[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: kernel version




Ana Paula Sabelli wrote:
Hello, I´m installing a server for an ISP, we had Red Hat and I decided to change to Debian. I installed from floppies and then from the internet, the kernel I have actually is 2.2.20-compact. My question is if I have to upgrade the kernel. Sorry for the question, but i´m new to debian. TIA Ana Paula

I like to keep my kernels within a point release or two from the current stable release. I tend to wait to do a kernel upgrade on critical machines until we're doing some other maintenance, just to avoid too much downtime (although if we have to upgrade memory on a web server, for instance, I may also upgrade the kernel on the email server, since customers just remember that "The Server" will be down).

My keeping fairly recent, I avoid any little "gotchas" like "oh... well that driver was flakey up until the 2.2.17_linus_college_roommate_rc5 kernel". Also lets me sleep better with respect to security problems and performance enhancements.

Typically, I'll roll my own kernel immediately after installing the machine. That way, I start out with just the features and modules I need, and the "best" kernel. I grap the source from kernel.org, and use the Debian tools to build (very nice, keeps you from breaking things badly). See the following link for info on Debian's tools for custom kernels:

http://www.debian.org/doc/FAQ/ch-kernel.en.html#s-customkernel

--Rich

_________________________________________________________

Rich Puhek
ETN Systems Inc.
2125 1st Ave East
Hibbing MN 55746

tel:   218.262.1130
email: rpuhek@etnsystems.com
_________________________________________________________



Reply to: