Linux server advice

Synkro

Hi all,

Could someone please advise on which Linux distribution is best to support a small network of pcs. Are the following services included with the distribution or would you normally add these after?

Pop3 Email server
Firewall
VPN server
Web Caching Proxy
File server (which would support a tape drive for automatic backups)
Some sort of virus scanner to scan outgoing/incoming emails
DHCP server
Raid support

Is it true that with Linuux it isnt necessary to reboot the pc when installing patches/updates unlike windows where almost all SP's and updates require a reboot?

I would like access to the box services (email/proxy etc) to be restricted to VPN only, Is there any limit to the number of concurrent VPN connections to the linux box?


Thanks,
Adrian

Emboss

Firstly you might want to get this moved to UNIX

Any distro of linux/BSD will do everything you have mentioned.

Synkro

Good point. I tried to delete this post but got 'no permission err'

Recreating under 'Unix' section.

Can you delete here please.

Tnx

ssh

Use Debian Stable. It makes running a server much easier.

Pop3 Email server - Dovecot

Firewall - Use Fwbuilder to make an iptables script

VPN server - Freeswan. It's a pain to set up but it works.

Web Caching Proxy - Squid

File server (which would support a tape drive for automatic backups) - Samba + dump

Some sort of virus scanner to scan outgoing/incoming emails - amavis / clamav with postfix/exim

DHCP server - ISC dhcpd

Raid support - that'll be in the kernel

I'm sure you can limit the number of incoming connections with freeswan, if not, I'd say iptables will do it.

You need to reboot if you are installing an upgraded kernel. Short of that, rebooting isn't necassary. Certainly not for upgrading your web browser

leeroybrown

Is it true that with Linuux it isnt necessary to reboot the pc when installing patches/updates unlike windows where almost all SP's and updates require a reboot?

Linux only needs to be rebooted to install kernel upgrades and when core system libraries (libc) have been updated. Generally you will only ever do this for security reasons on a stable Linux server. You can count the number of times this was necessary in the last 12 months on one hand.

Ultimately the distribution you chose is a matter of personal preferance. I use debian stable for servers but other people have different preferences that work equally well for them.

Synkro

Thanks for the info Ssh/Leeroybrown. On your advice i will go with 'Debian Stable'. I will FTP this from esat when i get home. DoveCot got a very good write up on freshmeat.org

http://freshmeat.net/projects/dovecot/

Also reading into AMaVis now.


Thanks again.

ssh

Hope it helps.

Dovecot is an excellent piece of software. The IMAP server in particular is fantastic. Timo is a very, very smart guy.

Just to clarify, if you are using debian, you can add sources of software to your distribution to make installing and maintaining them easier.

If you go to backports.org or www.apt-get.org you'll be able to find a good source for dovecot, clamav and spamassassin. I use the braincells.com one.

sirlinux

checkout www.contribs.org formally www.e-smith.org if you want something idiout proof and good i know of a machine thats up nearly a year running an old version of it.