', perhaps misspelled or defined by a module not included in the server configuration

 

 

You will need to make some modifications to the Apache 2.4 httpd.conf file in order for Applications Manager to launch the Client.  In Apache 2.4 the option “Order allow, deny” is no longer used and instead the option “Require all granted” is required. 
 
In 2.2, access control based on client hostname, IP address, and other characteristics of client requests was done using the directives Order, Allow, Deny, and Satisfy.

In 2.4, such access control is done in the same way as other authorization checks, using the new module mod_authz_host. The old access control idioms should be replaced by the new authentication mechanisms, although for compatibility with old configurations, the new module mod_access_compat is provided.
 
Here are some examples of the old and new ways to grant the same access control.

In this example, all requests are denied.

2.2 configuration:

Order deny,allow

Deny from all

2.4 configuration:

Require all denied

In this example, all requests are allowed.

 
2.2 configuration:

Order allow,deny

Allow from all

 

2.4 configuration:

Require all granted

In the following example, all hosts in the example.org domain are allowed access; all other hosts are denied access.
 

2.2 configuration:

Order Deny,Allow

Deny from all Allow from example.org

2.4 configuration:

Require host example.org

For additional information pertaining to these changes in Apache, please see the Apache 2.4 documentation.

The instructions for modifying the Apache 2.4 httpd.conf file for use with the AM Client are outlined below.
 

1. Make a backup of your existing httpd.conf file prior to making any changes.
2. Modify the httpd.conf by commenting out the old configuration options and adding the new ones.  The file will look similar to this:
               

# Deny access to the entirety of your server's filesystem. You must
# explicitly permit access to web content directories in other
# <Directory> blocks below.
#
<Directory />
    AllowOverride none
    Require all granted (changed from Require all denied)
</Directory>