CentOS 5.5 rocks!

[kingrob]

Just wanted to say that I love CentOS 5.5 as a server OS.

Might not have the most modern features and extras, but it's very stable and reliable. Just what I need for everyday use.

 

[suPerb0b]

lol @ reliable

 

[kingrob]

lol @ reliable

You should try it on a Dell PowerEdge server?

 

[suPerb0b]

No offense, but I think Centos is straight out crap. It is supposed to be an enterprise linux, but why on a default install would it load so much unwanted stuff at startup?
The primary aim of centos (what I've been led to believe) is that it is meant for servers, but I can never for the life of me, understand why a minimal install is bigger than 1 disk and why it would install bluetooth utilities?
For servers I usually install Ubuntu server, because it installs very little by default, which in my opinion is what a server OS should do. Hell, I'd rather spend a week figuring out bsd for a specific task than sit with centos.

But each to their own

 

[ponder]

As far as i understand CenOS is just a community compile version of redhat.

But I'll second you on bsd. Would use it over linux.

 

[MyWorld]

I'm not sure on the BSD, the BSD family has been steadily declining with the uptake of Linux and since SELinux even more so.
BSD might be more secure by a very thin margin, but I feel their days are maybe numbered.

Sorry for the OT.

 

[Tinuva]

I prefer CentOS myself as a server OS. Trust me, it just works. Ubuntu nowadays aint bad and has its uses too.

 

[kingrob]

Agree with Tinuva.

Dell support is really good for Linux nowadays, but you dont even need to download a driver from the Dell support site. CentOS installer picks up everything perfectly.

 

[koffiejunkie]

But I'll second you on bsd. Would use it over linux.

Why?

In my workplace (a big hosting co) where we have both, I can not see any difference in stability between Linux (Red Hat mostly here) and any of the BSD flavours clients choose to use. Ditto performance.

 

[ponder]

Why?

FreeBSD has done some serious code cleanup & rewriting, the entire network stack comes to mind. Secondly there is the development methodology that differs from Linux, BSD is an OS unlike Linux, the kernel, device drivers & userland are all under one umbrella whereas linux all these parts are developed separately and then thrown together. Performance wise I don't think there is much difference between the two. Pretty sure there are way more cert advisories out for linux than for bsd.

Suppose it boils down to personal preference. For desktops I would go linux, for network stuff openbsd.

 

[koffiejunkie]

FreeBSD has done some serious code cleanup & rewriting, the entire network stack comes to mind. Secondly there is the development methodology that differs from Linux, BSD is an OS unlike Linux, the kernel, device drivers & userland are all under one umbrella whereas linux all these parts are developed separately and then thrown together.

Those are largely ideological differences and of no real practical consequence. It's one thing if it gives you that warm fuzzy feeling, but it's not a good enough reason to recommend others to use it over something else.

Pretty sure there are way more cert advisories out for linux than for bsd.

More eyeballs on the code. Over the last three years I've seen as many exploited BSD as Linux boxes. Which I can turn into a bit of FUD if I pointed out that BSD (mostly FreeBSD) makes up about 1% of our servers, if that much. But that's futile. The vast majority of exploits that happen are application level and the result of people doing stupid stuff like unning old versions of joomla and chmodding their entire documentroot to 777, or using passwords like 'password' or '123456' or 'penis' (I kid you not).

 

[Tinuva]

Sigh, users are a big problem on webhosting machines. I am not surprised at the above passwords at all.

 

[James]

+1 for centOS, I run it on my own personal server and on my work dev box, production being RHEL

 

[ponder]

..., or using passwords like 'password' or '123456' or 'penis' (I kid you not).

 

[kingrob]

We have a test server in the office, an old Dell Poweredge 1850 with 8GB RAM (entry level server), running a ton of apps, plus a few virtual machines....and the server is as responsive as ever.

Sometimes it's really hard to believe that one small server can do so much. Guess the hardware can only shine if there's a lean & mean OS running on it.

 

[MyWorld]

In the end use the distro you enjoy, I'm no longer a fanboy of any distro, okay with the exception of Ubuntu. My wife uses it, but have I told you people how much I loath working with it?

Anyway, if you as admin are happy with what you have on the server and it works, good on you!