endperform.org

I was inspired to write this based on an idea over at the Ubuntu Brainstorm. The idea was to add X11 and graphical configuration tools to the Ubuntu Server install. The main reason, the poster said, was to get more switchovers from Windows 2003, and allow for less mistakes when a server is set up. I don’t really agree with this sentiment. Personally, my feelings on Linux servers is based on real life experience. I feel that you should know something about configuring your server via the configuration files before deploying your server. Why? Consider the following scenario:

Bob is typically a Windows server administrator, but he’s heard about Ubuntu Server Edition with Gnome and managed to get his boss to agree to allowing him to install a box to host an instance of a popular web application. Bob is familiar with GUI configuration tools since he’s coming from a Windows background, so he figures he can install this machine pretty easily. Bob starts to configure the server using some of the nice GUI utilities provided. He then decides he wants to reboot the machine to make sure the changes he made continue to work. Much to Bob’s chagrin, his beloved GUI doesn’t come back up. Unfortunately while mucking with the configuration, Bob disabled GDM, and thus disabled his GUI. Bob now has a black screen with a login prompt. Bob may know enough to log in, thinking his GUI comes back up, but he finds that he’s at another prompt: [bob@server:/home/bob]$ Since Bob is unfamiliar with Linux, he now has to spend time trying to figure out what he needs to do to get his GUI up and running.

Now, what would happen if something failed on that server and the GUI couldn’t be restarted easily? Bob would have no clue as to where to start, and would have to find someone to help. I had a similar experience back up in PA where someone had messed with some settings via a GUI on a Linux server and inadvertently disabled X and changed permissions on key files. Ever since then, I’ve advocated X-less server installs. In my mind, if you deploy a server, you should know what to do in the case of a failure and not rely solely on GUI tools to hold your hand throughout an installation. Maybe I’m too old-school or just short-sighted, but I feel that if you’re going to run a Linux server, you best at least know where to find configuration files and how to navigate via the terminal.

Don’t get me wrong, GUI admin tools do make life easier, but one should really know the underlying configuration before rolling a server out into production.

linux, opinion linux, opinion, ubuntu