Linux Server Recommendations
 

Howdy!

After a a couple years absence from Linux servers, i'm finally getting back into them. .

So with all the changes and updates and fixes and so on and so on, which distribution seems to be the best "company orientated"?

This setup will probably utilize one or more if not all features such as DNS, DHCP, FTP, HTTP (Web server), Email (SMTP, POP3, IMAP), firewall and so on.

Other optional features that would be needed are remote access/control of the linux box (inside and outside the LAN), Group Policy, Virus scan for the server, and Email Virus scan.

I originally started back using Caldera's Linux Server but I have been out of the linux loop a while. I have quite a few small business clients who have a limited budget and really would hate to spend so much money getting Microsoft Products such as Windows 2003, Exchange 2003 and so on.

So keeping this in mind, I'd really appreciate some recommendations from our resident business/network Administrators.

Thanks

Duane
MCSE, CNE, LNA
Sunshadow Networking Solutions

Distro: SlackWare.
Anti Virii: F-PROT
Remote admin: SSH
FTP: proftpd
Web: httpd

Total Cost: 0

-Joey

Since you're already a CNE, SuSE Linux would be a good choice. You're just one course and/or test away from obtaining Novell's CLE. http://www.novell.com/training/certinfo/cle/
I'm hoping they'll include some of their proprietary Nterprise and eDirectory services in the next version of SuSE, since it's too expensive a proposition for me to pursue otherwise.

Yeah I was thinking about going for my CLE but like you the overall expense was just a tad too much. But I'll have to look into SUSE a tad more and see. Thanks Crito

I've been looking at RedHats option but a tad more expensive then alot of my clients will want to spend still. How is the Fedora project comparing to thier official Advance Server V3 release or even RedHat V9 for that matter?

I'll def check out slackware Joey and read up on it more since i've never used it before.

Out of curosity aside from warrenty, customer support and manuals and such. Are there any really big differences between the major distributions of linux such as Red Hat and Suse "server editions" and Public versions?

I know the support and stuff up the price alot and i'm probably assuming here that the companies "server editions" support more processors and/or clustering so that to up's the price. But do these server editions really different from the public releases as far as functionality? Such as the DNS, DHCP, FTP, HTTP, Firewall, Email and also working in Domains that consist of Windows 2000, 2003, NT and workstations ranging from Win98, 2k and XP?

Hopefully this isn't asking too much or not very confusing. I'm just trying to use the more educated folks out here to help me understand the linux world again and see whats avail along with the pros and cons.

Thanks again!

Duane
MCSE, CNE, LNA
Sunshadow Networking Solutions

As risk of breaking the cardinal "if you don't have anything good to say" rule... the BSD's make a more reliable server.

That said, if you don't mind the lack of bundled software and support, a desktop distro can do everything a server distro can do. Really, the same can be said for Windows NT/2000/XP; it's only because Microsoft cripples the desktop versions, limiting them to 10 concurrent users and writing their enterprise setup progs so they won't install on workstations, that you need to buy the server versions at all. :o In the case of Linux, there's no such crippling. SMP, clustering, etc, will work on any version. The distro makers do some handy work for their end-users, however, such as pre-compiled application packages and back-porting patches to older versions. Of course, if you're a skilled programmer and have time to kill, I suppose slackware or gentoo would work just as well. Most network admins aren't (programmers) and don't (have time to kill), however. That's just my opinion, anyway.

Ahh thanks Crito...your right i'm not a programmer but if I have to learn some i'll try too but usually don't have the time like you said but more like the patients hehehe.

I downloaded the Slackware ISO to give them a whirl.

I'll Check out BSD.....you are refering to FreeBSD correct? or do they produce a seperate package for servers like SuSE and RedHat?

I happen to use FreeBSD but it's largely a matter of preference; other people prefer NetBSD or OpenBSD. Here are a couple links that explain how BSD differs from Linux:
http://sites.inka.de/mips/unix/bsdlinux.html
http://www.over-yonder.net/~fullermd...bsd4linux1.php

There's also a BSD forum here you may wish to peruse.

How does Mandrake rate up there as a server?

I liked the visual screenshots you had of yours Crito hehe

Mandrake works fine as a server. They sell an AMD 64-bit version and a clustering package too.
http://www.mandrakesoft.com/products/92/amd64
http://www.mandrakesoft.com/products/clustering