Primary survey results: Mission Critical Linux

To: Everyone interested in Linux!

Initiated from the 'Linux Mission Critical Systems' mailing list is a project to document successful existing systems which have a large load and are up 24 hrs/day. Already we have received a rich amount of information!

Back to the index

Getting to the questionnaire:

http://www.linux.or.jp/~mkubo/mc-doc (with Japanese version)

http://www.rmnet.it/linux (Italy)

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\103

Current kernel: 2.0.25
Oldest kernel: 1.2.13
Used Slackware 4.0, rated fair
Used Red Hat 2.1, rated good
Used DEC-Alpha 4.0, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 5
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 10
Number of Un*x clients: 0
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 50
Average uptime: 30 days
Longest uptime: 90 days
Average dial-in users/day: 1
Average E-mail messages/day: 300
Maximum E-mail messages/day: 2000
Average http hits/day: 500
Maximum http hits/day: 2000
Average FTP Mb/day: 1
WWW server: Apache
Using XFree86
Using Mini SQL (msql)

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated fair
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated poor
News group support rated fair
Installation procedures rated fair
Upgrade procedures rated poor
Un*x compatibility rated fair
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated fair
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated good
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated good
Sharing the network with Novell rated poor
Sharing the network with OS/2 rated poor
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

WWW sites: http://linux.ucs.indiana.edu
Mailing lists: redhat-alpha@redhat.com
Books: anything by OReilly

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: Manage and configure virtual web servers, DNS, sendmail, and troubleshoot remote systems.

Q: A description of the site

A: Virtual WWW hosting ISP with WANS, no dialup

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: router and web server

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: 6 months old and growing fast

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: already in place by predecessor free patches, fixes, utilities come out instantly through developers endlessly flexable

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: boot disks for Alpha's!!!!!!!!!! recovery is VERY difficult

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: yes more DNS servers dedicated mail servers Linux workstations for staff

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: looser. Still has some odd quirks

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: mSQL, it is OK. We are switching to Micro$oft $QL server and looking into ODBC interfaces for Alpha Linux

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: kept up to date on patches and fixes

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: nope, just tar and cron

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: watch those file permissions, don't get lazy

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: ability to handle Windows NT security tokens

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: yup, Linus is still pretty young

Q: Do you have further comments, or suggestions for Linux administrators?

A: good luck

Sean Chisham
Systems Administrator
schisham@consul-tech.com
ConsulTech

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\105

Privacy: level 1
Current kernel: 2.0.0
Oldest kernel: 1.2.13
Used Slackware 3.0, rated fair
Used Red Hat 3.0.3,, rated good
Used Linux Universe ?, rated poor

Number of Linux servers: 4
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 6
Number of Un*x clients: 1
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 30
Average uptime: 60 days
Longest uptime: 150 days
Average dial-in users/day: 5
Average E-mail messages/day: 500
Maximum E-mail messages/day: 1000
Average http hits/day: 100
Maximum http hits/day: 10000
WWW server: Apache
Using XFree86
Using MetroX
Using Mini SQL (msql)

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated good
Installation procedures rated fair
Upgrade procedures rated good
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated good
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated good
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

Mailing lists: bugtraq, server-linux

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: I am currently a system adminstrator and webmaster/web developer. I use Linux extensively in the workstation and server environments.

Q: A description of the site

A: mainly academic, part commercial web development

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: the multi-user servers be maintained and kep operational

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: 2 years ago it was created, mainly for web serving. Now it includes full PPP dial-up access, many shell accounts, and full Internet server capabilities such as news, programming languages, e-mail, FTP, etc.

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: I had heard about it and after using it for a few months decided that it is THE operating system to use for misison critical servers. One of my servers was running SCO UNIX at one point, but there were so many difficulties that we wiped it and installed Linux. It's run like a charm ever since.

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: not anything unsurpassable.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: We are in the process of greatly upgrading our hardware.

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: The Best. I've used SunOS, Solaris, AIX, SCO, and BSD. Linux is by far the best of these for a myriad of reasons.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: MetroX, mSQL. Yes.

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: Hardware upgrades, software/utility upgrades

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: nope. Just normal hard drive to tape and hard drive to backup server tar.

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: AS with any other UNIX system, security holes pop up from time to time. The difference with Linux is they get fixed immediately. As far as I'm concerned, Linux is as secure, if not more secure than ANY other UNIX server out there.

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: enhancement of the current modular kernel.

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Yes and no. While I firmly believe it is the best operating system available today, the sheer momentum of Micro$oft is likely to continue to own the market, and gradually take over the Internet server market.

Jaron Rubenstein
System Administrator/Consultant

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\107

Current kernel: 2.0.28
Oldest kernel: .2
Used Slackware 3.1, rated poor
Used Red Hat 4.0, rated good
Used Caldera 3.0, rated good
Used SLS 3.0, rated poor

Number of Linux servers: 20
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 50
Number of Un*x clients: 50
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 5
Average uptime: 7 days
Longest uptime: 30 days
Average FTP Mb/day: 100
WWW server: Apache
Using MetroX

Linux information rated fair
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated fair
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated good
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated good
Upgrade procedures rated fair
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated good
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated good
Sharing the network with Novell rated good
Sharing the network with OS/2 rated poor
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

WWW sites: sunsite.unc.edu
Books: O'reiley
Magazines: Linux Journal

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: Servers mainly used to generate network traffic to test network device development. Also served as FTP/TFTP boot server for network booting of these devices.

Q: A description of the site

A: R&D of network hardware.

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: Network stability.

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: Mainly Sun, moving toward more cost effective easier to admin solution.

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: Cost, ease of use and setup

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: Some flaky network card drivers

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: Yes, add more servers as needed to support R&D

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: It excels in support and having a broad range of software available for it

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: Craftworks Linux, Metro X, BRU.. VERY satisfied

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: Used proven hardware and stable professional quality distributions

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: the workstations are not backed up

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: Sendmail is the most obvious, make sure to disable any unused services in the inetd.conf

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: Gigabit Ethernet, more hardware platform support

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: YES!

Q: Do you have further comments, or suggestions for Linux administrators?

