Server comments

[Tom Smith]

Julio Biason wrote:

>On 2/16/06, Jim Bodkikns (Dakotacom) <JimBodkins at yahoo.com> wrote:
>  
>
>>   My real problem is with the server install. Come on guys. Are you
>>serious? What you call a server install, stopped being useful ten years ago.
>>Contemporary servers require desktops and more. (I am more than capable of
>>admining a server from a command line. But a credible and 'deployed' server
>>needs admining by others, not just me)
>>    
>>
>
>I don't get it. I mean, why a server would ever need a desktop? A
>server won't be used for anything other than serving a network. You
>won't write a document on a server, just store it there.
>
>But I agree that the name "server" is a little bit misleading: it
>actually install just the base system. It won't even install apache or
>any other serve (except for postfix, that also comes with the desktop
>install), so it isn't a server on the real meaning of the word. Maybe
>"base"?
>
>[PS: Looking at that perspective, your view of a server is just a
>normal desktop install followed by the installation of the servers you
>want]
>  
>
One would think that those individuals who are administering your server
would be properly trained to utilize whatever tools you've put in place.
To that end, the presence of a "desktop" shouldn't matter. However...

I install a light weight GUI on all of my servers. The only purpose it
serves is to allow me to start some process, such as a kernel recompile,
on the server and not have to worry about it preventing me from working
as normal on my workstation. The compile (or whatnot) runs inside a VNC
session--I just come back to it every now and again to check its progress.

A GUI like Gnome or KDE is certainly not necessary--they just act to
suck up disk space and usually have some daemons that start during boot
(such as hald) that consume additional resources.

Further, when I think of a "server" install, Ubuntu's current "server"
installation ALWAYS comes to mind. For me, I want the server to start
out as minimal as possible. I can then easily add the components I need
for it to serve its purpose.