[ubuntu-uk] Server OS Suggestion

[Andy Loughran]

Chris Rowson wrote:
> Hi people,
>
> I've been wrestling with this question for a while now, and although
> product suggestion is probably going to be skewed here, I'm really
> interested in what you have to say.
>
> I need to choose a server operating system to run LAMP intranet web
> services with little maintenance and at high reliability. This system
> will be installed in multiple locations, so the last thing I want to
> be doing is a shed load of ongoing administration, or dealing with
> unnecessary problems.
>
> I've pretty much narrowed the selection down to CentOS 5 and Ubuntu Hardy LTS.
>
> If anyone has any suggestions, pros or cons for either systems I'd
> love to hear them.
>
> Chris
>
>   
Chris,

I've not got the time now to go into it.. however, one organisation I 
work for had to make that decision about 2 years ago.  We went with CentOS.

However, we're very much in the ubuntu camp now.. yet the barrier to 
switching some services across is high enough to prevent it at the moment.

At the end of it all, I guess is down to whether you prefer debs or 
rpms.  Centos5 is a good system, and has worked well for us.  However, I 
would like to move the stuff we have across to ubuntu/debian.

Our second driver is that for clients, we can offer Canonical third-line 
support.  BIG bonus for those that need it.

Andy