I have been given a "gift" of a Netfinity 5100 that currently has that other M$ operating system on it. I want to configure it as closely as possible to my web server located in Chicago that uses CentOS 5.5.\ and use it as a "test server".

This is daunting for me as I've only been involved with Linux for less than 6 months. I have Ubuntu 10.10 on my desktop PC.

The person who gave it to me indicated that I should plug it in and let the 2 arrays charge for 24 hours. I'm doing that. I also have had an electrician install a clean new 20 amp circuit for it. And I have downloaded and created a CentOS 5.5 i386 Live CD.

OK ... we've now exhausted my realm of knowledge. Can anyone give me a broad scope of what needs to be done? I will try to plug in the specifics of each step as I progress.

A assume I plug in a keyboard and screen to it. Do I use an ethernet connection between the server and my router to provide broadband ... what steps are necessary to configure that? Do I need to download and install Apache and MySQL .. if so, where?

Does "awyaaaaa yikes" seem appropriate?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Duane

That should be easy enough. If your server in chicago is running centOS, you will just need to mirror it. You will need to look into a live-image tool. Check out systemimager;or preferably, revisor. You might be more comfortable with the install and usage of revisor.


Arrays? Charging? You must have the warpdrive model!!! Kidding. I think, at least in the case of a sever, that array means RAID. If that is the case, no need to "charge" them. If you have a server in chhicago, I assum you already are familiar with a RAID. However, if your not familiar with RAID dont worry.

Yeah, just like a normal PC.

The answer to that are ( in order ) yes, yes, and depends. You will want to plug the server into your router. However, you will need to consider how you wish route traffic to the webserver. If, as stated in the OP, you only want to use the server as a test platform you could probably do with out the live connection. If you do want actual web trqaffic to the server you will need to forward some services to it. I would guess just all http traffic. To do this you will need to set up the NAT table on your router.


The revisor tool should make a nice working image from your server in Chicago for you.However, if you install a new version of centOS you will need to run system updates, etc.. You should be able to pull both those packages from the repositories.

The cent repos. Or you could also google it. However, running yum.

All in all, I dont think it should be that hard for you. Who set up your "chicago" server?

Hope this helped.
John

Thank you for such a terrific response. I will attempt to start on this and go a step at a time. Your comments become the bible.

The server in Chicago is run by WiredTree. They have been great.

Duane