Dns linux distribution

Distribution ensures successful Linux launch

Endorsements from IBM, Sun, SGI, HP, Intel, Compaq, Oracle, Sybase, Informix, Corel, Lotus and others have escalated Linux from experimental to operational status in corporate IT.

Chances are you'll be evaluating Linux soon, if you haven't already. The Linux home site (www.linux.org) is a good place to begin. It includes links to all the major distributions of Linux, plus dozens of related sites.

Here are some tips for ensuring your Linux success.

First, choose hardware that works. All the Linux distributions have hardware compatibility lists on their Web sites. Go with the flow. Linux supports a broad range of hardware, but it's neither as comprehensive as Windows nor as up-to-date. Stick with proven components and installation is a snap.

Next, pick one distribution and stick with it. At the beginning of your research, it's useful to try out different Linux distributions. But once you've found one you like, don't bounce around. It's important to keep up with patches, security fixes and critical upgrades. Running a single distribution on all your Linux servers makes this easier. The leaders are RedHat, Debian, SuSE, Caldera and Slackware.

As well, keep your distribution upto-date. Avoid the bleeding edge of Linux, but don't fall too far behind. Once you've decided to upgrade to a new release, test the upgrade procedure on a non-critical system. If it's stable, bring all your Linux servers to the same level. They're easier to maintain when they're all at the same release point.

You should also keep an eye out for security alerts. Pay serious attention to security If your machines are exposed to the Internet, even if they're behind a firewall, you need to be especially vigilant. Subscribe to mailing lists that broadcast security alerts and announce patches for your distribution.

Don't forget to read the how-to's. If you don't like reading technical documentation you'd best head for the exit. Linux is a complex operating system and there is no quick and easy way to learn it.

Most of the answers to your questions are in the Linux how-to's. Be sure to install the How-to's in a format (text, HTML, Postscript or DVI) you like to read, because you'll spend a lot of time with them.

While you're at it, read the manual pages. There's a theme here. To implement and run Linux successfully, you have to read, read, read. The online manual pages are terse and intended for reference, not for browsing, but they contain essential information. Learn to love 'em.

Read the /usr/doc files, too. On the same theme, there's a wealth of program-specific documentation in the /usr/doc directory. If you don't find answers in the how-to's or the manual pages, look there.

Read books -- not just Linux books, but books on Unix security, administration and programming. Pay special heed to O'Reilly & Associates books. They publish many of the industry's best Unix admin and security titles. Same goes for their books on Perl, Bash, DNS, Sendmail, and Emacs.

A final note: Don't get carried away. The elegance, power and sheer chutzpah of Linux occasionally turns users into OS zealots. Keep your cool.