Recommend me a server distribution

Tom Dunne · 18-06-2009 4:18pm #1

Long story, but we have a Windows XP Professional PC acting as a web proxy server in our DMZ and I want to get rid of it.

So, any recommendations for a server distribution to replace this?

Specifically, here's what I am looking at:

1: Must be able to run a Live CD version to perform proof of concept. Reason being, we have a beefy enough W2K server that I want to install Linux on. I want to prove to management that this "Linux thing" will do the job before I go wiping anything. Dual boot may not be an option as the C:\ drive only has 12 Gig on it, and only 2-3Gb free.

2: All it has to do is run Apache securely. Nothing else. I have the Apache config from the XP machine that I will be transferring over

I've tried Ubuntu server, but that doesn't come on a Live CD. Looked at Fedora, but it's also a desktop version. Mandriva seems to have gone to pot, and Mint seems to be a desktop version to.

Any suggestions?

Khannie · 18-06-2009 4:26pm

Run the desktop livecd version. I'd actually recommend CentOs (if they have a livecd). You should easily be able to install the server version of it in under 3G though.

Instead of a livecd, you might also consider a virtual machine. You can get a pre-built CentOs virtual machine at the vmware appliance place.

TDOie · 18-06-2009 4:54pm

FreeBSD - Not Linux but BSD.

or if you REALLY want it to be linux then

Debian - thats the live CD site.

EDIT: OpenBSD is also HUGE on their security if you wanna check them out, not much exp with it and I dunno if it has a live CD either.

Tom Dunne · 18-06-2009 7:17pm

Khannie wrote: »

Run the desktop livecd version. I'd actually recommend CentOs (if they have a livecd). You should easily be able to install the server version of it in under 3G though.

I had tried the Live CD of the Ubuntu desktop, but when I went to install Apache, it wasn't showing up (and yes, I did select "Show all open source applications"

). I was kinda hoping for a Live CD distribution that had Apache already available.

Khannie wrote: »

Instead of a livecd, you might also consider a virtual machine. You can get a pre-built CentOs virtual machine at the vmware appliance place.

That's certainly an option I am considering. Not so sure how well it will work in the DMZ, though. But sure that's all part of the fun.

TDOie wrote: »

FreeBSD - Not Linux but BSD.

or if you REALLY want it to be linux then

Debian - thats the live CD site.

EDIT: OpenBSD is also HUGE on their security if you wanna check them out, not much exp with it and I dunno if it has a live CD either.

No, it doesn't have to be Linux. I'm comfortable with Unix in general.

Thanks for those suggestions. Might give me an excuse to play with FreeBSD.

Tillotson · 18-06-2009 7:32pm

You could always create a custom live cd with apache installed. Haven't done it myself but there's loads of tutorials around.

Tom Dunne · 18-06-2009 7:37pm

Tillotson wrote: »

You could always create a custom live cd with apache installed. Haven't done it myself but there's loads of tutorials around.

Now we are talking. Excellent.

Didn't know you could do that. I'll investigate further.

An Fear Aniar · 18-06-2009 8:44pm

You could use Remastersys to do that.

.

Johnboy1951 · 18-06-2009 11:38pm

http://belproject.org/phpbb/index.php

Some of these ISOs might be of interest .... BusinessEditionLinux (BEL)

matrim · 19-06-2009 7:49am

you could create a live usb from a live cd. This could be persistant to allow to tinker with and fully prove the apache config before a full install

Orion · 19-06-2009 8:32am

If you use the alternate install CD you can select LAMP as an option which includes Apache, PHP and MySQL.

Tom Dunne · 19-06-2009 9:08am

Macros42 wrote: »

If you use the alternate install CD you can select LAMP as an option which includes Apache, PHP and MySQL.

When you say an alternate install CD, what exactly do you mean by that?

niallb · 19-06-2009 10:40am

Check out turnkeylinux.org.

Take a look at the list of Appliances, I'd say you should start with the LAMP one.
They're mostly based on Ubuntu 8.04.2 as it's Long Term support, with security
updates available until 2013 for server installs, so that should please management too.

Download 154MB: turnkey-lamp-2009.02-hardy-x86.iso (sig) (manifest)

This appliance includes all the standard features in TurnKey Core, and on top of that:

* SSL support out of the box.
* PHP, Python and Perl support for Apache2 and MySQL.
* PHPMyAdmin administration frontend for MySQL (listening on port 12322 - uses SSL).
* Webmin modules for configuring Apache2, PHP and MySQL.

Alternatively, do an install on another machine.
Set it up the way you want it, and then use remastersys
to build a livecd out of that installation.

Khannie · 19-06-2009 11:35am

Tom Dunne wrote: »

When you say an alternate install CD, what exactly do you mean by that?

Ubuntu installer comes in two flavours: livecd and alternate.

ntlbell · 19-06-2009 11:40am

I'll add in another push for FreeBSD

Johnboy1951 · 19-06-2009 12:05pm

I think there might be a problem with the link I gave earlier.

This page has links to the downloads and an explanation why each different distro is used for different target installations ...

http://belproject.org/mwiki/index.php?title=Downloads

2. BEL Releases
for info on that page

Red Alert · 19-06-2009 8:28pm

Ubuntu Server I'd personally go for.

(Just wondering about your proxy - maybe you should be using Squid instead of Apache for this?)

Tom Dunne · 19-06-2009 8:33pm

Red Alert wrote: »

(Just wondering about your proxy - maybe you should be using Squid instead of Apache for this?)

It's actually a proxy for an Oracle Application server. Which, as you may know, uses Apache. So Squid is no use to me in this situation.

Technically, it is a reverse proxy. Or so I am told. It sits in the DMZ and passes incoming https requests onto the App server.

mick.fr · 27-06-2009 3:54pm

I would recommend OpenBSD too. Apache comes with it. Version 1.x though.
You could install it running on VirtualPC on your XP for proof of concept. Works fine.
Live CD are extremelly rare on OpenBSD. Some did a few in the past. Last time I checked there was no recent, fully supported Live version.

Blowfish · 28-06-2009 12:26pm

Does it really need to be a liveCD? It would probably just be easier to grab a spare 1-2gb USB key and install it on that. That way you won't be restricted at all as to what distro you are using.

Khannie · 29-06-2009 11:20am

I have a freebsd minimal install virtual machine somewhere if you want it?

Tom Dunne · 01-07-2009 10:51am

Khannie wrote: »

I have a freebsd minimal install virtual machine somewhere if you want it?

Thanks, but no thanks.

I went ahead and installed (full wipe of W2K and install) Ubuntu server. I'll get around to configuring it over the next week or so.

Tom Dunne · 02-07-2009 11:33am

Just thought I would update this thread.

Well, I got my reverse proxy working on Ubuntu server after a full install. So thanks to all for the recommendations/help.

Now, to hook it up to the outside world.....:eek:

Recommend me a server distribution

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