Should I switch from OpenBSD to Linux. CARP ( opinion )

dlublink · 04-18-2010, 10:22 AM

Hey,

I have inherited a server installation that has two OpenBSD machines. I will try and describe it here :

\/ <== OpenBSD 1 <= Internet
||
==CARP=> Private Network with a number of machines.
||
/\ <== OpenBSD 2 <= Internet

So using CARP allows for one of the two machines to fail without the private network losing Internet access. I believe it's called fault tolerance router.

My problem is that I find that OpenBSD is much more difficult to maintain than Linux. The procedure for upgrading packages seems to be quite complicated. I don't like compiling all packages for an upgrade, I only compile packages when I don't have a choice.

So my question, should I keep these OpenBSD machines or should I switch to Linux? I am told that OpenBSD is especially good at doing routing and network stuff, so perhaps I should keep OpenBSD? Is a homogeneous installation a bad thing? Every other server is running Ubuntu. Perhaps I should change these two machines to Ubuntu to be consistent? Does Linux have a similar system to CARP?

What do you think? Opinions wanted.

Thanks,

David

kbp · 04-18-2010, 09:12 PM

IIRC CARP is available for linux, there are also other tools like keepalived. I think you'd need to run up a dev copy of the current setup and see if you're happy with performance/maintenance/etc...

<edit>I think unless you can demonstrate a definite performance difference, standardising your platform is the better choice</edit>

hth

jefro · 04-19-2010, 03:19 PM

I am not sure why you would have to change it much. Do these also perform other tasks?

Missing from your report is any clear sign of lockups, fails or security attacks that might make me want to change. To me it sounds like it is working and working well.

I'd leave it alone.

dlublink · 04-28-2010, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jefro

Missing from your report is any clear sign of lockups, fails or security attacks that might make me want to change. To me it sounds like it is working and working well.

I don't know how to do security updates, so there is a security issue. It's running OpenBSD 4.2.

I guess my issue with OpenBSD is it's package management is like Gentoo, I don't like having to recompile packages on production machines.

anomie · 04-28-2010, 02:57 PM

@dlublink: I am eternally wary of abrupt system migrations / upgrades like this, unless there is a really substantial justification for it.

It sounds like the crux of the issue is you're having a hard time managing OpenBSD. Could that be correctable using a different approach? What if you set up an OpenBSD test system to practice on and picked up a good book?

dlublink · 05-03-2010, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anomie

@dlublink: I am eternally wary of abrupt system migrations / upgrades like this, unless there is a really substantial justification for it.

It sounds like the crux of the issue is you're having a hard time managing OpenBSD. Could that be correctable using a different approach? What if you set up an OpenBSD test system to practice on and picked up a good book?

I guess I don't like using an OS who's recommended book says "System upgrades can make even seasoned systems administrators wish they had a simpler job, such as taming rabid weasels. "

Upgrading Ubuntu on all my machines ( excluding custom compiled Asterisk ) takes little time.

David

jefro · 05-03-2010, 03:34 PM

As a rule, at least to me and many linux distro's, clean install's are preferred to upgrades. It is always much safer to do clean installs of major version levels.

OpenBSD is considered quite secure. http://www.openbsd.org/security.html for details on how your version rates.

I'd agree with anomie in that a VM or test system would make practice easier and safer.