Linux distributions. Ubuntu Server

Linux distributions. Ubuntu Server

Dragoş Acostăchioaiehttp://[email protected]

Şcoala de vară “Informatică la castel”, Macea, 26 – 31 august 2013

http://www.unixinside.org/

Dragoş Acostăchioaie - http://www.unixinside.org

What is a Linux distribution?

A package which consists in:

✗ the Linux kernel

✗ libraries and utilities

✗ lot of applications

✗ installation and configuration tools



Types of Linux distributions

Target platform:

✗ for desktops

✗ for servers

✗ for laptops and netbooks

✗ for tablets and mobile phones

✗ for embedded systems




License and availability:

✗ commercial (RedHat Enterprise, SuSe, ...)

✗ non-commercial (Ubuntu, Fedora, ...)




Addressability:

✗ home and office users

✗ professional users (programmers, admins, ...)

✗ specialized users (scientists, chemists, teachers, ...)




Purpose:

✗ general use

✗ specialized functionalities (routers, clusters, ...)




Live Linux distributions

✗ can be booted from USB flash drive, CD, ...

✗ no need to install it

✗ useful for trying it and for demonstrations

✗ useful to repair a broken system



How many Linux distributions exists?

✗ over 300 maintained distributions (distrowatch.com)

✗ many distributions are based on other distribution http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Linux_Distribution_Timeline.svg

✗ the most important distributions are:

✗ Debian

✗ RedHat/Fedora

✗ Ubuntu

✗ Slackware



What is the package management ?

✗ a package is a set of files needed for an application (executable files, scripts, libraries, configuration files, documentation, ...)

✗ relations between packages

✗ one of the most important part of a Linux distribution is the package management system

✗ DEB – used by Debian-based distributions (Ubuntu, Linux Mint, ...)

✗ RPM – used by Fedora-based distributions (CentOS, OpenSUSE, ...)

✗ Pacman – used by Arch-based distributions (Chakra, Bridge, ...)

✗ pkgtool – used by Slackware-based distributions (Kongoni, VectorLinux, ...)



Why are so many Linux distributions?

Different development model:

✗ Windows/MacOS – centralized (corporate) development

✗ FreeBSD – only one distribution, important decisions aretaken by a small group of people

✗ Linux – only kernel development is controlled by a groupof people (headed by Linus Torvalds). Everyone is free tomake it's own Linux distribution



How to choose a Linux distribution?

There are no rules. Some hints:

✗ what are you going to do with it?

✗ how easy is to install it?

✗ how good is the documentation?

✗ have a strong community base (easy to solve problems usingforums, blogs, IRC, ...)

✗ is a wide-spread distribution? (larger applicationavailability, more tested, ...)




There are no rules. Some hints:

✗ how new are the package versions? (up-to-date withnew facilities, good security, ...)

✗ how often does it change?

✗ how easy is to update packages?

✗ how easy is to update to a newer distribution version?




In many cases, choosing a Linux distribution

is a matter of taste.



What are the most popular Linux distributions?

Debian

✗ very large community base

✗ good security; very stable, tested and reliable

✗ slow release cycle (1-3 years), in three branches:stable, testing, unstable

✗ very good for professionals

✗ it supports a big number of platforms (11)

✗ lacks the latest Linux technologies




Ubuntu – based on Debian

✗ Kubuntu – the KDE version of Ubuntu

✗ Xubuntu – Xfce version of Ubuntu

✗ Lubuntu – LXDE version of Ubuntu

✗ Edubuntu – educational version of Ubuntu

✗ Ubuntu server – server version of Ubuntu




Ubuntu – based on Debian


✗ good security (LTS have 3-5 years of security updates)

✗ relatively short, predictable (6 months), release cycle

✗ very good for beginners (easy to install, good documentation, ...)

✗ project started and financed by Mark Shuttleworth, a charismaticSouth-african multimillionaire, former Debian developer




Linux Mint – based on Ubuntu

✗ large community base

✗ many own-built elements (artwork, graphical utilities, ...)

✗ doesn't have a fixed release schedule

✗ very good for beginners (easy to install, good documentation, ...)

✗ community editions doesn't include all the features and lackssecurity updates




Fedora


✗ good security

✗ predictable release cycle

✗ focus on enterprise features, less on desktop usability

✗ good for professional users

✗ sponsored by RedHat, the biggest Linux company




CentOS – based on RedHat

✗ relatively large community base

✗ good security, but not always up-to-date

✗ oriented on server usage, very stable, tested and reliable

✗ lacks the latest Linux technologies




ArchLinux

✗ follows the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) philosophy

✗ very good package management system; it permits toinstall the packages from source code

✗ lot of customization and tweaking options

✗ very good documentation

✗ focused on professional users

✗ doesn't have a fixed release schedule

✗ sometimes unstable




Slackware

✗ follows the simplicity philosophy

✗ rudimentary package management system

✗ very stable clean as bug-free, used as core system forcustom solutions

✗ complex upgrade procedures, limited number ofavailable packages

✗ good for professional users




OpenSUSE

✗ large community base, very popular in Germany and otherEuropean countries

✗ good security, well maintained

✗ predictable release cycle

✗ good for all kind of users; very good documentation

✗ good configuration tools

✗ resource-heavy desktop and graphical utilities

✗ originally based on Slackware, uses RPM package manager




PCLinuxOS

✗ relatively large community

✗ good security

✗ doesn't have a fixed release schedule; conservative politics

✗ very good for beginners; includes out-of-the-box support forgraphic drivers, browser plugins and media codecs

✗ doesn't include default support for non-english languages

✗ originally based on Mandrake, uses RPM




Mageia

✗ growing community base, very new distribution (since 2010)

✗ predictable release cycle (9 months)

✗ very good for beginners (easy to install)

✗ very good central configuration tool

✗ very good support for many languages

✗ continuation of Mandriva, uses RPM



Ubuntu Server

Server and desktop differences

✗ both editions uses the same package repository

✗ Server edition doesn't have X Window

✗ Server edition have a different installation process(it uses a text user interface)

✗ Server edition have different kernel options

✗ Server edition doesn't have graphical configuration tools



Ubuntu Server

Advantages:

✗ very clean

✗ good security (security updates, long term security updatesfor LTS releases – 5 years)

✗ stable and reliable, well tested✗

✗ good documentation

✗ easy to install

✗ lot of packages in Ubuntu repositories



Ubuntu Server

Ubuntu Server is certified with big companies hardware:

✗ Lenovo

✗ Dell

✗ IBM

✗ HP

✗ Intel



Ubuntu Server

Ubuntu Server includes virtualization support:

✗ KVM - used on Intel and AMD hardware)

✗ Xen, Qemu – for other hardware



Ubuntu Server

Ubuntu Server is ready for cloud computing:

✗ 13.04 offers a complete solution for building highlyavailable, flexible and secure OpenStack production clouds

✗ easy and fast to install a OpenStack cloud



Ubuntu Server

Any questions?


Linux distributions. Ubuntu Server

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