Enterprise Server -- Advice please

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b@nD

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I am busy researching PostGIS / PostgreSQL

They will run under MS Server 2008R2
but
the above programs have a Unix pedigree and apparently run better in that World

Are any of the Linux gurus here using PostgreSQL ?

If so what Linux distro are you running it on ?

I see RHES is the corporate choice but is not "free"

CentOS , ClearOS , Ubuntu 12.04 LTR , Scientific Linux ???????

I do not have much experience with the "Nixes" but am happy to test and learn
Just want to get started on the right path :)

I have found quite a bit of documentation
Still looking though for a step by step on
Installing / partitioning on a dedicated machine with multiple PHYSICAL HDD's including hardware RAID ?

Hints , Tips , Links , Advice appreciated.
 
b@nD said:
I see RHES is the corporate choice but is not "free".
Click to expand...

CentOS is Red Hat's Enterprise Linux without the branding (Logo's etc.) of Red Hat and stable enough for a production environment.

If you going to install Linux on your laptop or desktop PC, than I suggest to start with Fedora or Ubuntu, because of the documentation, which is easy to understand for Linux beginners.

Fedora is sponsored by Red Hat. The software packages in the repository of the fedoraproject.org are newer than the Red Hat's ones and still stable enough for testing and home use.

http://wiki.postgresql.org/wiki/Detailed_installation_guides#General_Linux

https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Docs_Project?rd=DocsProject

http://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/index.html

https://community.jboss.org/wiki/InstallPostgreSQLonFedora?_sscc=t

Advise:
Start with Fedora, learn and understand, than go for CentOS.
 
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The "Path" .........

hugo247 said:
Start with Fedora, learn and understand, than go for CentOS.
Click to expand...
Thanks
I have read that the latest release of MINT Linux on Debian is the best ( easiest ) way to go for desktop.
and that
Serious server installs leave out the GUI ?

Centos is now on Version 6 ?

I can see that I am going to have to shut myself away and just leave a little hatch for food and water :D
 
b@nD said:
Thanks
I have read that the latest release of MINT Linux on Debian is the best ( easiest ) way to go for desktop.
and that
Serious server installs leave out the GUI ?
Click to expand...

LMDE uses Debian Testing and not stable if you are happy with that.
What do you need a GUI for, it's a server not a desktop?

My vote would go to CentOS, Debian or FreeBSD if you want free.
 
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Visualisation

ponder said:
What do you need a GUI for, it's a server not a desktop?
My vote would go to CentOS, Debian or FreeBSD if you want free.
Click to expand...
Strange then that MS include a GUI with MS Server ?
perhaps because some people need to visualise things ?

Will have a look at those.
I think that it could be Debian.

Would still like to hear from anyone running PostgreSQL
 
b@nD said:
Thanks
1.) I have read that the latest release of MINT Linux on Debian is the best ( easiest ) way to go for desktop.
and that Serious server installs leave out the GUI ?

2.) Centos is now on Version 6 ?
Click to expand...

1.) Linux Mint is for multimedia desktops. It comes for e.g. with a lot of video codecs. Linux Mint is not really for servers. It's based on Debian unstable I guess (not sure).

2.) CentOS 6.3 - http://www.centos.org/


Go for Fedora, because you want to end up with a free enterprise linux = CentOS (Red Hat). The configuration of Fedora is almost the same of CentOS/Red Hat so you will learn and the next step will more easy for you.

You can also start with Mint and later use Debian Stable for the Server, as the configuration is also almost the same.

If you start with Mint and later use CentOS, then you have to learn some new handling.

E.G. To install packages under Debian (Mint, Ubuntu etc.) you use the shell command apt-get. On Fedora, Red Hat/CentOS systems it is yum.

You can also try out OpenSuSE with the GUI configuration tool "YaST", but I don't suggest OpenSuSE.

Most of the web hosting companies out there using Debian Stable, e.g. Hetzner in SA and Germany.
Afrihost uses CentOS.

I prefer CentOS.

http://www.lastcombat.com/Debian_vs_Centos.html :D
 
For this I would go for CentOS, however if you are unfamiliar with Linux I would recommend Ubuntu.
 
ghoti said:
1.) Linux mint is no longer based on ubuntu. Just Debian.

