[BC] Linux based server

[Cowboy]

On Thursday 26 February 2009 11:06 am, Craig Healy wrote:
>  I put together a server recently.  While it's really just a test, it's
>  worked well. 

 Good !
 Knoppix is a demonstration system, designed to show off as much
 of what a Linux based OS can do on one CD. ( like the two gig of
 installed software within that one 650 MB CD )
 It's hardly a "server" system.

 Still, a handy tool to keep available, partly because there *is* so
 much installed stuff.
 Later versions even boot American English and US keyboards by default.

>  Linux-based Knoppix.

 Well, Debian based, but most don't understand that Linux is not an OS anyway.

>  This seems quite stable.

 Knoppix is a good system to "stress test" hardware as well.
 If the system fails running Knoppix,you KNOW it's not the OS.

>  Eventually I will add a RAID card and drives so 
>  the storage is more secure. 

 You might want to study up a bit on Linux software RAID before you
 make that decision.
 ;)
 It's on that CD, as I recall. 
 man mdadm
 will get you started.

>  Has anyone else built something like this?

 Several.

>  I gotta say it was much easier 
>  to assemble than Windows Server 2003 or other MS based machines.

 You too ?
 That's also been my experience.

>  I was also able to use the Knoppix boot CD to recover files from two crashed
>  hard drives.  While Windows and even a USB drive housing couldn't read the
>  drives, Knoppix could.  I used a 16gb USB Flash drive and copied the desired
>  files from the bad drive to it.

 You got lucky.
 Knoppix does have "some" tools for doing that, but neither many, nor
 any of the really "good stuff."

>  I haven't really spent much time with Linux machines in the past, but this
>  has been a very rewarding bit of work.

 And, not the easiest system to start with, either.
 There are other systems that also run over a linux kernel better optimized
 to what you're doing, but Knoppix is still a main-stay get-acquainted system.
 Freely downloadable. Pop the CD into *any* CD bootable machine, and power up.
 Won't touch ( OK, won't write to ) any existing hard drives unless you rather
 specificly tell it to, and how to do it. Very safe.

 I did something similar with the OS on the Rivendell LiveCD, although that is intended
 to demo Rivendell, not all the whiz-bang that can be packed in a compact OS.

 Knoppix is Debian based, itself a SystemV based Unix derivative.
 Slax is Slackware based, a BSD derived Unix derivative.
 Similar, in that both are intended to demo what can be done with the OS.
 Then there are others.....
 Tom's, which is an extremely abbreviated complete Linux OS on a single floppy.
 ( no GUI )
 and a host of others.
 Was a time when Knoppix was one of two single disk based ephemeral OS,
 except of course, for the single floppy QNX ( which did have GUI and web browser )
 and Tom's on a floppy, that I know about.

 Have fun !
 If they've included Webmin, you'll be very pleasantly surprised.

-- 
Cowboy