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Read up before running Linux - operating system - Technology Tutorial

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 a distro 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 up-to-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 HOWTOs. 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 HOWTOs. Be sure to install the HOWTOs 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 MAN pages. There's a theme here. To implement and run Linux successfully, you have to read, read, read. The online MAN (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 HOWTOs or the MAN 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. Ditto their books on Perl, Bash, DNS, Sendmail, Emacs, etc.

You'll want to communicate with other Linux users, so join discussion forums. If you've done your homework you can ask questions on Internet newsgroups or mailing lists without being flamed. Equally important, you can give something back to the Linux community by helping someone else. The Internet is the key to Linux support.

A final note, however: Don't get carried away. The elegance, power and sheer chutzpah of Linux occasionally turns users into OS zealots who regale friends, colleagues and the Internet with their new-found passion. Keep your cool. As impressive as it is, Linux is not the only good free Unix, nor is it the One True Operating System. Keep things in perspective.

Gene Wilburn is IT manager at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. He can be reached at genew@rom.on.ca