robbosch/nethserver-moodle

Moodle integration on NethServer

nethserver-moodle

This package provides NethServer templates and events needed to integrate Moodle learning platform in NethServer.

Installation

When installed, the package does the following:

• Install moodle package from EPEL repository
• Install moodle package dependencies (e.g., php-soap, php-pecl-zendopcache, php-ldap) not considered by moodle package itself.
• Create moodle mysql database
• Create default database credentials: user moodle and password stored in /var/lib/nethserver/secrets/moodle
• Create Moodle entry in NethServer applications
• Create moodle key in NethServer configuration database. Under this key you'll find properties like host, path and apacheConf

Configuration

Once installed, moodle needs to be configured in order to be used. The configuration process takes place the first time you access Moodle's web interface and it consists on the following straightforward actions:

• System verification -- It should pass all without any warning. When done, press the continue button.
• Database population -- It should pass all without any problem. When done, press the continue button.
• Administrator account creation -- Here you need to enter the administrator profile (including password and e-mail). When done, press Update Profile button. It will take a moment and the Moodle learning platform administrator interface will be shown for you to complete setting the learning environment.

Once moodle has been configured through the web interface, you can use NethServer database configuration tool to customize the URL used to reach Moodle web application either to use Alias or a Virtual Host.

• Alias -- This is the default implemented solution, and takes place when the value of apacheConf property is set to 'alias' (https://YOURSERVER/moodle) and it doesn't begin with dot or slash in which case the value introduced will be replaced by moodle (which is the default content). To change the value of 'path' and enable this solution, run the following commands: :

  db configuration setprop moodle apacheConf alias path YourPath 
  signal-event nethserver-moodle-update

• Virtual Host -- This solution takes place when the value of host property is non-empty (else it is set to the default hostname : systemName.domaineName) and the value of 'apacheConf' is set to virtualhost In this case, the web server is reconfigured to use a customized value of property host as reference to build a virtualhost-like configuration and serve Moodle that way. To implement this solution run the following commands: :

  db configuration setprop moodle apacheConf virtualhost host vhost.your.domain 
  signal-event nethserver-moodle-update;

  CAUTION: In order for this solution to work, the vhost.your.domain must have a valid entry in the system's hosts database so to reach the server IP correctly go to the dns/server alias panel of the server-manager.

Presently, the properties available in the moodle key have the following meaning:

• host -- This option sets the host name part of the URL used to access Moodle. By default it uses the same host name of the HTTP request. You can change the value of this property to fit your needs. In that case be aware of the CAUTION admonition above.
• path -- This option sets the path part of the URL used to access Moodle. By default the value of this property is set to moodle. You can change the value of this property to fit your needs. In that case be aware it must not begin with dot (.) or slash (/) because the entire value will be ignored and replaced with the string moodle.
• apacheConf -- This option sets the type of apache configuration you want:
  • virtualhost : moodle is reachable by the url "https://yourdomain.com
  • alias (default path is moodle): moodle is reachable by the url "https://yourdomain.com/yourpath

Authentication

Once configured, moodle uses an internal account provider to handle user information. To change the account provider you need to access Moodle's web interface using the admin account and search for "Manage authentication" inside the administration block. Then activate or deactivate the authentication plugin you want to use or not. Finally it is necessary to adjusts the authentication plugin settings in order to make it working appropriately.

Backup

The Moodle backup includes the configuration file and all data:

• /var/www/moodle/data/

The database is automatically saved by nethserver-mysql.