[Dxspider-support] New Install - what Linux Distro to use?

[Dirk Koopman]

Michael Walker wrote:
> All
>  
> It is about time for me to rebuild the CLX cluster which has been 
> running for about 6 years and bring it up to DXSpider.
>  
> I've got a new box ready to go, but can someone recommend a good 
> distribution to use?  I rather like Suse, but I'm not married to it if 
> there is a better one that has all the pre-requist packages already 
> built in.

Any modern linux distro is fine. All these distros have the requisite 
CPAN modules as RPM or DEBs. Perhaps it has got to that time where I 
really ought to improve the packaging so that installs happen a little 
more automatically. I have always resisted this in the past for purist 
reasons which may not apply anymore.

>  
> I did just download Suse 10.3, but it wasn't complete (and didn't even 
> have make or cvs available). 

I use Ubuntu (either desktop or server, depending on usage) but I hear 
good reports about Centos. Ubuntu are in late for their next LTS (Long 
Term Support) release, it has the advantage (unlike most of the RPM 
based ones) that an install fits onto a CD rather than a DVD.

I would avoid Fedora, not because it isn't any good, but because the 
release and support cycle is way too short. A recent post mentions 
leaving a remote node running for six to nine months at a time, so 
having to do constant updating of the operating system is a bit of a 
chore. Also Fedora does not support its releases for very (IIRC 18 
months->two years max). Whereas Centos and Ubuntu LTS are five years.

YMMWV

Dirk