A: Buy the books, play around, use it as your personal desktop machine

Greg Johns
Sr Network Administrator
Blackwolf@Blackwolf.Com
Blackwolf Networking

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\108

Privacy: level 1
Current kernel: 1.2.13
Oldest kernel: 1.1.59
Used Slackware 3.0, rated fair
Used Red Hat 3.0, rated good
Used Debian 3.0, rated good
Used JE 3.0, rated good
Used Caldera 3.0, rated good
Used WGS 3.0, rated good
Used Yggdrasil 3.0, rated good
Used Info-Magic 3.0, rated good
Used Linux Universe 3.0, rated good
Used Complete Linux Kit 3.0, rated good
Used S.u.S.E. 3.0, rated good
Used MKLinux 3.0, rated good
Used SoftCraft 3.0, rated good
Used Pacific Hitech 3.0, rated good
Used SLS 3.0, rated good
Used DEC-Alpha 3.0, rated good
Used Apple+OSF 3.0, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 4
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 7
Number of Un*x clients: 0
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 200
Average uptime: 60 days
Longest uptime: 200 days
Average dial-in users/day: 1500
Average E-mail messages/day: 6000
Maximum E-mail messages/day: 10000
Average http hits/day: 200
Maximum http hits/day: 300
WWW server: NCSA
WWW server: CERN
WWW server: Apache
WWW server: spinner
Using XFree86

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated good
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated good
Upgrade procedures rated good
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated good
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated good
Sharing the network with Novell rated good
Sharing the network with OS/2 rated good
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

Netnews: comp.os.linux.*
Magazines: linux journal

Q: A description of the site

A: It's a University's connection to Internet, as well as the administrative center of the UNi's PC network

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: Dial In support, and Internet connection.

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: Well.... not much of a story, we are poor, so we really didn't have much choice :) We were given the mission: give Internet to the UNL, and we did it.

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: We started with a SCO server, but tried Linux, and then SCO started to look *expensive*. So we didn't buy any more SCO licenses, and that's it.

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: Setting up the modem pool was kinda tricky, but it works well now.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: As new need for servers appears, I try to implement a Linux solution

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: It's a lot nicer than SCO.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: None

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: installed shadow, wait on kernel upgrades, follow CERT....

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: backup to a $gb DAT tape every night. Mirrored HDs in the important nodes

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: none that isn't widely known

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: Better RAID, SMP.

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Yes

Q: Do you have further comments, or suggestions for Linux administrators?

A: Not really

Roberto Alsina

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\110

Privacy: level 2
Current kernel: 2.0.27
Oldest kernel: 1.0.12
Used Slackware 3.0, rated fair
Used Red Hat 3.0, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 1
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 1
Number of Un*x clients: 6
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 1
Average uptime: 100 days
Longest uptime: 150 days
Average E-mail messages/day: 50
Maximum E-mail messages/day: 500
Average http hits/day: 1500
Maximum http hits/day: 3500
WWW server: CERN
WWW server: Apache
Using XFree86

Linux information rated fair
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated fair
Software support rated good
Project support rated fair
Distributor support rated fair
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated good
Upgrade procedures rated fair
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated fair

WWW sites: MDW, Sunsite
Netnews: cola
Mailing lists: security
CDROM's: RedHat
Books: ORA

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: Administrator

Q: A description of the site

A: Main server of the project is a biprocesor Pentium. Serving Print, NFS, CVS, FTP, HTTP, mailing-lists

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: Reliability, never lose data, uptime, speed

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: Started March 96

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: >From the beginning

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: Problem with first drivers of AHA2940UW, solved fast

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: Yes, replacing Sun Workstation of developpers

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: More bang for the bucks, easier to maintain.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: INSURE++ C Development tools

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: Use only well-known and supported Hardware. Never installed SVGAlib based software

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: Tar + rdist

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Yes

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\111

Privacy: level 1
Current kernel: 2.0.27
Oldest kernel: 1.2.13
Used Slackware 3.0, rated fair
Used Red Hat 4.1, rated good
Used Debian 1.1, rated good
Used SPARCLinux (redhat 4.1) 1.1, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 4
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 7
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 0
Average uptime: 15 days
Longest uptime: 96 days
Average E-mail messages/day: ???
Maximum E-mail messages/day: ???
Average http hits/day: 500
Maximum http hits/day: 2000
WWW server: CERN
WWW server: Apache

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated fair
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated good
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated fair
Upgrade procedures rated poor
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

Mailing lists: bugtraq
CDROM's: infomagic
Books: linux bible
Magazines: linux journal
Other: email with other administrators

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: system admin/maintenance/set up

Q: A description of the site

A: ISP

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: radius user authentication,

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: est sprint 1996

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: spring 1996 - it was free!

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: difficult to get X running on a trident 9660 card at the time (there was no svga x server that supported it) not a problem now...

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: more robust than solaris, and faster on a sparc 1+, i like having access to raw sockets also.

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: after the ping o' death thing, a packet filtering router was installed.

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: with the 'slay' script (kills all of a users processes and logs them out) - if you su to root and then slay yourself your utmp entry is removed and you are left with a root shell. i.e. a who does not show you logged in.

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: ipv6

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: yes - the JOLT project is very interesting i think

Will Waites
Systems Administrator

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\112

Current kernel: 2.0.0
Oldest kernel: 1.2.1
Used Slackware 2.0.0, rated good
Used Red Hat 2.0.1, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 1
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 2
Number of Un*x clients: 2
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 30
Other clients: 25
Average uptime: 200 days
Longest uptime: 200 days
Average E-mail messages/day: 200
Maximum E-mail messages/day: 500
Using XFree86

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated fair
Installation procedures rated fair
Upgrade procedures rated fair
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated good
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated good
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated poor

Books: Que, others
Magazines: Linux Journal

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: Programmer and network admin; use Linux for remote telnet login; Main use is as POP3 email server for 70+ users internal and external

Q: A description of the site

A: Our company is produces educations products for educators; We have a mixed env. of Macs and PCs with WinNT servers (and Linux :) )

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: PICK database on UNIX

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: PICK for 7 years; Macs for 6; PCs w/ 95 and NT for 2

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: Heard about the posibilities; experemented; liked it

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: Oh yes - large scale learning curve; but once you've learned, its a workable and reliable system

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: Yes - We are going to replace all of our dumb termnals (15-20) with Linux on AMD 586x133 PCs

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: Just as good... However, a sysadmin function like SCOs would be very, very, very nice.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: n/a

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: More RAM; more/faster HD; learned a LOT more about complilin our own Kernals (the last is MUST)

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: No - we need to implement a backup procedure for our Linux system and have not - as of yet. We are very interested in this

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: Hmm..support for Jaz/Zip drives (already there?) - Linux MUST get better at talking to NT servers and Win95 networks; Samba is great for sharing Linux with the world, but we need to be able to access the world with more ease from Linux (already there??? I don't know)

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Very - it has great potential

Q: Do you have further comments, or suggestions for Linux administrators?

