Ok, I'll be the oddball. I would choose either a SCO UniteLinux install or a SuSE Linux Enterprise Server install. Both are based on the same code (UnitedLinux), and are very stable. I would prefer SCO (even though many would opposed based on the distaste SCO has generated), because once the system is installed, everything is administered with WebMin, including firewall and IPSEC VPN. I'm pretty sure that UL includes XFS, JFS, EXT3, and Reiser support builtin (and of course ext2 and fat). Also included is Server Clustering, YAST2's installer, and all the services you would expect from a good server platform: BackOffice servers (File/Print, email/collaborative, ftp, ssh, databases:MySQL and PGSql, Apache, PHP and Java-Servlets, majordomo, etc...), DNS/DHCP, Security servers (several flavors of VPN including FreeS/WAN's IPSEC, Squid Proxy server, IPTables/NetFilter Firewall, etc...) and even more obscure things like a CVS server and Jabber IM Server; All configureable through webmin's Web GUI interface. Also configureable through the Webmin GUI are server-admin process like backups, a Dialin server, ssh tunnels, service monitoring, and LVM.
I prefer servers I can admin in a "light" fashion from remote (ie. no VNC or Remotely Impossible/WTS) SSH is a great tool for this, but WebMin gives the added value of a "pretty" interface for your less-savvy admins who quiver in fear at the command-line. Since UL is based on SuSE Linux Enterprise Server, I've found that all of the SuSE RPM's that I have tried have installed flawlessly on UL. This opens up the amount of packaged software and provides not only RPM's but pretty well done and tested RPM's. My job involves a lot of all of the above, so I like SCO Linux 4.0 because it gives me a powerful system which adheres to the LSB and allows me to train someone else to do the day-to-day stuff (even in a Winblows-type environment). I hope this helps. Matt begin Condon Thomas A KPWA <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> (Tue, 24 Dec 2002 08:36:19 -0800) > > Folks, > > I haven't had to worry about server software yet, but those days are past. > I'll be using the week I have off at Christmas to install a server that will > serve web and email for me. > > I'd be interested in what distros the folks on this list use for servers and > why. > > Thanks in advance. > > > In Harmony's Way, and In A Chord, > > Tom :-}) > > Thomas A. Condon > Barbershop Bass Singer > Registered Linux User #154358 > A Jester Unemployed > _______________________________________________ > Linux-users mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Unsubscribe/Suspend/Etc -> http://www.linux-sxs.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-users -- Matthew Carpenter [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.eisgr.com/ Enterprise Information Systems *Network Consulting, Integration & Support *Web Development and E-Business _______________________________________________ Linux-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe/Suspend/Etc -> http://www.linux-sxs.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-users
