GUI for Ubuntu Server?

DarkFlame · 03-29-2009, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjad

In what form is gui a security risk? is it because it has extra services, or is it because the gui invirement?

My take, purely from a logical standpoint and NOT from an experience standpoint is that the short answer is "both."

A "hardened" server has all the unnecessary services (for the server to do it's job, not necessarily to assist us in doing our admin jobs) removed. This allows the server to run more efficiently without spending nanoseconds performing services that are not necessary for it's own functioning, and removing services that might allow others to login or to break the login security. And, from a purely security standpoint, having no gui makes it a lot more difficult for someone to poke around in the operating system. Having a gui means there are icons visible and clickable whereas having no gui would make it where they'd not only have to know the commands to access those same functions, but also the proper options and syntax thereof - even (& especially) if they broke the admin UID & PW (they'd have to know Linux commands)!

I have a Ubuntu 8.10 server running at home. It is not necessarily hardened, but it's got no keyboard or mouse or monitor connected, and no gui. I'm accessing all management functions via PuTTy from my XP Pro desktop. This is not just for security and efficiency purposes, but because I just don't want to have to have space for another keyboard or monitor or mouse. Further, I'm looking to move the server out of our office and put it in another location, locked up with nothing but a UPS and a fan, somewhere that it can vent without heating up the room or house. At this moment, having the 5 HDDs in it requires a hefty (& loud) fan to keep it cool, and it makes our little office (3 workstations, 1 server, router, dsl modem, all-in-1 printer, TV, laptop, and various cell phone and pocket-pc equipment) about 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the house. Adding another monitor (all the others are LCD flat screens but I only have a CRT left for the server if I were going to connect one) would only make it that much warmer.

Like pljvaldez said, a home server (which ours happens to be) might be easier to admin and control with a GUI & monitor/kybd/mouse, and the only security would be to protect yourself (& your family) from yourself (& your family). And, your only concerns are your own.

However, in a professional environment, you would definitely want a professional installation, which means hardening the server as much as possible and making it as secure and reliable as possible. Your only concerns in this situation are to protect your employer/client not only from themselves, but from any possible disaster (testing any or complete disaster recovery is only acceptable BEFORE a disaster strikes, never during - & "disaster" is any breach of security, loss of data, or data leak).

On a home server, you're only liable to yourself. On a professional installation, you (the installer/admin) are liable for all of it, including your employer's/client's loss of productivity due to disasters for which you failed to provide quick and complete recovery plans, methods, and procedures.

I'm sure others will have more direct and to-the-point answers, but that was how I logically figured I'd address the question which I have asked myself at home and would ask myself in a professional environment - even if I was hiring someone else to create the infrastructure.

Martin2009 · 10-19-2009, 02:57 PM

isn't it ?

Code:

sudo get-apt install gnome-desktop

On my server it works...

gottymann · 12-17-2009, 06:49 AM

installed Ubuntu 9.10 on my computer but it is very slow and i don't feel like working on the same computer. Now i don't want to uninstall Ubuntu. But as i am not currently planning to upgrade my computer as i will be buying a new PC later i

DarkFlame · 12-18-2009, 02:45 PM

I can only imagine that if Ubuntu 9.10 is slow, then Windoze would be even SLOWER. So, GottyMann, are you seeking guidance or just complaining? What was your purpose for the computer originally? - workstation? server? other?

adam8797 · 11-29-2010, 09:01 AM

Sorry for waking an old thread...

but for all the googlers and readers out there the answer is very simple,

Code:

sudo apt-get update

then

Code:

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

that includes open office and extras.

For no extras type:

Code:

sudo aptitude  install --no-install-recommends ubuntu-desktop

mahmoodn · 12-06-2010, 03:26 AM

I get this error:

Code:

mahmood@localhost:~$ sudo aptitude  install --no-install-recommends ubuntu-desktop
aptitude: unrecognized option '--no-install-recommends'
aptitude 0.4.11.11
Usage: aptitude [-S fname] [-u|-i]
       aptitude [options] <action> ...
  Actions (if none is specified, aptitude will enter interactive mode):

 install      - Install/upgrade packages
 remove       - Remove packages
 purge        - Remove packages and their configuration files
 hold         - Place packages on hold
 unhold       - Cancel a hold command for a package
 markauto     - Mark packages as having been automatically installed
 unmarkauto   - Mark packages as having been manually installed
 forbid-version - Forbid aptitude from upgrading to a specific package version.
 update       - Download lists of new/upgradable packages
 safe-upgrade - Perform a safe upgrade
 full-upgrade - Perform an upgrade, possibly installing and removing packages
 forget-new   - Forget what packages are "new"
 search       - Search for a package by name and/or expression
 show         - Display detailed information about a package
 clean        - Erase downloaded package files
 autoclean    - Erase old downloaded package files
 changelog    - View a package's changelog
 download     - Download the .deb file for a package
 reinstall    - Download and (possibly) reinstall a currently installed package
 why          - Show the manually installed packages that require a package, or
                why one or more packages would require the given package
 why-not      - Show the manually installed packages that lead to a conflict
                with the given package, or why one or more packages would
                lead to a conflict with the given package if installed

