3.6. Svnserve Based Server

3.6.1. Introduction

Subversion includes Svnserve - a lightweight stand-alone server which uses a custom protocol over an ordinary TCP/IP connection. It is ideal for smaller installations, or where a full blown Apache server cannot be used.

In most cases svnserve is easier to setup and runs faster than the Apache based server, although it doesn't have some of the advanced features. And now that SASL support is included it is easy to secure as well.

3.6.2. Installing svnserve

1.      Get the latest version of Subversion from http://subversion.tigris.org/servlets/ProjectDocumentList?folderID=91 . Alternatively get a pre-packaged installer from CollabNet at http://www.collab.net/downloads/subversion . This installer will setup svnserve as a Windows service, and also includes some of the tools you need if you are going to use SASL for security.

2.      If you already have a version of Subversion installed, and svnserve is running, you will need to stop it before continuing.

3.      Run the Subversion installer. If you run the installer on your server (recommended) you can skip step 4.

4.      Open the windows-explorer, go to the installation directory of Subversion (usually C:\Program Files\Subversion) and in the bin directory, find the files svnserve.exe, intl3_svn.dll, libapr.dll, libapriconv.dll, libapriutil.dll, libdb*.dll, libeay32.dll and ssleay32.dll - copy these files, or just copy all of the bin directory, into a directory on your server e.g. c:\svnserve

3.6.3. Running svnserve

Now that svnserve is installed, you need it running on your server. The simplest approach is to run the following from a DOS shell or create a windows shortcut:

svnserve.exe --daemon

svnserve will now start waiting for incoming requests on port 3690. The --daemon switch tells svnserve to run as a daemon process, so it will always exist until it is manually terminated.

If you have not yet created a repository, follow the instructions given with the Apache server setup Section 3.7.4, “Configuration”.

To test that svnserve is working, use TortoiseSVNRepo-Browser to view a repository.