Skip to content

Ansible Role linuxfabrik.lfops.mod_maxminddb

This role downloads, compiles and installs the Maxmind module mod_maxminddb for Apache httpd. The resulting mod_maxminddb.so is placed where Apache expects it on the target distribution:

  • Red Hat-family: /usr/lib64/httpd/modules/mod_maxminddb.so
  • Debian / Ubuntu: /usr/lib/apache2/modules/mod_maxminddb.so

For Maxmind, depending on your needs, you normally run three playbooks in this particular order:

  1. libmaxminddb
  2. mod_maxminddb (this role)
  3. maxmind_geoip

Available since LFOps 2.0.0.

How the Role Behaves

  • Build dependencies are OS-specific:

    • Red Hat-family: gcc, httpd-devel, make, redhat-rpm-config, tar.
    • Debian / Ubuntu: apache2-dev, gcc, make, tar (no redhat-rpm-config; that package is RH-only).

  • The Tarball is fetched on the Ansible controller (delegate_to: 'localhost', run_once: true), then copied to the target. The controller therefore needs Internet access to GitHub; the target does not.

  • ./configure && make install is executed in ~/mod_maxminddb-<version>/. make install errors are ignored because apxs-based LoadModule activation often fails on a default Apache config; the compiled .so is what we care about.
  • The LoadModule directive is written to mod_maxminddb__apache_conf_modules_d (default is OS-specific, see variable below) and points to the OS-specific module path listed above.
  • On Debian / Ubuntu the role additionally runs the equivalent of a2enmod maxminddb (via community.general.apache2_module) so the freshly placed .load file gets symlinked into /etc/apache2/mods-enabled/. On Red Hat-family hosts the module is picked up automatically because it lives in /etc/httpd/conf.modules.d/.

Requirements

  • Apache httpd must be installed, with at least one LoadModule directive already present (role: linuxfabrik.lfops.apache_httpd). Otherwise the compile step may fail with apxs:Error: At least one 'LoadModule' directive already has to exist... See "How the Role Behaves" for why make install errors are ignored.

Tags

mod_maxminddb

  • Installs the build toolchain, downloads, compiles and installs mod_maxminddb, and writes the corresponding LoadModule directive.
  • Triggers: none.

Optional Role Variables

mod_maxminddb__apache_conf_modules_d

  • Path and filename for the LoadModule directive.
  • Type: String.

  • Default (OS-specific):

    • Red Hat-family: '/etc/httpd/conf.modules.d/20-mod_maxminddb.conf'
    • Debian / Ubuntu: '/etc/apache2/mods-available/maxminddb.load'

mod_maxminddb__version

  • The version to install. Possible options: https://github.com/maxmind/mod_maxminddb/releases.
  • Type: String.
  • Default: '1.2.0'

Example:

# optional
mod_maxminddb__apache_conf_modules_d: '/etc/httpd/conf-available/mod_maxminddb.conf'
mod_maxminddb__version: '1.2.0'

License

The Unlicense

Author Information

Linuxfabrik GmbH, Zurich