Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:09:43 -0700 (MST) From: Dennis Glatting <freebsd@penx.com> To: Alessandro Baggi <alessandro.baggi@gmail.com> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: FreeBSD Decision Message-ID: <alpine.BSF.2.00.1101141254200.81448@Elmer.dco.penx.com> In-Reply-To: <4D3099FC.10807@gmail.com> References: <4D3099FC.10807@gmail.com>
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On Fri, 14 Jan 2011, Alessandro Baggi wrote: > Hi list, I don't want make a flame post but I would ask an objective > opinion, then not a camp opinion, about using FreeBSD or Debian Linux in > a production environment for solution as such as cluster of some > service, proxy, SAN, performance, smp with an high number of cpu, PDC, > Mail Server (qmail), raid software, security support and hardware > support. I'm using Slackware Linux but in production environment there > are problem with packages and distro update and other support. Then for > you, what is the best for those solutions? > FreeBSD, Debian, and Slowaris are my key components. FreeBSD RELENG_8 composes most of my WAN services from DNS, SENDMAIL, Cacti, and more. I have at least nine servers across the USA. In another life (different job) Debian is primary but there are two FreeBSD servers. I choose FreeBSD because I have source and if necessary recompile the whole OS with debug to traipse down a (perceived) bug. The same isn't as easy under Debian. When I (often) come across some behavior I don't understand I almost always go to the source. Documentation is almost always less useful when it comes to applications. I have also found FreeBSD applications tend to be more recent versions or more easily replaced than Debian or CentOS. I find the FreeBSD handbook useful but when it comes to Debian the ErrorNet isn't as... helpful... and often wrong. I spend more time tracking things down under Debian than FreeBSD, usually because I go to source. For Wireless there is more functionality under FreeBSD without augmentation but for a specific function I had to recompile the source with an additional flag. Under Debian I had to replace several modules because the drivers did not support AP mode, which included building a custom kernel and stripping out conflicting modules -- that was an... interesting... exercise. I prefer the competence of the FreeBSD lists, though I have none myself.
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