Your favorite server apps (firewall, DHCP, etc.)
Since I'm looking for a job as a Linux IT consultant, I need a portfolio of favorite server applications - firewall, DHCP server, mail server, print server, etc. Just as I have favorite distros for the desktop (Puppy Linux, Linux Mint, antiX/Swift Linux) and favorite desktop applications (like OpenOffice and Sylpheed), I should have favorite server applications.
I can tell you about one application I don't like: the Firehol firewall program. It's pre-installed in antiX Linux. Every time I boot up or start this program, I get an error message about get-iana.sh. I did a Google search and tried some of the suggestions I found but still couldn't get Firehol working properly. I'd rather use something that doesn't require so much tweaking. I'm looking for an alternative for Swift Linux (www.swiftlinux.org, the distro I started).
I'd like to hear what you use and why. Some of the criteria I'm looking for are:
1. Security: Any client I work for will need a very secure system, ESPECIALLY one that does financial work, does business over the Internet, or has intellectual property.
2. Stability and reliability: Since a downed server affects the whole company and not just one employee, I understand this is of paramount importance as well.
3. Popular: If an application is widely used, then there's more help available, and the more likely the Debian developers are to support it.
4. Consistent from one version to the next: Since I'm obligated to keep everything up-to-date for clients, I want an application that doesn't change that radically from one version to the next. I know better than to expect a smooth upgrade process for even Debian Stable, much less other distros.
5. Well-supported by the Debian developers: I don't want to use a particular application, only to find when I upgrade that it's no longer supported.
6. Easy to use: This criteria is the reason I don't use minimal Debian on the desktop. Of course, I may have to make some sacrifices on this criterion in favor of more of the above.
7. Lightweight operation: I want something reasonably lightweight, but I'm willing to compromise on this criterion in favor of more of the above.
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Jason Hsu <jhsu802701@jasonhsu.com>
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