A: Know your Kernel; know your hardware; know tcp/ip

David Wiener
Programmer/Analyst - NetAdmin
davidw@canterweb.com
Canter and Associates

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\113

Current kernel: 2.0.18
Oldest kernel: 2.0.?
Used Red Hat 3,4.0,4.1, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 2
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 2
Number of Un*x clients: 1
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 25
Other clients: 1
Average uptime: 30 days
Longest uptime: 65 days
Average E-mail messages/day: 300
Maximum E-mail messages/day: 1000
Average http hits/day: 300
Maximum http hits/day: 3000
Average FTP Mb/day: 2
WWW server: Apache
Using XFree86
Participated in Linux other utility development

Linux information rated fair
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated fair
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated good
Installation procedures rated good
Upgrade procedures rated good
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated fair
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated fair
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

Mailing lists: sneakers,humbug (Brisbane Unix UG)
CDROM's: Redhat
Books: ORA

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: We evaluated Windows NT but found that it was very inefficient wrt hardware and had poor support for the tools we wanted to use (Perl, Java, internet technologies in general). Linux is a much better development platform for us.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: We plan to introduce a number of new servers, possibly Linux PPro/SMP machines.

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Definately: the explosion of the internet means more people need an easy-to-use OS suited to the internet: Linux fits this well, and NT still doesn't.

Q: Do you have further comments, or suggestions for Linux administrators?

A: Read as much as you can. Make sure you have an internet connection: being in touch with everybody else makes it so much easier. Ask for help if you need it.

Martin Pool
Sysadmin
mbp@pharos.com.au
Pharos Business Solutions pty ltd

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\115

Current kernel: 2.0.27
Oldest kernel: 0.91
Used Red Hat 4.1, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 2
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 10
Number of Un*x clients: 150
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 10
Other clients: 10
Average uptime: 60 days
Longest uptime: 90 days
Average dial-in users/day: 4
Using MetroX

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated fair
Project support rated fair
Distributor support rated good
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated good
Upgrade procedures rated good
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated good
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated good
Sharing the network with Novell rated good
Sharing the network with OS/2 rated good
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

WWW sites: http://www.fokus.gmd.de/linux/
Magazines: Linux Journal

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: Dial-in availability and rendering performance tests for in-house rendering software .

Q: A description of the site

A: Computer graphics studio specializing in commercials and feature films.

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: rendering frames in a timley fashion and network speed.

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: A UNIX heavy site. The company is 10 years old. Over the coures of many years our rendering software has been written and developed on-site.

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: Already installed prior to my arrival for dial-in. I am in charge of testing Linux as a potential platform for rendering systems (i.e. a rack of 24+ Linux boxes).

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: Too many to go into detail about here. Mostly related to our custom software.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: I'm trying, but another commercial UNIX is established here and has a big following. However I expect that moving to Linux will not be as hard if the development continues like it has. :)

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: Faster and leaner overall (for most tasks) and better support in the short-run. More stable, but less commercial apps are available at the present.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: None to date.

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: Obtained rock solid hardware to compliment a great OS.

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Yes, if it continues at this rate I think that all commercial Unicies might need to take a serious look at what code is in their systems :-)

Q: Do you have further comments, or suggestions for Linux administrators?

A: Do not get discouraged, keep trying and working with Linux. In the end even if you don't get to implement it at your work you can have that toolchest full of knowledge.

Dan Weeks
Assistant Systems Administrator
danimal@blueskystidios.com
Blue sky Studios

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\116

Privacy: level 4
Current kernel: 2.24
Oldest kernel: 0.10
Used Slackware 4.1, rated fair
Used Info-Magic 4.1, rated good
Used SLS 4.1, rated fair
Used FT 4.1, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 2
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 6
Number of Un*x clients: 200
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 400
Other clients: 100
Average uptime: 200 days
Longest uptime: 360 days
Average dial-in users/day: 2
Maximum E-mail messages/day: 400
Average http hits/day: 1000
WWW server: Apache
Using XFree86
Participated in Linux network utility development

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated fair
Software support rated poor
Project support rated fair
Distributor support rated fair
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated fair
Upgrade procedures rated fair
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated good
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated good
Sharing the network with Novell rated fair
Sharing the network with OS/2 rated poor
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated fair

WWW sites: various
Netnews: comp.os.linux.*

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: Installing,programming, DNS,mail,news,etc,etc,

Q: A description of the site

A: Hospital environment Firewall, mail, DNS,news,proxies

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: In the old days; 2 3590 cards didn't work together, lack of support for certain network and graphic cards, rare nowadays And many FAQs are outdated.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: Not in the nearest future, but I will be setting up installations elsewhere (part time job()

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: Stable, I don't have to rely on anyones knowledge as I do with our Digital machines, I can service totally everything on my own.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: none, only Linux FT, aint happy with its state now, will switch to Red Hat.

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: very carefull kernel compilations and setup (services, etc.) In the old day I did some kernel hacking.

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: regular full backup

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: Not If you are up to date, but the main problem with the Linux distributions is creeping featurism, like the env. support in telnetd etc. Just use what you know if you want to be more secure

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: Journalling file system Commercial database systems Better NFS (not that I would use it, Samba is better in most cases)

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Yes, and have always been. I first used Linux in february 1992 and ever since.

Q: Do you have further comments, or suggestions for Linux administrators?

A: Beware of featurism.

