No, that's not a typo. Sure, Red Hat's flagship Linux is at the 6.2 version, but that doesn't mean development is over on the 5.x series.
From its performing OS to the cutting-edge open source projects included with it, OpenSUSE 12.1 truly has something for everyone. But is it really flawless?
For admins who work with Debian-based systems, the basics dpkg and APT's tools are old hat. For a richer user experiences, like knowing which packages have release-critical bugs, hog the most disk space and so on, Debian Goodies is a set of utilities that's good to know.
Tags:
open source tool, tip of the trade, Debian, Linux, OS
If you're short on cash but looking for a server to test operating systems and virtual environments or a flexible machine capable of being quickly reconfigured for testing purposes, consider building your own. Here's how.
Tags:
Linux, Linux server, OS, server hardware
A recent HP-commissioned Forrester Consulting survey finds this to indeed be the case for some enterprises holding fast to their OS of choice despite Linux's
steady move upstream. Are they the last holdouts or an indicator that UNIX still
has much to offer?
Tags:
open source, Unix server, Linux, server os, OS
The Novell acquisition moves forward. Is anyone wondering what the future of NetWare will be? Is there a future for NetWare?
Tags:
OS, Novell, open source
Want to deploy Linux on your servers without pulling your hair out? There may
soon be an app for that. A consortium of Linux developers representing the major distros is developing an app installer system that will allow users from any distro to browse an application store, read ratings, and click on a button to download and install an application -- much like Apple's model.
Tags:
Linux, app store, Red Hat, Apple, OS
10 predictions based on server trends and server hardware evolution. How accurate will they be?
Tags:
2011, OS, server hardware, SSD, hypervisor
One common administrative challenge in Windows environments involves configuring user-based credentials that provide arbitrary security context to non-core services. Active Directory schema extensions incorporated into Windows Server 2008 R2 introduced a new feature, managed service accounts, which eliminate a number of drawbacks associated with such configuration.
Tags:
Windows Server 2008, Active Directory, server os, OS, Windows Server 2008 R2
Not an expert on cron? No need to worry -- just use the Corntab site or its iPhone app.
Tags:
OS, open source server, Unix, Linux, cron
lsof is one of the most useful utilities for Linux and Unix systems. At its most basic, lsof can help identify which files are being used by any given application and which network ports are open.
Tags:
tip of the trade, OS, lsof, open source servers, utility
It's not unusual for a software release to trigger a hardware refresh. With the
release of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, many OEMs are counting on it.
Tags:
OS, Unix, RHEL, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, HP
Microsoft is nearly ready to release the first service pack for Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7.
Tags:
Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, OS, release candidate (RC), server virtualization
Apple's recent decision to deprecate Java is yet another spitball at its traditional customer base. As the Mac platform reinvents itself as a glorified games console for Apple's latest batch of customers to play non-violent games, edit home movies and run a selection of sanitized Apple-approved apps, it seems even less likely to gain a foothold in the enterprise.
Tags:
Apple, developers, Mac OS X, OS, Java
If you're having trouble figuring out why a program keeps crashing and burning, consider Strace, an easy-to-use diagnostic tool. More experienced users will find Strace handy for performance testing and more.
Tags:
OS, tip of the trade, open source tools, open source software, utility
With Ray Ozzie's departure leaving Microsoft rudderless and Apple all but exiting the computer market to concentrate on its i-devices, the future is not looking bright for these once unstoppable market leaders. The opposite holds true for the other server OS vendors, however.
Tags:
Linux, Mac OS X, OS, Windows Server, server os
Thanks to Windows, Mac OS X, Ubuntu, Fedora and the not-so-well-known (but no less notable) QNX, the server OS waters were choppier than usual this week. Here's some insight as to what's really going on.
Tags:
Windows, Ubuntu Server, Mac OS X, OS, Oracle
Is HP's emphasis on new HP-UX features aimed squarely at Oracle users indicative of a midlife crisis in a market with limited room for growth or much like a prudent bank manager sizing up the threats and opportunities for its UNIX?
Tags:
OS, Unix server, Unix, AIX, HP-UX
SSH's escape character may be one of its best kept secrets. Using '~' can suspend
a session as well as a host of other escape sequences. Learn how to get the most out of these open source software shortcuts.
Tags:
open source software, escape characters, open source, SSH, OS
Mutt and PuTTY are a great open source combo for managing mail, but they're not without their failings. Here's a quick tip for using PuTTY to fix problems with line-drawn characters in Mutt.
Tags:
OS, open source software, open source, mail server
FreeBSD may not be as popular or as well known as other operating systems, but that doesn't mean it's not reliable or robust enough for most enterprise tasks. See how it fares when taken out for a spin.
Tags:
review, FreeBSD, server review, Mac OS X, OS
When it comes to Windows server security, it's all about reaction time.
Tags:
security best practices, OS, Windows Server, Windows Server security, security
Gnome-do is an open source software solution to getting things done. The Gnome
application launcher enables users to specify particular actions to take on whatever
file or application they wish.
Tags:
tip of the trade, open source software, OS, Linux desktop, Gnome
Has Oracle replaced Microsoft as public enemy No. 1 when it comes to enterprise operating systems? Some in the OpenSolaris community believe so.
Tags:
Oracle, OpenSolaris, open source, OS, Microsoft
When using Bash, the decision to use single quotes or double quotes depends on exactly what you want to do. Find out what each does and when to use them.
Tags:
tip of the trade, open source, bash, open source software, OS
It's 2010, and you'd think server management would have reached new heights by now, but it hasn't -- Unless you've recently bought yourself a new pair of shoes.
Tags:
Data Center Management Software, data center management, data center, server management, OS
Oracle is investing in Sun's Unix and will use technologies from openSolaris as part of the next-generation release.
