Re: [tlug] Gentoo as a Server.

["Josh Glover" <jmglov@example.com>]

On 24/01/07, Tribble Phillip J SrA 374 LRS/LGRTT
<Phillip.Tribble@example.com> wrote:

> I was browsing my typical Linux news websites and came across this
> website about Gentoo @
> http://www.playingwithwire.com/2007/01/why-gentoo-shouldnt-be-on-your-server.html

This article is thought-provoking and well-written, but I disagree
with the author's conclusion, mainly because I disagree with the way
he runs his servers.

His main point is that updating the system is too risky on a
production server. I agree completely with that, but then he starts
giving examples with profile updates and "emerge world". I do not
think I am the only Gentooist on this list that is scratching his head
right now. I do not "emerge world"--which results in every package you
have installed being upgraded to the latest stable version--on my
desktop system, let alone a server.

I think Gentoo makes it very easy to apply security fixes only (which
is the policy that I adopt on a production server) without much
hassle.

His other big complaint was that the glsa-check script is not
production-ready. I have successfully used it in the past, and I did
not really see any glaring problems with it. In any case, regardless
of the distro you are running, you should be monitoring your distro's
security announcements list and applying security fixes as needed.
This is in addition to any automated tool that the distro provides.

> I was even thinking of switching to Gentoo at home. Does anyone recommend Gentoo
> over Debian as a server?

I would recommend that you switch at home first, get used to Gentoo,
and then see if you would get any real benefits from switching any
servers you have. Not everyone likes the Gentoo way of doing things,
and not everyone wants to replace a running system with something
different, even when they *know* it is better.

Run Gentoo for a while and see what you think.

-Josh