Apache Cookbook, 2nd Edition

6.12. Storing User Credentials in a MySQL Database

Problem

You wish to use user and password information in your MySQL database for authenticating users.

Solution

For Apache 1.3, use mod_auth_mysql:

Auth_MySQL_Info db_host.example.com db_user my_password
Auth_MySQL_General_DB auth_database_name

<Directory /www/htdocs/private>
    AuthName "Protected directory"
    AuthType Basic 
    require valid-user
</Directory>

For Apache 2.2 and later, use mod_authn_dbi:

AuthnDbiDriver Config1 mysql
AuthnDbiHost Config1 db.example.com
AuthnDbiUsername Config1 db_username
AuthnDbiPassword Config1 db_password
AuthnDbiName Config1 auth_database_name
AuthnDbiTable Config1 auth_database_table
AuthnDbiUsernameField Config1 user_field
AuthnDbiPasswordField Config1 password_field
AuthnDbiIsActiveField Config1 is_active_field

AuthnDbiConnMin Config1 3
AuthnDbiConnSoftMax Config1 12
AuthnDbiConnHardMax Config1 20
AuthnDbiConnTTL Config1 600

<Directory  "/www/htdocs/private">
  AuthType Digest
  AuthName  "Protected directory>
  AuthBasicProvider dbi
  AuthnDbiServerConfig Config1
  Require valid-user
</Directory>

Discussion

There are a number of modules called mod_auth_mysql. The module used in the previous example is the mod_auth_mysql from http://www.diegonet.com/support/mod_auth_mysql.shtml. For the full explanation of the database fields that you will need to create, and the additional options that the module affords, you should consult the documentation on the Web site.

If you are running Apache 2.2 or later, you will want to take ...