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\117

Current kernel: 2.0.29
Oldest kernel: 2.0.0
Used Slackware 96, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 1
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 1
Number of Un*x clients: 1
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 1
Other clients: -
Average uptime: 1 days
Longest uptime: 4 days
WWW server: Apache
Using XFree86

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated fair
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated good
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated good
Upgrade procedures rated good
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated fair
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated fair
Sharing the network with Novell rated fair
Sharing the network with OS/2 rated fair
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

WWW sites: www.linux.org
Other: IRC:

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: -

Q: A description of the site

A: -

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: -

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: -

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: October '96. I had heard that Linux is a very stable and great OS, and I am interested in unix-based OS', so I installed Linux.

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: Well, in the beginning some problems came by, but they were caused by my little kowledge about unices (it was then, nowadays it's changed) =).

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: -

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: -

Mika Metsäniemi
-
voyager2@sci.fi
-

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\119

Privacy: level 3
Current kernel: 2.0.27
Oldest kernel: 1.2.13
Used Slackware 2.3, rated poor
Used Red Hat 4.0, rated good
Used Debian 1.2, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 2
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 6
Number of Un*x clients: 50
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 25
Other clients: 0
Average uptime: 25 days
Longest uptime: 40 days
Average http hits/day: 25000
Maximum http hits/day: 100000
Average FTP Mb/day: 500
WWW server: Apache
Using XFree86
Participated in Linux kernel development
Participated in Linux network utility development
Participated in Linux other utility development

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated good
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated good
Upgrade procedures rated good
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated fair
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated fair
Sharing the network with Novell rated fair
Sharing the network with OS/2 rated fair
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

WWW sites: http://www.linux.org
Netnews: comp.os.linux.misc
Mailing lists: debian-devel@lists.debian.org
Magazines: Linux Journal
Other: User Groups (Unix Users of MN)

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: I am responsible for maintaining a network of Linux machines use as servers, client X11 workstations, and Data Acquistion in Research LAbs

Q: A description of the site

A: We are an academic computing facility for the graduate students in an Engineering Department

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: Mail Service

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: UNIX services have been provided for more than 10 years

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: Why? Because of the cost effectivenss and mix of features. When? September 1995

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: NIS implementation under Linux was shaky at first but now reliable. Still no NIS+ support, or journaled FS

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: Yes. Our Linux machines have been very popular and we average 1.5 new Linux machines every month,

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: Less application support, otherwise *much* better to work with.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: Matlab, Mathematica, Tecplot. We are satisfied.

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: Careful investigation of hardware purchases before implementation.

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: Nope.

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: Sendmail (of course). Floppy boots of public access machines.

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: Journaled FS. More SMP. More Commercial Apps

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Definitely.

Richard Kaszeta
Sysadmin
University of Minnesota

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\120

Privacy: level 1
Current kernel: 2.0.0
Oldest kernel: 1.2.13
Used Slackware 1.2, rated good
Used Red Hat 1.2, rated fair
Used WGS 1.2, rated fair
Used Info-Magic 1.2, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 2
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 3
Number of Un*x clients: 3
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 8
Other clients: 1
Average uptime: 18 days
Longest uptime: 32 days
Average E-mail messages/day: 30
Maximum E-mail messages/day: 50
Average http hits/day: 40
Maximum http hits/day: 100
WWW server: Apache
Using XFree86

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated fair
Software support rated poor
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated poor
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated fair
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated good
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated good

WWW sites: http://www.linux.org

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: Web, Mail, and FTP server administration. Considering port of our engineering software.

Q: A description of the site

A: We are an engineering software development company that provides analysis tools for the piping and pressure vessel industries. The linux servers are our key commnunication tool with users.

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: E-mail

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: Early 1996 - Purchased pentium machine to run e-mail Aug. 1996 - Incorporated web and ftp servers Nov. 1996 - Started IP Masquerading for full internet access by all users March 1997 - IP Aliasing implemented to run various web servers

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: Infomagic since it came with "Linux Unleashed" book

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: Getting the modem to work was challenging.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: Considering software port and allowing users to select linux as their platform of choice.

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: Most importantly, Linux is an open os with a loyal community of users. We also run HPUX and if we want any help from anyone, we have to cough up some cash.

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: No. Just tape backup from a Win NT server

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Absolutely.

Fred Hendrix
Engineer

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\121

Privacy: level 2
Current kernel: 2.1.13
Oldest kernel: 1.12.x
Used Slackware 3.1, rated good
Used Red Hat 4.0, rated good
Used MKLinux DR1, rated good
Used Personalaly Burned CD, DR1, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 4
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 6
Number of Un*x clients: 9
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 3
Other clients: 2
Average uptime: 14 days
Longest uptime: 35 days
WWW server: Apache
Using XFree86
Participated in Linux network utility development
Participated in Linux other utility development

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated fair
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated fair
News group support rated fair
Installation procedures rated fair
Upgrade procedures rated fair
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated good
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated good
Sharing the network with Novell rated fair
Sharing the network with OS/2 rated fair
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

Other: SOURCE CODE (WHOHOO GO GNU!)

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: I do extensive Security work on dialin, and general pourpose LINUX based machines,

Q: A description of the site

A: It is a setup of a site deticated to providing UNIX security exploits so that manufacturers will release patches and acknolodge the problem based around the holes

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: WWW and DIALIN operations

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: I am making the history now :)

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: last summer, 1: it was free, 2: IRC influnced my decision

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: hehe yeah when I first got linux I spent 2 days trying to get it to install, I finaly figured out that when I had run fdisk I haden't written the partition info, but that was my goof.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: yes, we are putting powerd by linux banners at the bottom of every page soon, I recomend it to everyone I know

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: Frendiler, I have worked with older systems, and find linux to be more compatable (hehe I am currently using an Ardent Titan, and let me tell you, it isn't compatable with squat)

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: I plan on using applix ware in the near future

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: I wrote my own server software.

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: yes it is a funky NFS kind of backup server that I wrote.

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: hehe, yeah there is one in ext2 fs, if you haven't allready heard about it, e-mail me, I'll send you a list of about 2k if you realy want em, just read the source code and you'll be fine is all I can say, and keep a close eye on permissions on your dotfiles.

