Recommended Server OS for IPB

[Gauravk]

We have been running our current server on Cent OS 6 from last few years and now we are in a process to migrate to a bigger server and possibly Cent OS 7 as support for Cent OS 6 is finishing soon.

Is there any preferred, recommended or advisable OS for IPB - only website or it doesn't matter?

Debian, Ubuntu Server, CentOS 7, CloudLinux 7, Gentoo, ArchLinux, OpenSUSE

Thanks in advance.

[ASTRAPI]

Hello Gauravk

Invision will work on any system that can run a Web server, Php, Mysql e.t.c so it will work on all 🙂

My recommendation is to use Centos as you will find a lot of info online if you need any help and it is very stable and well known as recommended OS for web servers.

A lot of scripts also are developed for Centos. If you are using a ready to use solution like a control panel just check which version it supports. Centos 7 or 8.

If you are using a custom Installation then you may prefer to go with Centos 8 as it will be a bit faster due to the newer gcc and a few more libraries that will help in performance.

Centos 7 is fine and i use it also....

Have a nice day 🙂

Edited November 4, 2020 by ASTRAPI

[Makoto]

It mostly comes down to personal preference and how much you prioritize running up-to-date software over a potential increase in long-term stability 

The big two are CentOS and Debian. Personally, I use Debian as I find it to be a better balance between being modern enough while also being very stable and easy to work with. CentOS' release cycle is much slower, so much so that I've had to deal with software incompatibilities trying to manually compile things on said server systems. But if you don't mind using very old software packages, it's a decent choice.

Gentoo / ArchLinux are not ideal for production server systems. These are bleeding edge distros where things can break at a moment's notice. They're more suited for desktop use by people who are very familiar with Linux and/or want to learn. But due to their bleeding edge nature, they are not stable.

[ASTRAPI]

Most of the distros are similar and all have their own pros and cons.

If you are administering your own server, the most important factor is the ease of use and that depends on your usage experience and familiarity with the distro.

The rule of thumb is, choose the distro that you are most comfortable with and have the most experience in.

It will give you less trouble while administering it.

Edited November 4, 2020 by ASTRAPI

[Makoto]

That's true, excluding distros like Gentoo and Arch Linux 😉

Even as someone who used Arch Linux as a desktop OS for many years and is intimately familiar with it, I would not use it on a server system where uptime is of any importance, as I know bleeding edge updates, no matter how comfortable you may be with them, can introduce radical breaking changes that result in downtime.

So, it's a mix of using what you're comfortable with and what is the best tool for the job. Debian, CentOS, RHEL are all examples of the right tools to use for server systems. CentOS is more often used in enterprise environments where stability is more important than having access to the latest software. Debian provides what I personally consider the best mix of being stable while still being reasonably up-to-date.

One thing to note is that CentOS doesn't really have a good upgrade path for their release cycles, and the general suggestion is to just make a fresh installation if you want to upgrade. Debian on the other hand provides an easy straightforward upgrade path so you can keep up-to-date with each new release cycle.

That's not saying it's impossible to upgrade CentOS, it's just generally done using unofficial/not well supported means.

This is fine again if your main focus is stability and you don't mind running software that is a bit older for the sake of stability over any potential improvements newer software releases may have (barring any security issues, as security patches are backported on both Debian and CentOS).

Both CentOS and Debian do support third-party repos which let you take advantage of more modern software releases, however. But you have to be careful not to go too overboard relying on these.

---

tl;dr if you're comfortable and happy with CentOS, it's probably best to stick with it on your next server. If you want to try something new that has a shorter release cycle, Debian is also a very solid choice.

Outside of these two, I wouldn't really recommend anything else. RHEL is generally only used in enterprise environments for their support. Ubuntu Server is.. okay I guess, but I rarely ever see it being used outside of temporary docker images and such.

Edited November 4, 2020 by Makoto

[ASTRAPI]

Ubuntu starts getting a bigger peace from the cake the past year but i still prefer the Centos minimal installation 🙂

You may need to check also the compatibility for various control panels.

For example if you want to use Cpanel then they support Centos and not Debian. So it's one way road.

The OS is something important but keep in mind, what you will install and how on the server is very important also.

Which Web server, php, Mysql e.t.c

 

Edited November 4, 2020 by ASTRAPI

[Runar]

12 hours ago, Makoto said:

Ubuntu Server is.. okay I guess, but I rarely ever see it being used outside of temporary docker images and such.

I've been running a community on Ubuntu Server for close to five years now, without any problems or hick-ups. Everything's been perfectly stable. I've also been using Ubuntu Server for personal projects for as long as I can remember, from hosting my personal file server and services to data-heavy professional projects.

This is not me attempting to claim that Ubuntu Server is the best choice, but just a comment to let people know it works fine and has been in use long before Docker got popular.

Edited November 5, 2020 by Runar

[Makoto]

34 minutes ago, Runar said:

Yes, this is the only correct answer.

I'd again reiterate that it's not necessarily true. If someone only had experience using Windows, I'd not suggest they use Windows server just because they're familiar with it 

In this case, if you're familiar and comfortable with CentOS, it's a good choice as CentOS is a valid option.

There are right and wrong tools for the job, it's not just about what you have experience with. My advice here was perfectly valid in that regard so don't try and dismiss it by saying this is the "only correct answer" 😉

Edited November 5, 2020 by Makoto

[Runar]

20 minutes ago, Makoto said:

There are right and wrong tools for the job, it's not just about what you have experience with. My advice here was perfectly valid in that regard so don't try and dismiss it by saying this is the "only correct answer" 😉

Of course, and it wasn't my intention at all to dismiss your advice! My reply to @ASTRAPI was meant as a separate reply, not related to the reply I gave you. I see how it might be misinterpreted, though, so I've removed it from my post.