How to allow permission for a non-root account to open port 80

[Michael Martinez <mmartinez csrees usda gov>]

This is a two part question. I need to solve the following issue: I've
got a web server that runs apache on port 80. I've also got a java
application that runs its own web server on the same computer. Currently
I've got this configured on port 8888. This java application runs as a
non-priviledged user.

The apache server redirects certain requests to the java server. this is
working except in a small percentage of our clients (particularly
foreign users) who are unable to access port 8888. We're guessing the
reason is their firewall doesn't let them access that port.

So we want to be able to give them access, and we've come up with a few
different scenarios (explained below) ... but none of these scenarios is
working.

Scenario 1.

Run the java (oc4j) application on port 80 on a separate virtual ip
address on the machine. 

However, this does not work because I cannot figure out how to get the
system grant the oc4j user the ability to open port 80. Does anyone know
how to do this? (ie. Port 80 is a priviledged port that requires root)

Scenario 2.

Again set up java on its own virtual ip address, then use ipchains to
port forward 80 ---> 8888. I added the followign ipchains rule, but it
doesn' work:

-A accept -j REDIRECT 8888 -s 0/0 -d 192.73.224.126:80 -l -y -p tcp

Scenario 3. 

Do the port forwarding from Apache, but I'm running Apache 1.3.26 which
does not look to have the ability to do port forwarding.

Does ANYONE know how to solve my problem??!!!!

A heartfelt thanks to anyone who has a solution.

mike

-- 
Michael Martinez
Linux System Administrator
CSREES/ISTM/USDA
mmartinez csrees usda gov