Hello,

Recently I installed Debian on one of my machines to act as a router and file server. I'm pretty comfortable to work from the the command-line (ssh), still I can't shake of the felling of wanting a web GUI for configuration. Since I haven't found anything that can be installed on Debian (don't like webmin), I either need to do my own GUI or go the virtualization way.

I was thinking of running some kind of router distro and virtualize a file server distro or just a regular distro.

I don't know maybe this virtualization path is just a bad idea, I dunno, so I ask for your advice and comments.

install a specialist router distro and them also run virtualization on it?? why? it's firstly not really gonna happen depending on the distro, likely to need kernel recompiles and all sorts, and that's to make it simpler than just running samba / nfs? Seems like very odd logic to me.

If you're able to write your own gui on the apparent whim that you "don't like" webmin, why do you feel the need at all? IF you do want to share the tin, just install a decent server distro, enable ip_forward and configure samba properly. job done

I suppose my missing of a web GUI has something to do with my web developer background.

Actually I was thinking of starting a virtualization OS and then boot the two distros needed.

I already have a distro setup with ip_forward, iptables, samba and so one, just wanted to add a web GUI.

The reason why I just don't write my own GUI is all the security aspects. It's not a good thing to run php as root, the other option is a separate deamon with socket communication - and my socket programming skills are not that good.

After thinking more about it I believe that the question is: is it worth the trouble to virtualize a router distro and a filer server distro?

Maybe this topic should be moved to the virtualization section of the forums?

You know what's even safer than running a well written secure GUI? Not running a GUI at all!