Best Linux for server?

[SkypeUser]

Which Linux distro is the best (i.e. most reliable and most secure) for a backup server and for a firewall?

Your opinions will be appreciated.

 

[ekkesa]

Debian...

 

[bdt]

Disclaimer: Linux n00b input ..not for nothing but if you look at the Linux hosting options from - well, just about everyone, you'll see that the usual platform choice is CentOS.

 

[SkypeUser]

Disclaimer: Linux n00b input ..not for nothing but if you look at the Linux hosting options from - well, just about everyone, you'll see that the usual platform choice is CentOS.

Thats the same distro that Asterisk@home runs on if im not mistaken

 

[HvRooyen]

Another newbie, trying to help:
CentOS (+webmin) works fine for me, as well as for the local boffins I regularly ask for help. They manage *way* more critical networks than the one I have at home - security and backups are very high on their clients' priority lists.

 

[koffiejunkie]

Debian Sarge. If you feel a little more adventurous try Debian Etch - it's currently in testing but expected to become the new stable in the next month or so.

 

[SkypeUser]

expected to become the new stable in the next month or so.

WhoHoooo (homer simpson voice)

 

[nayyares]

Hello,
my recommendation is RHEL, but have seen many guys use freebsd for this purpose most of the time.

cheers

 

[bekdik]

Curios. Noone has said Ubuntu. Is there a reason?

 

[Paul_S]

Curios. Noone has said Ubuntu. Is there a reason?

Ubuntu is more of a desktop or general purpose server distro.

Of course any Linux distro can be configured to one's liking and I run an Ubuntu firewall (Shorewall) but it's not a standard out of the box configuration like IPCop or Smoothwall.

 

[axxess]

slackware

Which Linux distro is the best (i.e. most reliable and most secure) for a backup server and for a firewall?

Your opinions will be appreciated.

http://www.slackware.com

Be warned... it's not for the newbies

 

[SkypeUser]

My dad bought me the Linux Bible for xmas, so now i have 12 different versions to test drive.

 

[w1z4rd]

For production servers I would recommend CentOS

 

[w1z4rd]

My dad bought me the Linux Bible for xmas, so now i have 12 different versions to test drive.

Very very cool dad to have thought of that.

 

[nayyares]

Hello w1z4rd:

Centos is also RHEL clone . I am managing a full data center on RHEL and it rocks, RHEL for servers is the best option.


cheers.

 

[CyberStorm]

For your firewall requirements, try Smoothwall!

 

[willirob]

what kind of server? Fileserver/app server/database server?

*EDIT*

Fedora core will probably do for most

 

[SkypeUser]

what kind of server? Fileserver/app server/database server?

*EDIT*

Fedora core will probably do for most

File server and webservers. I am seriously leaning towards fedora core.

 

[koffiejunkie]

Fedora Core has proven too many times to be buggy. Fedora is a *development* distro. If you like the Red Hat feel, rather go for CentOS - it's based on RHEL, which in turn is far cleaner than Fedora.

 

[Nod]

If you don't want all the overhead, go for Gentoo.