Linux vs. win 2k web server
 

Hi,

I've got 5 windows systems on a network right now. I've been thinking about setting up my web server with linux. But I have absolutely no money. How hard would it be to set up linux as a second OS on an NTFS partition? And how hard would it be to transfer from IIS 5.0 to what ever http and ftp server I can get with Linux? I've heard linux is a very stable OS but what evactly are all the pro's and cons to Linux? Also with a web site running I have to make the transfer as smooth and quick as possable.

Setting up a webserver on Linux is not too hard. Installing Linux is not as hard as installing XP, but it is different.

Linux installs to a Linux partition (a type ext3 or reiserfs format, not NTFS). Yes, there ARE Linux distributions that will run on a MS partition, but they are for demonstrations and tools, not web servers.

For a first time install Ubuntu or Fedora Core are good, if the machine is more that 600hmz and 256meg. Both have good update capabilities, which is important fromm a security point of view for a server. The best is probably Slackware or Debian with a non-GUI install, but that means learning all the commands with no graphics, which would be daunting.

Almost any Linux distribution either comes with Apache or Apache2, and ProFTP, or has them available as packages. There is allot of information on configuring these available on the net. To flatten the learning curve use pre-compiled packages instead of installing software from the source code. That means you get software in packages using apt-get or Synaptic Package Manager or Yast, or some other package manager system. Use whatever comes with your distribution. Compiling from source is time consuming and frustrating. Save it for later.

Everything you need is free. Download it and install it on a spare box. A simple Apache webserver is started by opening a terminal, and becomming root with "su" and the root pasword, and typing "httpd start". "httpd stop " stops it. The website files go in /var/www/htdocs. There is a test index.html in there that should appear in a browser with that computer's IP address.

Good luck.

C

I started my first migration by installing Apache on my Windows server and switching evertything from IIS to apache. That gave me the opportunity to learn the apache config files and how all that stuff worked. Once I saw how that worked and how stable it was I migrated everything from Windows to Linux.. One step at a time made the process easier for me because I could first learn apache, and not worry about changes in how the OS functioned. Once I was comfortable with those Changes I switched the OS.

apache_2.2.2-win32-x86-no_ssl.msi Apache 2.2 installer for windows.

Please note you can NOT run IIS and apache at the same time on the same PC un the same port... you either need to stop IIS and start Apache, or set apache to run on a port other than 80 while you are experimenting.

it's a:

800 Mhz Intel Pentium III
128 Mb RAM
80 Gb hard drive(although I have a 40 Gb that I haven't tried)

everything was found in the trash and put together /w a copy of windows from another computer(I rarley buy computer parts dumpster diving and repairing is cheaper)

I can probably learn the commands easily. I've used mac OS(whatever was new in 95), DOS 5.5-6.2, and windows 3.1, 3.11, 95, 98 se, nt 4.0 workstation and server, 2000 pro, and xp home and pro, not yet tried me or 2003. I'm guessing that there should be ether a sell out there or coming out soon for those copies of lynux. But like I said everything has to be done as fast as possable since I have a web site going(i'm also suplying web space for a friend).

P.S. my server is at http://24.136.209.5 (been using no-ip.com redirects to remember easily) or soon to be http://jetfighteriv.info

that just takes common sence

Linux is a command line driven os. All the management of apache is command line. In fact, you can't run a gui desktop on a webserver that is for anything serious because the machine will slow to a crawl after a while. Text only linux is a much better performer than gui linux, anyway. Debian has an install option for web server. If you pick that option during the install everything will be configured for you. But, 128 MB ram is going to be tough. You might want to consider building a new kernel. If you need to know how to do that you will have to read a little.

also I've got 2 forums that the database is a microsoft access database. how can i get them to work in linux?

ok i think i can convert my database to sql but the forums are asp forums requireing access, mysql or sqlserver. how do i do that in linux?

Have to play to the Lowest common denominator, you never can tell the experience level of the person to which you are speaking in the forum.. if you don't say it, their next post will be complaining it doesn't work because the port is in use, if you do say it then they feel as though they are being talked down to.. just can't win :)

you could try apache:asp http://www.apache-asp.org/index.html

Frankly, with the amount of windows specific stuff you have (IIS, 2 databases in MS-access, asp form software), I think conversion is not practical (unless you have infinite time and infinitely patient users). A better option may be to:

(1) Make a decent web server configuration. Depending on the distribution, 64 MB RAM should do.
(2) Find equivalent forum software to your asp forums (for example what runs this site),
(3) Do a feature comparison to see what you might get extra (and not get also),
(4) Dump the forum history data into mysql,
(5) Trial phase and GO LIVE.

Of course with 5 users on your network, you need not even migrate the old stuff if it is acceptable to the end users. (Keep the old stuff on the old "server" and all new threads on the liinux/apache/mysql/php box).

End

mbvo, I checked out the no-ip.com that you mentioned. Are you on a dynamic IP? My server is on my desktop machine, with a GUI and everything (Slackware 10.2), and it is connected through a regular DSL line that changes IP about once a week (been running like this for years with no problems).

I use www.dnsexit.com for my domain name server. They provide DNS service that can be updated automaticly by your server so that you can always see your website on the internet from anywhere. It is a real DNS; it uses my real domain name (notmyrealdomain.com), not "notmyrealdomain.noip.com". They even offer several pieces of Linux software to run on your server to update the IP automaticly. It is also free (as in beer).

Just a thought.

C

I'm using what i thought was a dynamic ip addy but it only changes if the cable modem is connected to the computer directly. When connected to the router it's always 24.136.209.5. idk what the differance is but it works for me. I found a good price on a domain name at ipower.com but i'm still waiting for the email telling me what to do to make it go to my web site. 24.136.209.5 will soon be jetfighteriv.info.

I would realy like it if I could transfer the same forum. What I was planning to do is for maybe a couple hours the server would go down while i try to set up linux as a second OS. I've already warned the only ppl(that i know of) that view the web site that it may go down for short amounts of time and why.