Linux distro for .... ?

[AKA]

Never messed with Linux, unix or anything close.

Unfortunately Im all smeared & streaky windows.


I want to setup a secure Linux box that will be my email server (probably gonna use Xmail), webserver (probably Apache), DNS server (no clue, probably a function of the OS).


Let me harp on what I want again.

1. Security
2. Email Server
3. Apache
4. DNS Server

This will be for a personal setup... I already have an email server, dns server & webserver.. but its all windows.

Now I want to learn to do the same thing using Linux.


What is the most appropiate distro to start with for those things? Or does it really matter?

If it doesn't really matter then which one has the best documentation, best forum site to ask questions etc.

 

[stash]

The "Use the Search Function" distro is pretty popular...

 

[cleverhandle]

If you've never used Linux before, I would suggest you install it to another machine and learn the basics of installing, managing packages, using the command line, setting permissions, etc. before you set up a public machine running multiple network services. That sounds like you're asking for trouble, or at least frustration.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

If you've never used Linux before, I would suggest you install it to another machine and learn the basics of installing, managing packages, using the command line, setting permissions, etc. before you set up a public machine running multiple network services. That sounds like you're asking for trouble, or at least frustration.

agreed.

i'd recommend debian for any non-desktop machine.

i use exim for mail, simple and easy to use, works great for me. the only problem i have with exim is that it was hard to find info on how to set up a catch-all (i.e. mail thats addressed to a non-existant local user gets redirected to another specified user). i finally found out how here under section 10.3.2: http://qref.sourceforge.net/Debian/reference/ch-gateway.fi.html

apache is easy. just keep it up to date.

dns...now thats not going to be simple. either read up ALOT on bind (it is *not* simple) or use the kinda freakily authored and licensed djbdns (even then i'm sure you'd need to do quite a bit of reading, i dont know exactly how much easier it is than bind, i've never used it. and i like bind now that i'm used to editing zone files and whatnot ).

also if you use bind, make sure you keep it up to date, bind 9 is recommended, it was rewritten from scratch and is much more secure than 4 or 8. also chrooting it is a good idea (i recently re-setup bind and especially considering the most recent vuln. i decided instead of using debian's bind, i'd build my own bind 9 and chroot it, it's working great.)

 

[AKA]

SPaSh - No thanks to your asinine post.



cleverhandle - Yep I plan too.. need to learn it first and its all for personal stuff.. nothing to lose.



BingBongWongFooey - Thanks for giving me a direction to go in. Now I at least have something to look up.

 

[Nothinman]

SPaSh - No thanks to your asinine post.

It's not asinine, the search works fairly well and there's a f'ing FAQ stickied to this forum.

 

[TheOmegaCode]

Doesn't matter what distro you use. As for DNS, you'll be using BIND.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: STaSh
The "Use the Search Function" distro is pretty popular...

Only by the people that frequent in forums other than just OT.

DNS: BIND or djbdns. The only downside to djbdns is that it is not Free software.
http: Apache of course
mail: qmail or postfix are my first two choices. qmail is also not Free though.

Any distro will offer these things. Forget X, you wont need a gui. Disable most services. Use a chroot whenever you can (DNS can be chrooted by default). I also recommend installing and configuring systrace for a little extra protection. You can also look into the openwall packages (although I do not know if they support 2.4.x yet) and LIDs.

 

[stash]

SPaSh - No thanks to your asinine post.

My nick is 'stash,' thanks. I'll let you go on that, though, since it isn't in the FAQ....not like you actually read it!