  Options:
 -h             This help text
 -s             Simulate actions, but do not actually perform them.
 -d             Only download packages, do not install or remove anything.
 -P             Always prompt for confirmation or actions
 -y             Assume that the answer to simple yes/no questions is 'yes'
 -F format      Specify a format for displaying search results; see the manual
 -O order       Specify how search results should be sorted; see the manual
 -w width       Specify the display width for formatting search results
 -f             Aggressively try to fix broken packages.
 -V             Show which versions of packages are to be installed.
 -D             Show the dependencies of automatically changed packages.
 -Z             Show the change in installed size of each package.
 -v             Display extra information. (may be supplied multiple times)
 -t [release]   Set the release from which packages should be installed
 -q             In command-line mode, suppress the incremental progress
                indicators.
 -o key=val     Directly set the configuration option named 'key'
 --with(out)-recommends Specify whether or not to treat recommends as
                strong dependencies
 -S fname       Read the aptitude extended status info from fname.
 -u             Download new package lists on startup.
 -i             Perform an install run on startup.

                  This aptitude does not have Super Cow Powers.

Are you sure about that option?

Kenny_Strawn · 12-06-2010, 07:01 PM

It's not aptitude but apt-get that has the '--no-install-recommends' option.

mahmoodn · 12-06-2010, 11:41 PM

Can not see such option:

Code:

mahmood@localhost:~$ sudo apt-get --help
[sudo] password for mahmood: 
apt 0.7.25.3ubuntu9.3 for i386 compiled on Sep  9 2010 22:22:02
Usage: apt-get [options] command
       apt-get [options] install|remove pkg1 [pkg2 ...]
       apt-get [options] source pkg1 [pkg2 ...]

apt-get is a simple command line interface for downloading and
installing packages. The most frequently used commands are update
and install.

Commands:
   update - Retrieve new lists of packages
   upgrade - Perform an upgrade
   install - Install new packages (pkg is libc6 not libc6.deb)
   remove - Remove packages
   autoremove - Remove automatically all unused packages
   purge - Remove packages and config files
   source - Download source archives
   build-dep - Configure build-dependencies for source packages
   dist-upgrade - Distribution upgrade, see apt-get(8)
   dselect-upgrade - Follow dselect selections
   clean - Erase downloaded archive files
   autoclean - Erase old downloaded archive files
   check - Verify that there are no broken dependencies

Options:
  -h  This help text.
  -q  Loggable output - no progress indicator
  -qq No output except for errors
  -d  Download only - do NOT install or unpack archives
  -s  No-act. Perform ordering simulation
  -y  Assume Yes to all queries and do not prompt
  -f  Attempt to correct a system with broken dependencies in place
  -m  Attempt to continue if archives are unlocatable
  -u  Show a list of upgraded packages as well
  -b  Build the source package after fetching it
  -V  Show verbose version numbers
  -c=? Read this configuration file
  -o=? Set an arbitrary configuration option, eg -o dir::cache=/tmp
See the apt-get(8), sources.list(5) and apt.conf(5) manual
pages for more information and options.
                       This APT has Super Cow Powers.

However, aptitude has "--without-recommends" and I think that will do the job

Code:

 --with(out)-recommends Specify whether or not to treat recommends as
                strong dependencies

stephen.jvvg · 12-26-2010, 09:34 PM

Never mind and sorry. I figured it out by myself, but I do not know how to delete my comments.

The original message said:
(

Quote:

Originally Posted by pljvaldez

I don't know, but it is easy to add one if you need to. After install, you'd just have to sudo aptitude install x-window-system-core gnome-core (or gnome if you want all the bells and whistles of a full desktop environment). If you also want a gui login, then also install gdm.

In general, servers will be text only out of the box because running X is considered an unnecessary security risk. Servers usually want as few services running as possible to keep them secure and running quickly.

What is the exact command for the GUI login?)

thiyagi · 01-26-2011, 11:33 AM

thanks guys, that was really useful..

kpera72 · 08-24-2011, 05:23 PM

Webmin might help, easily remote