2.) Also, thats a desktop distro.. we are talking enterprise level now.
Click to expand...

1.) Ah, I didn't know that. But on http://www.linuxmint.com/about.php it says:
"Based on Debian and Ubuntu, it provides about 30,000 packages and one of the best software managers."


2.) I know. We are looking for a distro for b@nD to get easily started.

I don't know if there is PostgreSQL available in the standard repository of Ubuntu Desktop, as there is Ubuntu Server existing. and PostgreSQL is a database server.

Maybe this is a solution to get started?
http://www.pglivecd.org/ <-- PostgreSQL Live CD
 
hugo247 said:
I don't know if there is PostgreSQL available in the standard repository of Ubuntu Desktop, as there is Ubuntu Server existing. and PostgreSQL is a database server.
Click to expand...

sudo apt-get install postgresql-8.1


On desktop or server editions of ubuntu.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/PostgreSQL

I would recommend the server edition if someone does go Ubuntu.

My personal choice would still probably be CentOS though. For someone unfamiliar to Linux servers I would recommend Ubuntu. Theyre not bad. Debian is a good choice as well.

I see your livecd is using CentOS :D
 
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ghoti said:
My personal choice would still probably be CentOS though. For someone unfamiliar to Linux servers I would recommend Ubuntu. Theyre not bad. Debian is a good choice as well.
Click to expand...

This guy wants a point & click server gui ala windows. I think he's in for a culture it shift...
 
If you are going to run postgresql on linux I would suggest just building from source. It builds very easily. Plus you can run the current version without having to wait for someone to make a rpm or deb.

Pick whatever distro you happy with, however avoid "desktop" distros unless they also ship with a "server" kernel - desktop kernels tend to be setup to "feel" fast, but in the server world super tiny timeslices kills performance. too much context switching.

Were I work we specifically use opensuse because it is easy enough for even the junior techies to set up a box. the only command they need to remember is "yast" - you can even install postgres from yast, but I would still suggest compiling it yourself once you comfortable enough to setup the production system.

You will most likely also want to use XFS for the database partition. Also don't forget to tune the options in the postgresql.conf pg_hba.conf files.

If you are not really comfortable jumping into linux then just install it on windows - postgresql runs pretty well these days on windows, but I can't say I would ever trust windows to be reliable enough for a live system.
 
pookfuzz said:
If you are going to run postgresql on linux I would suggest just building from source.
Click to expand...

Did you pay any attention at all, he wants a point and click GUI and now you expect him to build from source :D
 
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Should not be a problem installing a GUI on a server OS, e.g. using groupinstall on CentOS or Tasksel on Ubuntu.
 
Zentyal

HHhhmmm

No-one seems to have mentioned this distro

Zentyal

New version 3 based on Ubuntu Server 12.04 LTS
but
with a GUI

Perhaps not "Enterprise" but still maybe worth a try ?????
 
Last edited:
Window Maker is Alive !

garyc said:
Should not be a problem installing a GUI on a server OS, e.g. using groupinstall on CentOS or Tasksel on Ubuntu.
Click to expand...
I am not sure I understand the accepted wisdom that a Server does not need any GUI tools ?

M$ Server 2008 R2 uses a GUI -- perhaps M$ have not yet heard of this accepted "wisdom" ????

Is it perhaps that all sorts of weird and arcane console text commands are IT Geek EGO candy ?

Anyway here is what looks like an interesting development

Window Maker Live

Going to try this one
 
b@nD said:
I am not sure I understand the accepted wisdom that a Server does not need any GUI tools ?

M$ Server 2008 R2 uses a GUI -- perhaps M$ have not yet heard of this accepted "wisdom" ????

Is it perhaps that all sorts of weird and arcane console text commands are IT Geek EGO candy ?

Anyway here is what looks like an interesting development

Window Maker Live

Going to try this one
Click to expand...

A real server does not need a GUI. GUI wastes resources. That does not exclude GUI tools from the equation, as a real server with x libraries can use a workstation's display to show a GUI should it be needed.
 
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