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: I am hoping for more comrcial serious use applications in graphics. I personaly am working on a Mathmatical Package called Ginkgo (yes a tree name that rips off from maple).

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Yes, linux is an incredible idea, I am very excited about what the future for linux

Q: Do you have further comments, or suggestions for Linux administrators?

A: hrrm, I'd say watch were you put your stuff on your system keep ogranized, make sure you know what is and needs to be, and doesn't need to be running on your system

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\122

Privacy: level 3
Current kernel: 1.2.13
Oldest kernel: 1.2.13
Used Slackware 3.0, rated good
Used Red Hat 4.0, rated good
Used Debian 1.2, rated good
Used Caldera 1.0, rated good
Used Yggdrasil 1.0, rated fair
Used Linux Universe 2.0, rated good
Used Complete Linux Kit 2.0, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 1
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 3
Number of Un*x clients: 1
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 5
Average uptime: 100 days
Longest uptime: 100 days
Average E-mail messages/day: 25
Maximum E-mail messages/day: 60
Average http hits/day: 60
Maximum http hits/day: 250
WWW server: Apache

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated good
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated good
Upgrade procedures rated good
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated good
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated good
Sharing the network with Novell rated good
Sharing the network with OS/2 rated good
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

WWW sites: www.linux.org
Netnews: comp.os.linux.*
CDROM's: Any of the more recent Linux archive dist CD sets (Take your pick- I got 'em!)
Books: Yggdrasil's published version of the How-to's and LDP manuals (Linux Bible)
Magazines: Linux Journal

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: System Admin for our internet services gateway...

Q: A description of the site

A: Development of imaging solutions. Mixture of Win 3.11, Win95, and WinNT systems on end-users' desks. The Linux box provides the company with it's WWW server at at this time as well as the in-bound mail processing server.

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: The WWW server and mail gateway is a critical aspect of the company's marketing and is the critical source of off-hours technical support for our products.

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: Established 2 or so years ago (Before I inherited it...) when the powers that be determined that the company needed an Internet presence but could not afford the expense of the Microsoft based solutions. We've had one hardware failure since the inception of the system back a year ago.

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: It was chosen because of expense- it was able to provide the services needed by the problem set while using old, outdated hardware in the process.

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: None that could be attributed to Linux. We have had a SCSI disk failure in the last year of operation.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: Me, I intend on doing that. However, the powers that be seem to be enamoured with MS and thier expensive, inefficient, and insecure systems solutions. I would replace all the NT boxes in the network with Linux boxes running Notes under iBCS (If the SCO binaries will work under those conditions) and Samba for file and print services.

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: Others? Hmph. Harder to install, harder to manage, and harder to use for the most part.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: ApplixWare- Yes. Netscape Gold- Yes.

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: Nada.

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: No. Full backups wednesday and friday of every week.

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: Not that I know of at this time.

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: Full Win-32 execution support. 3-D Accelerator support in X. Linux GGI.

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: YES.

Frank C. Earl
Software Engineer
Diamond Head Software

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\123

Privacy: level 5
Current kernel: 2.0
Oldest kernel: 1.2
Used Slackware 2, rated fair
Used Red Hat 4.0, rated fair
Used S.u.S.E. 4, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 1
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 1
Number of Un*x clients: 1
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 10
Other clients: 0
Average uptime: 1 days
Longest uptime: 1 days
WWW server: Netscape
Using XFree86
Participated in Linux other utility development

Linux information rated fair
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated fair
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated fair
News group support rated fair
Installation procedures rated fair
Upgrade procedures rated poor
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated fair
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated good
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated good
Sharing the network with Novell rated good
Sharing the network with OS/2 rated good
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: I basically maintain a small Linux/Un*x network at my school to work on some more advanced Computer Science projects, including XWindows programming. The school admins turned out to be rather against doing a lot of Un*x, so I am on my own and can do whatever I want on my servers.

Q: A description of the site

A: My site is located at my school and its main purpose is providing a platform for Un*x and XWindows programming in C++. It also shows the school that there's something faster than Novell 4.2...

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: My hardware. I love screwing around with computer hardware (tuning, tuning), so sometimes my server doesn't come up because of some messy hardware config problems.

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: My server has been up and running for more than two years, but it has only been used in this network for about seven months. The clients in the net are also about 7 months old.

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: I chose Linux four years ago. I had become more and more frustrated with the reliability of Windoze, especially from the programmer's side, so I decided to do something better.

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: Almost never. It was a pain to get Linux running for the first time, but that was four years ago. The RedHat installation is actually just amazing, and it runs almost as smoothly as a (clean) Win95 installation. In contrast to Linux, though, Win95 installations sometimes just don't want to install, so there (again) Linux is better. The implementation of kernel patches is a bit nasty.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: I'll probably set up a new server for the school newspaper's www server (my own server sometimes reboots to Windoze [urgs]). I might also get my school to use Linux as their web server.

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: I don't have much experience with other nixes, but from what I heard from my dad who is a sysadmin of a German research institute I can say that Linux probably is better than plenty other systems.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: I don't use any commercial packages with Linux because all my desktop stuff is still done under Windoze as the school network is Windoze. I'm completely satisfied with the programming environment that a plain Linux offers.

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: Get a lot of RAM and get experience with Linux...

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: No.

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: There are probably many, but I don't care about security on my server (yet) because there's nothing REALLY important on it. The important stuff gets backed up anyway, and who would hack a school server? There aren't even grades on it. :)

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: I expect to have programs running that provide "visual" programming IDEs, like AppBuilder or Delphi. I'm pretty sure that those will come up because I am working on one. If you know about anyone who would be interested in that (helping/using/buying) I would appreciate you telling me that.

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Sure, it's THE system for me. I don't have the money for BeOS computers right now, so I'll definitely stick to Linux for a long time, especially because of all the projects that I have running under Linux.

Q: Do you have further comments, or suggestions for Linux administrators?

A: Anyone know about GOOD graphical config tools? Or better, does anyone want those? I can write them for you if there is any interest.

