Queries regarding the feasibility of achieving a use-case with HTTPD

[Ajay Garg <ajaygargnsit@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi all.

Let me first present the use-case :)

=== USE-CASE BEGIN ===

I have a number of <Directory></Directory> directives (via the .conf files), and each director has an alias for it.

So, my server can present different stuff, in accordance with the URLS like ::

                http://127.0.0.1/alias1

                http://127.0.0.1/alias2
                ...
                ...

                http://127.0.0.1/aliasn

Now, I desire to add authentication, whenever any user visits any of these directories/aliases/links, or any directories/aliases/llinks in their sub-domains.

Thus, the ideal workflow desired is ::

              a)

              User enters in the browser, a URL like "http://127.0.0.1/alias1//deep/internal/url" 

              b)

              He is AUTOMATICALLY re-directed to a login page, say "http://127.0.0.1/login.php"

              c)

              User enters the credentials, and presses the "login" button in login.php.

              d)

              User is then AUTOMATICALLY taken to "http://127.0.0.0.1/alias1/deep/internal/url"

              e)

              Thereafter, whenever the user enters into ANY URL (i.e. any directory/alias, and not just "alias1"), he should be taken directly to the url

              (withot requiring to enter the credentials again).

Thus, my queries are ::

i)

Is the above workflow possible by merely using HTTPD, or some form of external proxy-software (like "squid") is required?

ii)

If it is indeed possible to achieve the above with just HTTPD, I will be grateful if you could let me know how to add redirections, so that

any URL goes via the "login.php" in-between (of course, if the user has already authenticated once, he is taken directly to the URL).

Note that I understand that to truly require only one-time authentication, I will be required to set up "cookies".

My major query here is, as to how can we setup redirections in HTTPD in the way I have described (of course, if it is possible to do so, without requiring

any external proxy-software) :)

--
Regards,
Ajay