gentoo good for running web server?

idiotprogrammer · Apprentice Joined: 29 Jul 2002 Posts: 179 Location: Texas

I have two machines at home: my workstation has gentoo installed; the other one (my web server) still has red hat. The web server has light traffic, although that could change.

I'm relatively new to gentoo, but I've had experiencing running apache/mysql/zope/php.

I was thinking of upgrading the webserver, either with gentoo or rh. The web server machine must have webmin on it for administration

Is it a good idea to run your home web server on gentoo? why or why not? What are the drawbacks to doing so?

Robert Nagle
www.idiotprogrammer.com

fyerk

Zu` · l33t Joined: 26 May 2002 Posts: 716 Location: BE

It's perfectly possible, ofcourse

I'd advise to run the stable branch of portage instead of the unstable branch though. Also run a good & strict firewall if you're planning on opening it to the internet. Also try to keep up to date with the GLSA's (Gentoo Linux Security Announcements)

If you want more security, I'd say don't use linux for servers, but use one of the *BSD's.

lotas · Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2002 9:30 pm Post subject:

ayyy. totally posible. so posible im doing it now!

My web server, running a site with 500+ visitors a day is run on gentoo. my workstation is too. the server also acts as a mail, proxy, firewall, SSH, etc server. everything runs grant. the only reasons it has been taken down since October 29 was power upgrades in the house (friend rewiring my room for more plug sockets) and also a kernel upgrade. other then thats its as stable as the next linux copy, maybe more stable, and runs grand! and its upgradable. easly!
_________________
Lotas T Smartman
www.lotas-smartman.net
www.the-hairy-one.com
www.lsn-blog.tk
Dual Athlon 2Gz, 1Gb ram, 120Gb hdd, GeForce FX5200, DVD+R/-R/+RW/-RW, CDR/RW

rac · Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2002 9:54 pm Post subject:

In case you hadn't seen it mentioned before, the machine serving forums.gentoo.org runs Gentoo.
_________________
For every higher wall, there is a taller ladder

col · Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2002 10:28 pm Post subject:

I like the gentoo apache coz setting up extras like php & other modules sooo very easy.

lotas · Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2002 10:50 pm Post subject:

yea. i knew about the forums running gentoo. Also a lot of them Rsync servers seem to run it too! The addon support is great! like php, mysql, SSL, etc. All runs grand. no problems!

im never going back to a non gentoo powered linux box again, unless forced!
_________________
Lotas T Smartman
www.lotas-smartman.net
www.the-hairy-one.com
www.lsn-blog.tk
Dual Athlon 2Gz, 1Gb ram, 120Gb hdd, GeForce FX5200, DVD+R/-R/+RW/-RW, CDR/RW

idiotprogrammer · Apprentice Joined: 29 Jul 2002 Posts: 179 Location: Texas

Well, it's good to hear that a bunch of you are running gentoo as web servers (and maybe next go around I shall try bsd).

Some concerns:

1)that ebuilds of apache modules, zope, etc, will always be behind the cutting edge stuff and that a gentoo installation makes me dependent on gentoo ebuilds until the end of time.

2)when I emerged php for the first time, the screen warned me not to use this ebuild of php for a web server because of security. What the hell was that about?

3)at some point I'm going to start mixing binaries with tar's and ebuilds and that patches from gentoo ebuilds will be buggier and come out more slowly than the group actually producing the software. This may happen when something starts to break or doesn't have an identifiable fix. And what about the things that just aren't available as ebuilds?

On the other hand, maybe i'm just worrying my little head about nothing.

Robert Nagle www.idiotprogrammer.com

idiotprogrammer · Apprentice Joined: 29 Jul 2002 Posts: 179 Location: Texas

something irrelevant.. Does anyone know whether the latest version of php supports apache 2.x ? (and mysql).

Last time I checked, it didn't. Can't seem to find the information anywhere. rj

www.idiotprogrammer.com

kashani · Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2002 11:47 pm Post subject: Gentoo webserver

I've been moving a few systems over to Gentoo and haven't had ay problems installing odd modules. The guys at Packet Storm are also looking into switch over too, IIRC. Oddly enough losts of people are installing Apache in a Gentoo kind of way these days. Check out

http://www.apachetoolbox.com/

kashani
_________________
Will personally fix your server in exchange for motorcycle related shop tools in good shape.

rac

mgirard · n00b Joined: 30 Jul 2002 Posts: 64

I have gentoo server running as a firewall / web / mail / dns / dhcp and samba server for a small school. I took the time this summer to set it up carefully and it has been running flawlessly since then. Just a few security updates and one reboot for a new kernel. Thank you gentoo!

-Mg