Chapter 6. Server Configuration
A Subversion repository can be accessed simultaneously by clients running on the same machine on which the repository resides using the file:/// method. But the typical Subversion setup involves a single server machine being accessed from clients on computers all over the office—or, perhaps, all over the world.
This section describes how to get your Subversion repository exposed outside its host machine for use by remote clients. We will cover Subversion's currently available server mechanisms, discussing the configuration and use of each. After reading this section, you should be able to decide which networking setup is right for your needs, and understand how to enable such a setup on your host computer.
Overview
Subversion was designed with an abstract network layer. This means that a repository can be programmatically accessed by any sort of server process, and the client “repository access” API allows programmers to write plugins that speak relevant network protocols. In theory, Subversion can use an infinite number of network implementations. In practice, there are only two servers at the time of writing.
Apache is an extremely popular webserver; using the mod_dav_svn module, Apache can access a repository and make it available to clients via the WebDAV/DeltaV protocol, which is an extension of HTTP. In the other corner is svnserve: a small, standalone server program that speaks a custom protocol with clients. Table 6-1 presents a comparison of the two servers.
Note that Subversion, as an open-source project, does not officially endorse any server as “primary” or “official”. Neither network implementation is treated as a second-class citizen; each server has advantages and disadvantages. In fact, it's possible for different servers to run in parallel, each accessing your repositories in its own way, and each without hindering the other (see the section called “Supporting Multiple Repository Access Methods”). Here's a brief overview and comparison of the two available Subversion servers—as an administrator, it's up to you to choose whatever works best for you and your users.
Table 6.1. Network Server Comparison
Feature |
Apache + mod_dav_svn |
|
svnserve |
|
|
|
|
Authentication options |
HTTP(S) basic auth, X.509 |
certifi- |
CRAM-MD5 or SSH |
|
cates, LDAP, NTLM, or any other |
|
|
|
mechanism available to Apache httpd |
|
|
|
|
|
|
User account options |
private 'users' file |
|
private 'users' file, or existing system |
|
|
|
(SSH) accounts |
|
|
|
|
Authorization options |
blanket read/write access, or per- |
blanket read/write access, or per- |
|
|
directory read/write control |
|
directory write (but not read) control |
|
|
|
using a pre-commit hook |
|
|
|
|
Encryption |
via optional SSL |
|
via optional SSH tunnel |
|
|
|
|
Interoperability |
partially usable by other WebDAV |
not interoperable |
|
|
clients |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Web viewing |
limited built-in support, |
or via |
via 3rd-party tools such as ViewCVS |
|
3rd-party tools such as ViewCVS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Speed |
somewhat slower |
|
somewhat faster |
|
|
|
|
Initial setup |
somewhat complex |
|
fairly simple |
|
|
|
|
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