How to Enable mod_perl on Linux CentOS 6.3

The default apache configuration installed without mod_perl. This can be a good idea in order to minimize the number of things that can go wrong. This post will covers the steps to enable mod_perl on linux CentOS 6.3. This will make Perl script be fast and increase the performance

1. To Enable mod_perl, simply run the following command :

[root@centos63 ~]# yum install mod_perl -y
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, presto, priorities
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
 * base: centos.ipserverone.com
 * extras: centos.ipserverone.com
 * updates: centos.ipserverone.com
Setting up Install Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package mod_perl.i686 0:2.0.4-10.el6 will be installed
--> Processing Dependency: perl(BSD::Resource) for package: mod_perl-2.0.4-10.el6.i686
--> Running transaction check
---> Package perl-BSD-Resource.i686 0:1.29.03-3.el6 will be installed
--> Finished Dependency Resolution

Dependencies Resolved

====================================================================================================
 Package                       Arch             Version                      Repository        Size
====================================================================================================
Installing:
 mod_perl                      i686             2.0.4-10.el6                 base             3.2 M
Installing for dependencies:
 perl-BSD-Resource             i686             1.29.03-3.el6                base              35 k

Transaction Summary
====================================================================================================
Install       2 Package(s)

Total download size: 3.2 M
Installed size: 6.0 M
Downloading Packages:
Setting up and reading Presto delta metadata
Processing delta metadata
Package(s) data still to download: 3.2 M
(1/2): mod_perl-2.0.4-10.el6.i686.rpm                                        | 3.2 MB     00:27
(2/2): perl-BSD-Resource-1.29.03-3.el6.i686.rpm                              |  35 kB     00:00
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                                                               117 kB/s | 3.2 MB     00:27
Running rpm_check_debug
Running Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
  Installing : perl-BSD-Resource-1.29.03-3.el6.i686                                             1/2
  Installing : mod_perl-2.0.4-10.el6.i686                                                       2/2
  Verifying  : mod_perl-2.0.4-10.el6.i686                                                       1/2
  Verifying  : perl-BSD-Resource-1.29.03-3.el6.i686                                             2/2

Installed:
  mod_perl.i686 0:2.0.4-10.el6

Dependency Installed:
  perl-BSD-Resource.i686 0:1.29.03-3.el6

Complete!

2. Configure PerlRun mode :

[root@centos63 ~]# vi /etc/httpd/conf.d/perl.conf

a) Original :

#PerlSwitches -w

Uncomment or change to :

PerlSwitches -w

b) Original :

#PerlSwitches -T

Uncomment or change to :

PerlSwitches -T

c) Original :

#Alias /perl /var/www/perl
#<Directory /var/www/perl>
#    SetHandler perl-script
#    PerlResponseHandler ModPerl::Registry
#    PerlOptions +ParseHeaders
#    Options +ExecCGI
#</Directory>

Uncomment or change to :

Alias /perl /var/www/perl
<Directory /var/www/perl>
    SetHandler perl-script
#   AddHandler perl-script .cgi
#   PerlResponseHandler ModPerl::Registry
    PerlResponseHandler ModPerl::PerlRun
    PerlOptions +ParseHeaders
    Options +ExecCGI
</Directory>

d) Original :

#<Location /perl-status>
#    SetHandler perl-script
#    PerlResponseHandler Apache2::Status
#    Order deny,allow
#    Deny from all
#    Allow from .example.com
#</Location>

Uncomment or change to :

<Location /perl-status>
    SetHandler perl-script
    PerlResponseHandler Apache2::Status
    Order deny,allow
    Deny from all
    Allow from 192.168.2.0/24
</Location>

3. Restart Apache :

[root@centos63 ~]# /etc/rc.d/init.d/httpd restart
Stopping httpd:                                            [  OK  ]
Starting httpd:                                            [  OK  ]

4. Make sure if it works normally :

Browse to http://192.168.2.54/perl-status

5. Configure Registry mode :

Alias /perl /var/www/perl
<Directory /var/www/perl>
    SetHandler perl-script
# AddHandler perl-script .cgi
    PerlResponseHandler ModPerl::Registry
#  PerlResponseHandler ModPerl::PerlRun
    PerlOptions +ParseHeaders
    Options +ExecCGI
</Directory>

6. Restart Apache :

[root@centos63 ~]# /etc/rc.d/init.d/httpd restart
Stopping httpd:                                            [  OK  ]
Starting httpd:                                            [  OK  ]