Robin Giese

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\124

Privacy: level 1
Current kernel: 2.0.29
Oldest kernel: 0.11
Used Slackware 4, rated fair
Used Red Hat 4.1, rated good
Used Caldera 4.1, rated good
Used Info-Magic 4.1, rated fair
Used SLS ?, rated fair
Used DEC-Alpha 4.0, rated fair

Number of Linux servers: 11
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 11
Number of Un*x clients: 4
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 5
Other clients: 0
Average uptime: 40 days
Longest uptime: 120 days
Average E-mail messages/day: 9000
Maximum E-mail messages/day: 25000
Average http hits/day: 1500000
Maximum http hits/day: 1800000
Average FTP Mb/day: 50
WWW server: Apache
WWW server: squid
Using XFree86
Using Accelerated X
Participated in Linux network utility development
Participated in Linux other utility development
Using Mini SQL (msql)

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated fair
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated fair
Upgrade procedures rated fair
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated fair
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated fair
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated fair
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

Netnews: comp.os.linux.announce

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: Manage and admin a commercial ISP

Q: A description of the site

A: Provide network services to our customers

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: Reliability

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: >From day one. We had a lot of experience using Linux in corporate environments.

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: Some hardware incompatibilites and kernel bugs.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: Yes. Most of our future server purchases will be for Linux.

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: Comparable, but Linux does not yet have the performance stats packages that I have used on other systems.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: WordPerfect.

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: Amanda across the entire site.

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: IPv6

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Yes

Ed Landa
VP Engineering

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\125

Privacy: level 1
Current kernel: 2.0.18
Oldest kernel: .99
Used Slackware 3.0, rated poor
Used Red Hat 4.0, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 1
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 3
Number of Un*x clients: 10
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 8
Average uptime: 10 days
Longest uptime: 25 days
Average http hits/day: 5000
WWW server: Apache
Using Mini SQL (msql)

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated fair
Performance rated fair
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated fair
News group support rated fair
Installation procedures rated fair
Upgrade procedures rated fair
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated fair
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated fair
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated fair

WWW sites: www.redhat.com

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: I use linux at home as my primary os and at work for various tasks

Q: A description of the site

A: Our linux box handles all of our server monitoring as well as generating web usage reports for our customers.

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: Monitoring server statistics

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: I chose linux because there is a ton of software available for it that accomadates the tasks I have for it.

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: no, I had all of those at home. :P getting yp/nis to run under redhat4.0 was a pain.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: yes, new user workstations will most likely be linux boxes

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: It's almost as good, some things don't seem to work quite as well (ie nfs yp) but for my application that did not play a roll

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: I don't use any

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: nothing really.... I keep backups of all of the programs we run on our netapp

andrew williams
systems engineer

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\126

Privacy: level 6
Current kernel: 2.1.29
Oldest kernel: 0.69a
Used Slackware 3.1, rated good
Used Red Hat 4.1, rated fair
Used Info-Magic 4.1, rated good
Used DEC-Alpha 4.1, rated good
Used Apple+OSF dr2, rated fair

Number of Linux servers: 15
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 24
Number of Un*x clients: 8
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 150
Other clients: 3
Average uptime: 30 days
Longest uptime: 248 days
Average http hits/day: 3500
Maximum http hits/day: 9910
Average FTP Mb/day: 845
WWW server: Apache
Using XFree86
Participated in Linux kernel development

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated fair
News group support rated fair
Installation procedures rated good
Upgrade procedures rated good
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated good
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated good
Sharing the network with Novell rated good
Sharing the network with OS/2 rated fair
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

Mailing lists: linux-*@vger

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: Responsible for maintaining all aspects of system activity.

Q: A description of the site

A: Providing network support (mail, file sharing, web, etc) to an intranet of 16,000 users as well as internte connectivity

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: User e-mail

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: Migration from WANG to IBM VM/CMS to OpenVMS to Linux & Digital Unix

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: I have been watching linux since the early 0.x releases out of personal intrest. When we finally got orders to "Go Unix", it was a natural.

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: I would not consider Linux stable before the late 1.3.x series, or 1.2.13. Since the release of 2.0.0, I have had no problems.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: Currently working with software vendor to move HP-UX accounting product to Linux.

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: It's more stable, more efficient, and more pleasant than any other Unix I have used. Our site is down to 1 Solaris PC from 25, go figure.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: Playing with Digital UNIX binaries under Linux/AXP

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: Moved away from Adaptec SCSI to BusLogic

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\127

Privacy: level 2
Current kernel: 2.0.29
Oldest kernel: 1.2.1
Used Slackware dr2, rated fair
Used Red Hat dr2, rated fair
Used Info-Magic dr2, rated fair

Number of Linux servers: 4
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 5
Number of Un*x clients: 0
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 25
Other clients: 0
Average uptime: 60 days
Longest uptime: 120 days
Average dial-in users/day: 1
Average E-mail messages/day: 100
Maximum E-mail messages/day: 100
Average http hits/day: 00
Maximum http hits/day: 0
Using XFree86
Using MetroX
Using foxpro

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Installation procedures rated poor
Upgrade procedures rated poor
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated fair
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated good
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated fair

WWW sites: ww.redhat
Mailing lists: linux-kernel, linux-net, linux-ppp
CDROM's: redhat, slakcware
Books: Linux network adminstrator
Magazines: Linux Journal

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: I do general system administration. I am a physcian and linux is stable enough to do this in my spare time.

Q: A description of the site

A: Large medical database serving 12000 patients and 25 doctors, nurses, and mid level practiioners.

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: if the server is down, the database is not operational, and much critical patient information is not available.

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: linus + samba for 2 years. upgrades to motherboards and networking.

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: two years ago, worked, stable and inexpensive.

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: upgrades are painful. upgrade to 2.0.x need new scsi controller drivers, and the author was very helpful in making it stable. Still some problems with the tulip.c 100BT driver, but is really quite stable.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: Eventually moving the database to oracle and then movign the one software package running on SCO unix to linux.

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: quite stable. excellent support. requires more time to screw around than other unixes.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: server with samba only.

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: 1 ) mirror the data on sco unix. 2) multiple servers 3 ) regular backups.

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: daily for all data.

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: i am sure there are lots.

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: 1) SMP processing. 2) iBCS fully developed 3) oracle supported port to linux ( I can dream can't I)

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: yes

Q: Do you have further comments, or suggestions for Linux administrators?

