[TriLUG] RH to Debian learning curve?

Rick DeNatale rick.denatale at gmail.com
Tue Nov 1 12:16:36 EST 2005


On 11/1/05, Christopher L Merrill <chris at webperformanceinc.com> wrote:
> We are in the process of evaluating dedicated server hosting options.
>
> One that was recommended to us (dreamhost.com) uses Debian.  I have nothing
> against Debian...because I really know SQUAT about it.  We've been using
> RH-based systems exclusively in our test lab and office servers.  While
> I would love to have the time to really learn Debian, the reality is that
> my time is required elsewhere.
>
> So my question is:
> How much time should I expect to spend adjusting to Debian if we were
> to get a debian-based server?
>
> On our server, we are typically doing these things (in order of frequency):
> 1) updating website, which is primarily HTML/PHP
> 2) managing our support system, which is Java and MySQL deployed in Tomcat.
> 3) managing email (spam configuration, mailboxes, etc)
> For the most part, other than our web content, we only touch it when
> something breaks.

While I'm somewhere between a newbie and a journeyman sysadmin. I have
made the switch from RH9 to Ubuntu (which is really Debian), and can 
give you my experiences:

1) Debian has a nice modular approach to things like Apache
configuration. The Redhat Apache configuration basically gives you the
standard Apache configs and you basically go at changing them.  Debian
sets up things so configurations for apps/virtual hosts should go into
their own directories. This means that you can turn them on or off by
making/removing symbolic links which they give you tools to do. I've
found this to be quite nice.  In all Debian seems more polished and
mature in the modularity of configuration, the differences aren't just
the differing capabilities of the underlying package architecture, but
what they've done with it.

2) Being more modern that RH9, Ubuntu uses postfix rather than
sendmail by default. I made that transition in migrating.  Not too
painful, and you might well already be there.

3) I've got no experience with Tomcat on either RH or Debian based systems.

--
Rick DeNatale

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