[plug] Query - Best Distro for Enterprise Web and Proxy Server

[Peter T Spicer-Wensley]

Peace, Pluggers! 'Lo Leon,

My query is this: I have been running with RedHat for ten years now but
want the Enterprise level of security and stability without the cost.
(Don't we all.)

I have seen CentOS 4 and it looks like RH enterprise without the
pricetag (or support) but my CentOS 4 isos wouldn't download & burn
cleanly - is there anywhere in Perth I could BUY the 4 CDs of CentOS 4?
How much IS Redhat Enterprise for Education anyway???

Also, reading the reviews from Distrowatch, LinuxQuestions etc it looks
like many are using Whitebox and even Slackware to do what I want.
Others swear by (and occassionally at) Debian...

Do any of you have any advice on which to go with? (I've been using
Linux mostly CLI since the early 90s but mostly for internet gateway and
proxy purposes. I set it up and forget it. It just works and works and
works. Gotta love Linux! The way of the Penguin is a wonderful path.

The server will be used primarily as a Squid proxy server with
squidGuard redirector. It will also be a LAMP server running
phpHelpDesk, Moodle, the occassional WIKI, WebGUI and bits and pieces
like blogs. It will be available from the Internet as well as the
school's intranet so needs to be reasonably secure and maintainable.

The server is a single CPU P4 3200 with 2GB RAM on an Intel SE7221BK1-E
Server board in a Rackmount case (For what that's worth). The Hard disks
are twin 36GB SATA 10,000RPM HDD. It has a DVDROM, 2 X Gigabit Ethernet
ports and a Dlink Gigabit Fibercard (PCI Express!) with twin 1000SX
fiber ports (sweet!) connecting directly to a DLINK DES6000 chassis
switch.

I've tried installing the CentOS (with no luck so far) I can't download
the DVD iso 'cause it's bittorrent and the DET WAN obviously blocks bit
torrent ports <groan>. Knoppix boots fine (of course!) and I have many
distros (Mempis, Ubuntu, Yoper, Debian 3.0r2 on DVD, Xandros v2, Morphix
and of course Mandrake, Redhat 9 and Fedora) on CD and DVD but thought
that before I tried installing them all to see how they perform, whether
someone on the list might have some recent experience with setting up
similar hardware for similar purposes and have any recommendations or
experiences to share.

Who said I was verbose?! Eschew obfucation!

Peter Spicer-Wensley
System Administrator
Swan View Senior High School
Gladstone Avenue
SWAN VIEW  WA   6056
Mob: 04 1893 4218
Mail: petersw at svshs.wa.edu.au
 
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not
sure about the the universe." ( Albert Einstein)
 
"Other kings said I was daft to build a castle in the swamp, but I built
it all the same." (Herbert's father the King)
 
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