We are currently looking to purchase a new server which has the following requirements.
1). Host some web/java applications which have MYsql back end data base’s.
2). Be a backup server for Crystal reports which were are currently deployed on a Microsoft Server.
* Research is occurring to change these over to native database drivers so they can function on different Os’s.
3). Most likely, the CVS repositories I put in place will end up here.
4). There are some future java development occurring that will most likely find it’s home on this server.
5). This server will be on an internal LAN, and not open to the world.
What they are trying to decide on is what flavor OS to run. The person that is doing this in charge of the purchase does not want to go with Microsoft. This is not because he is a Microsoft bash er, his requirements is to find an OS that does not have support and upgrade costs. He feels that a UNIX flavor can provide this and also be more reliable then MS.
Also, he is looking for an Unix OS that has a good GUI with low overhead because of the various daemons that he wishes to run on this server. I seriously doubt I’m going to be here forever, so there will be nobody with command line experience like I do(And I’m not even that bloody good). He is looking for the GUI that is straight forward in helping him maintain the OS and installed daemons(Apache, ssh, ssl, java, MySQL, …).
Now, my personal preference is to use FreeBSD, but I can not in all honesty present an argument for using this as the OS. I have never dealt with FreeBSD in a production environment that maintained the types of applications that he wants to support. Truthfully, I think it could do it with out issue but I am unsure that his simplicity factor would be met. I’ve only ever done command line with this OS, and truthfull thats all I want to do.
I have used AIX before, but I believe the cost factor rules this out based on this person’s specifications. He has looked at Suse, and was happy with everything but the support costs. Do you have to purchase Suse? I didn’t think you did now that I think about it. Do you need a license for various patch’s and upgrades to your port/rpm/??? packages? I didn’t think it was a requirement for this either, unless you wanted technical support hot line assistance.
Any suggestions here? What ever is suggested I’m going to use to go do some followup research on.
