Which Distro for a Server?

[David A. Bandel]

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On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 11:16:06 -0600
Alma J Wetzker <almaw at ieee.org> wrote:

> Please help me list,
> 
> I just stepped into something warm and smelly and need to figure out
> how to get my shoe clean without getting my hands dirty.
> 
> I belong to the student chapter of IEEE.  It looks like I will be the
> next linux admin for the group.  Our main box with all the home
> directories and login scripts for linux and Windoze is on this box. 
> It is a Debian system and appears to be badly mangled or just plain
> broken.  (apt-get is no longer able to update several packages, we
> cannot get a new kernel to work on the system 2.4.18 current)  (The
> sysadmins who put the box together [all graduated] still constantly
> tweak the box and don't want it changed, AT ALL.)

First, who is the senior (meaning _the_ guy responsible for the system)
admin?  You or one of the graduates?

> 
> Is there a way to bring back a more vanilla debian experience?  If I
> need to wipe and reinstall the box, what distribution should I use? 
> (This is a critical system!)  This system needs to be in a condition
> that it can be handed off yearly and the new admin can pick up the job
> without significant pain.  (School is hard enough.)

No wipe is necessary.  Let's take a quick look at the
/etc/apt/sources.list and put together something sane.  Then just a good
update should do it.  The easiest distro to maintain is Debian. 
Brain-dead simple.

> 
> Suggestions and comments welcome.

If you're in charge, take charge.  If you're not, then refuse to play
ball.  You won't satisfy everyone, but you should satisfy yourself.

Ciao,

David A. Bandel
- -- 
Focus on the dream, not the competition.
		Nemesis Racing Team motto
GPG key autoresponder:  mailto:david_key at pananix.com
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