Re: configure and mySQL Database

On Mon, 10 Feb 2003, Javier Fernandez-Sanguino wrote:

> William Heinbockel wrote:
> > Does anyone here have any experience with making configure scripts?
> > I think Renaud uses autoconf, but I have no clue on how to append
> > to his stuff to have it check for the mysql.h library.
> 	I do have experience with autoconf scripts. Let me give it a try.
> 
> > 
> > If the library is there, we might need to check to see if it is
> > thread-safe.  When the qualifications are met, then nessusd
> > needs compiled with USE_MYSQL (or similar).
> > 
> > I have no idea on how to go about doing this.
> > If someone could explain to me how to do it, it would be greatly
> > appreciated.
> 
> IMHO we should not be making something too mysql-dependant. The use of 
> the database should be something to be selected the same way some 
> experimental features are. Thus a --enable-database should plug-in the 
> code for mysql/postgresql/whatever..
> 
> The DB code should be generic enough so that users can select whatever 
> database they want and using #ifdefs include the proper code. We need a 
> generic open_database function which would call whatever database the 
> user has configured.
> 
> 
> 	Javi
> 
> 

The best option to incorporate multiple databases is to write libraries
that Nessus can use for the database calls.  If people want to write
database specific code (similar to the code I have for mySQL), it can 
easily be incorporated into the server code.  That is why we need to
iron out a common schema so that all of the database calls through
Nessus are similar.

I agree that the code should be initially compiled with the preprocessor
directives, so that only the necessary code and C APIs are compiled in.
That's why the stuff needs put into the configure script.  The necessary
APIs need to be present and their exact location needs to be given to
the compiler.  Versions and other items might need to be checked to verify
that the API will work with the Nessus DB code.
Also, it might be useful to put in code to the Preferences and Rules so
that an admin can control who can use the database and they could run
Nessus without storing the results to the DB.

----------------------
William Heinbockel
Information Security Incident Response Assistant
Co-op Risk & Safety Management
Rochester Institute of Technology
E-mail: [email protected]