Re: [tlug] server installation best practices/ worksheet

["Keith Bawden" <keith@example.com>]

> Yes, I did  a search on Google for such keywords first thing, but I
> did not find anything useful, since what I did find were very
> specific to the particular platform. There are a lot of Windows
> checklists, actually.

Windows is a specific platform, where you are likely to get some of
what you need and a whole bunch of stuff you really don't - quite
generic really ;-)

> I was really just thinking that there should be some kind of generic
> Linux checklist, or at least one for Red Hat systems. I will go ahead
> and make one up myself, but it would have been nice to find one that
> is used by folks more experienced than I.

If you have a fleet of boxes for a specific role then you would not
likely find a generic checklist that fits your needs. It would be more
likely that you would create something specific to your use. If your
system is truly generic then just go with a single large partition for
everything minus swap. Then with swap go with 2 x RAM - that should
get you by. Finally finish off with a Fedora or Ubuntu install
selecting "server" as the type of system you are building.

> We have so few machines that Kickstart is not an option.

"Kickstart" can be as simple as a single text file on a floppy that
you use during the install process. It can also be as easy to creat as
running some process on your "golden build". That is the one box you
have setup just the way you like and would like to clone".

This[1] is old but it will give you an idea of how RedHat does
kickstart configuration.

> However, I would really like to find best practices documents on
> system and network documentation.

Best practices are a highly guarded set of secrets. Usually contained
in either a set of books that are so numerous that several forests
were sacrificed to source the paper, or they are locked away in the
back room of someones head... The people who guard these will not tell
you as they have forgotten why they decided they were best practices
in the first place, or the system they were determined as best
practices for is not longer in production and the new system is not
compatible with the old set of best practices :-)

Or, the best practices are so generic that they do not apply to your
situation or any one else's ;-)

Regards, Keith
[1] http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/custom-guide/ch-redhat-config-kickstart.html