A: be prepared to spend more time setting it up. you will learn lots and it is really worth the effort.

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\129

Current kernel: 2.0.27
Oldest kernel: 1.2
Used Red Hat 4.1, rated good
Used Yggdrasil Fall, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 10
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 12
Average uptime: 1 days
Longest uptime: 1 days
Using XFree86

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated good
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated good
Upgrade procedures rated good
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated good
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

Mailing lists: linux-admin

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: Our network is more peer/peer--no real master server. I manage all user accounts, rationalize all hosts so users may work on any machine, provide backups, add new hardware, etc. I also install and maintain our key application programs as well as local tools.

Q: A description of the site

A: All users are vulnerability analysts and 3-D modelers. PC Linux boxes surround our nucleus of two primary SGI workstations. Most work is with inhouse or government-provided software.

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: Availability of workstations during working day--all analysts work almost exclusively on a worksation.

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: Started Un*x business on two SGI's. Added Linux PC workstations as the workload increased.

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: Chose Linux in late 1994 as I became familiar with it at home. I was chosen both as a personal challenge and because I saw it as an inexpensive way to greatly leverage our company's computer budget.

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: Growing pains plus some hardware problems as corporate finance office insisted on buying equipment without listening to me.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: Yes. More workstations are being added. I am lobbying for a DEC Alpha as a super server.

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: In the main, I like it better than SUNOS or IRIX.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: I have used Xinside, but have had problems with it and now use only XFree86 3.2.

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: Standardization of setup, centralization of management, planning to use GNU's cfengine.

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: Users backup to large SCSI disks on SGI's, then 4mm DAT is used to backup SGI's on weekly basis.

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: I haven't broken code for how to get automatic logoff after a certain period of inactivity.

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: Hardware-wise, we plan to add more storage devices. Fast ethernet, optical drives, scanners, etc., are all possibilities. Distributed processing and SMP are intriguing possibilities which have great applicability in our line of work (much background processing and

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: raytracing).

Q: Do you have further comments, or suggestions for Linux administrators?

A: I believe the definitive Linux network administration guide is still to be written. I have learned lots from the HowTos in the Linux Bible (Yggdrasil), but sometimes I believe I'm the only one who has had problems with the rsh commands, logins, etc.

Tom Browder
Senior Analyst
browder@eglin.af.mil
ASI Systems International

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\140

Current kernel: 2.0.0
Oldest kernel: 1.1.59
Used Slackware 3.11, rated good
Used Info-Magic 1.0.5, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 1
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 1
Number of Un*x clients: 1
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 30
Other clients: 0
Average uptime: 30 days
Longest uptime: 60 days
Average http hits/day: 100
Maximum http hits/day: 300
Average FTP Mb/day: 10
WWW server: Apache
Using XFree86

Linux information rated fair
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated good
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated fair
Upgrade procedures rated good
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated fair
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated fair
Sharing the network with Novell rated fair
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: I administer the apache httpd and a wuftpd servers and I don't have problems with them. In 1 year there was only one crash.

Q: A description of the site

A: It sits in a library in our high school, without ups or anything like that. On a power loss, it just comes back up and I hope it will continue to do so, as we won't get the ups for a year or so... It is primarily a web server, but many students use it for ftp and mail services.

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: It receives mail for the school and therefore should be up all the time.

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: It was brought up on april 96 and was downes during sumer holiday because of stupid administration of the school, but now it has quite an important role among the computer enthusiasts in our school, so it is now up most of time.

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: I experimented with it at home and found it remarkably reliable... It performs very well under heavy load, better than any other system I used (os/2, NT and win95, and even DOS).

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: Only the lpr security hole. After that, I found out about these things and now everything has been set up fairly secure.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: We might get two more machines, and they will certainly run linux.

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: It is easier to set up and use than FreeBSD, and our school does not have the resources to buy a sun or a DEC alpha station.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: No commercial software.

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: it doesn't really have to be robust.

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: No

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: lpr, as the first one I experienced... Anyway, the site is never secure, so keep reading security announces.

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: a more powerful connectivity with microsoft networking, IPv6 :)

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: No. Linux is the future.

Q: Do you have further comments, or suggestions for Linux administrators?

A: Keep administering it...

Jure Koren
student
Jure.Koren@guest.arnes.si
none

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\142

Current kernel: 2.0.27
Oldest kernel: 1.2.8
Used Slackware ??, rated fair
Used Red Hat 4.1, rated good
Used Yggdrasil Fall, rated poor
Used MKLinux Pre-release, rated good
Used DEC-Alpha Pre-release, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 10
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 13
Number of Un*x clients: 0
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 50
Other clients: 2
Average uptime: 150+ days
Longest uptime: 300+ days
Average E-mail messages/day: 5000+
Maximum E-mail messages/day: 4000+
Average http hits/day: 8000+
Maximum http hits/day: 14000
WWW server: Apache
WWW server: AOLserver
Using XFree86
Using MetroX
Using Xinside
Participated in Linux network utility development
Participated in Linux other utility development
Using Mini SQL (msql)

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated fair
Software support rated good
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated good
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated poor
Upgrade procedures rated poor
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated good
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated good
Sharing the network with Novell rated good
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated fair

WWW sites: www.dejanews.com
Netnews: all kinds
Magazines: Linux Journal

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: Web development.

Q: A description of the site

A: Consultancy company. Many of the servers are on clients sites. Data minning, web development, custom databases, intranets, mail routing, firewalls.

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: Stabiltiy and reliability.

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: Various histories depending on site. Most started out as low end machines, but have migrated to higher end machines, including Alpha.

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: Sept. '95. Cheap, reliable, completer enviroment, including server source code and good hardware support

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: Hardware compatiblity is always a problem. Non-cooperative hardware vendors is the biggest problem. Installation is always a huge deal, as is changing server configurations.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: We would like to have a distributed password/authentication system. Also, we are thinking of replacing our Novell servers with Linux

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: More up to date, better security, better support, wider range of software

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: Linux CDE, Netscape, metroX, Red Hat, ApplixWARE

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: Custom kernels, carefull hardware selection, over-powering machines.

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: Networked backups using NFS

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: Not really, other than the well document ones

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: Distributed configuration database (similar to NetInfo on NeXT), distributed passwords, socket level encryption, Visual IDE's

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Yes

Chris Maresca
Lead Internet Developer
ckm@eainet.com
Ellsworth Associates, Inc.

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\143

Privacy: level 5
Current kernel: 2.0.27
Oldest kernel: 1.2.13
Used Slackware 96, rated fair
Used Red Hat 4.0,, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 8
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 8
Number of Un*x clients: 0
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 120
Other clients: 13
Average uptime: 30 days
Longest uptime: 97 days
Average E-mail messages/day: 10,000
Maximum E-mail messages/day: 30,000
Average http hits/day: 300
Maximum http hits/day: 4000
WWW server: Apache
Using XFree86

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated fair
Software support rated fair
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated good
News group support rated good
Installation procedures rated good
Upgrade procedures rated good
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated fair
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated fair
Sharing the network with Novell rated poor
Sharing the network with OS/2 rated poor
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

WWW sites: www.linux.org
Mailing lists: redhat-list.redhat.com

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: I adminster and run an internet service provider

Q: A description of the site

A: It is set up to handle the high load demands of being an internet service provider

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: The ability to remain up 24/7

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: Started out with linux... will die with linux

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: Choose linux from the get go.. Summer 96 because I was familiar with it, its stable, and cheap.

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: Some problems with network cards.. But besides that it went fine.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: Yes I will be adding an Irc server later this week

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: I have used, solaris, sunos, and ultrix. Linux woops um all.

Q: What commercial software packages do you use with Linux, and are you satisfied?

A: none

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: Patches, patches, and more patches:)

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: No.. standard unix tar commands to 1 central backup server.

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: File permissions are generally unsecure out of the box.

Q: What new technologies are you expecting for future Linux development?

A: I would like to see greater raid support

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Yes!! I have been around since 1.2.13 and I plan on being around for the next 100 revisions also!

Q: Do you have further comments, or suggestions for Linux administrators?

A: Read everything you can get your hands on before posting to newsgroups or email lists... It will save you and everyone else lots of time.

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\144

Current kernel: slak
Oldest kernel: 1.0.something
Used Slackware 2.2.0, rated good
Used Red Hat 4.1, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 1
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 0
Number of Un*x clients: 2
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 4
Average uptime: 10 days
Longest uptime: +-60 days
Average dial-in users/day: 5
Average E-mail messages/day: +-15
Average http hits/day: 5
Maximum http hits/day: +-20
Average FTP Mb/day: 20
WWW server: Apache

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated fair
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated good
Installation procedures rated good
Upgrade procedures rated good
Un*x compatibility rated good
Un*x 'look & feel' rated good

CDROM's: slackware
Books: Linux Unleashed (sams publishing)

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: 1992

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: just with scsi cd-rom configuration..

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: compared to dos,win,os/2.. excellent.. other unix OSs- extreemly good

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: tar file to CD-R

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: enough people do, besides.. when I do I'm ALWAYS to late I wanna find summink out too!

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: :)

Q: Do you have further comments, or suggestions for Linux administrators?

A: never use anything else, otherwise your work will become shit.. your customers will run away.. and you'll go bankrupt.

Russell
Student
russruss@io.com

Mission Critical Linux - answers5\145

Privacy: level 5
Current kernel: 2.0.27
Oldest kernel: 1.2.8
Used Slackware 1.2.8, rated fair
Used Red Hat 4.1, rated good
Used Caldera 4.1, rated good

Number of Linux servers: 5
Total number of Un*x servers (including Linux): 14
Number of Un*x clients: 1
Number of DOS/Windows clients: 47
Other clients: 5
Average uptime: 30 days
Longest uptime: 30 days
Average dial-in users/day: 1
Average E-mail messages/day: 120
Maximum E-mail messages/day: 48000
Average http hits/day: 8000
Maximum http hits/day: 17000
WWW server: Apache
Using MetroX

Linux information rated good
Reliability rated good
Robustness rated good
Performance rated good
Hardware support rated good
Software support rated fair
Project support rated good
Distributor support rated good
News group support rated fair
Installation procedures rated fair
Upgrade procedures rated fair
Un*x compatibility rated fair
Un*x 'look & feel' rated fair
Sharing the network with other Unix OS's rated good
Sharing the network with Windows NT rated poor
Sharing the network with Windows95 rated fair
Sharing the network with Novell rated fair
Contact with fellow Linux administrators rated good

WWW sites: www.linux.org
Books: O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
Magazines: Linux Journal
BBS's: bbs.annex.net

Q: A description of the work in relation to the Linux servers

A: I'm the Systems Administrator for five Linux servers in a large company. My responsibilities include my location as well as a few others.

Q: A description of the site

A: We are an telephone information service (audiotext) syndicate and provider who is expandind into web audio (RealAudio).

Q: What is the most critical aspect of your site?

A: FTP. We send our audio content to several other sites. If our FTP server dies, our business dies.

Q: What is the history of the site?

A: We've been running email on Linux for almost a year and a half now. It's only been in the last three months that we've started internet distribution of audio to save money on satellite transmission.

Q: Why and when did you choose to use Linux?

A: 1. It's free. 2. It's about as well supported as the SunSoft Unix I'm running on my other Unix boxes. 3. It's free.

Q: Did you experience any failures or hurdles?

A: Duh! It's a computer. There were many failures and hurdles. None, however, were Linux-specific.

Q: Do you intend to expand the use of Linux at your site, and how?

A: We are looking to spend $25,000 on a new firewall. We are seriously considering spending $10,000 on a SuperLinuxBox {insert dramatic music here} and another $10,000 to send a few of us computer-types to school. We'd come in under budget, have a comparable product and have advanced the knowledgeb-base of the staff.

Q: How do you compare Linux with other Unices you use and have used?

A: I prefer it to both AIX and SunSoft Interactive.

Q: What have you done to increase the robustness of Linux at your site?

A: I treat it as a real Unix system as opposed to a hobbiest's toy.

Q: Are you using any special backup procedures?

A: Nope.

Q: Are there security holes in Linux you want to warn about?

A: No.

Q: Are you excited about the future of Linux?

A: Uhh... I've got wood for Linux.

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Last modified: 11:45 26/7/1997