Tags:
Solaris, OpenSolaris, Oracle, Unix server, OS
The next generation of the popular BSD operating system is now available, providing stability and performance gains for open source software users.
Tags:
Unix server, ZFS, OS, FreeBSD, open source software
Most admins know WebDAV, but davfs2 isn't as well known. With this open source software tool, you can connect to WebDAV server as a regular filesystem, thus allowing applications that don't support WebDAV to access shared resources via WebDAV.
Tags:
open source software, OS, file system, tip of the trade, open source servers
Linux server developers and adopters keep it real. A real choice for your data center, that is.
Tags:
Linux server, OS, Ubuntu, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, linux os
For many enterprises, the choice of a server OS is a difficult one. While many companies don't want to pay too much for an open source server, they also want their vendor to remain in business. Unfortunately, the current model seems both unsustainable and unchanging.
Tags:
OS, open source software, open source server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Microsoft
Commandlinefu is a simple repository for storing and sharing shell commands with the rest of the world. Here are three new command-line one liners that stand out.
Tags:
OS, Linux, command line, vim
OS Roundup: When it comes to OS patches, Apple's model of 'ignorance is bliss,' is not the way to go; nor is Microsoft's regularly scheduled blitz. What is the best approach for both users and vendors?
Tags:
Microsoft, Apple, OS, Patch Tuesday, patches
Tip of the Trade: Type 'history' at the Bash command prompt,
and you'll get a list of your previous commands. Sure, you can scroll up and
down to find the ones you're looking for, but did you know there are faster ways
to find what you need as well as handy shortcuts to making use of them.
Tags:
history, bash, open source software, OS, tip of the trade
It's ironic -- Sun took great pains to license its open source OS, OpenSolaris,
and with it ZFS, under the ostensibly home-grown CDDL license. Now, with the plug pulled on OpenSolaris, the future looks grim for the popular and highly regarded ZFS. Unless it can be absorbed into the Linux kernel that Sun carefully positioned it to avoid.
Tags:
Linux, OpenSolaris, OS, ZFS, open source software
Tip of the Trade: If you find yourself using the same commands over and over between Vim session, it's time to consider permanently saving your macros.
Tags:
vim, OS, macro, open source software, tip of the trade
Tip of the Trade: With GoodReader, iPad meets open source,
and files can be shared between the popular tablet and a computer.
Tags:
Apache, open source, Debian, OS, iPad
OS Roundup: And found the sum of its parts is worth more than the whole. Despite claims to the contrary, Novell has put itself up for sale. Will anyone want its Linux OS?
Tags:
Red Hat Enterprise Linux, linux os, SUSE Linux, Novell, OS
Tip of the Trade: The Expect package found in Debian and Ubuntu is a powerful utility that can script interactive operations.
Tags:
open source server, OS, Ubuntu, open source software, Debian
We've looked at the basic principles behind Windows Server 2008 Directory Services and explained its categorization, which divides preferences into Windows Settings and Control Panel Settings. Now it's time to check out the common options that provide additional functionality and impact settings in both categories.
Tags:
Group Policy, OS, Windows, directory services, Windows Server 2008
If you work in a corporate IT shop, then Windows 7 is mostly likely in your future, and it may come sooner rather than later, according to a panel of financial and technology analysts queried by InternetNews.com.
Tags:
windows os, upgrade, Windows 7, OS, Microsoft
Tip of the Trade: VirtualBox makes it easy to set up and run virtual machines on your own desktop. It is not perfect, however, and by default, the guest VM is invisible to the host or any other machines on the network. Here's an easy way to relay instructions to it.
Tags:
OS, server virtualization, virtual machine, virtualbox
Under the terms of the deal, IBM will use Novell's SUSE Linux OS technology to build appliances for collaboration and business analytics applications.
Tags:
linux os, OS, IBM, Novell, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
OS Roundup: Microsoft appears to have woken up to the fact that free open source Office clones may be the thin end of a very slippery wedge. Its response is loud and clear: When it comes to operating systems, Microsoft intends to be a formidable competitor for some time to come.
Tags:
open source software, OS, Open Office, Ubuntu, Microsoft
OS Roundup: Are we heading back to an era where the OS is
once again tied to the hardware? Seems unlikely in this age of commodity x86
servers, yet increasingly, ISVs and OEMs are limiting what can run where.
Tags:
OS, Mac OS X, x86 servers, Solaris, Windows
Tip of the Trade: Backspace and delete may seem the same, but often they are not. This is particularly problematic when using Screen on OSX Terminal. Here are three easy fixes.
Tags:
Linux server, OS X, OS, screen, Mac OS X
OS Roundup: Is Oracle closing the door on Solaris in favor of Linux servers? Recent actions imply the company is determined to drive potential customers away from the UNIX offerings it acquired from Sun and into the arms of Red Hat and other enterprise Linux vendors.
Tags:
OS, Linux server, Solaris, Sun Microsystems, Oracle
Tip of the Trade: Want to use Grep without including some directories? Here's a simple, yet efficient way, for the open-source software to find what you're looking for.
Tags:
grep, tip of the trade, open-source software, OS, open-source
OS Roundup: Stockholders in the Linux OS company are dissatisfied
with its performance. Can Novell remedy the situation, or is a sale its best
option?
Tags:
OS, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Microsoft, Red Hat, Novell
Tip of the Trade: If you've ever felt the need to scribble notes on your PDFs without bringing dead trees into the equation, consider the open-source software, Okular, a KDE document reader that can read multiple document formats and allows the user to annotate files as she reads.
Tags:
OS, PDF, tip of the trade, Ubuntu, Ubuntu Server
Don't hold your breath waiting for the companies that sell these 10 products to add them to the open-source software rebellion, but in a perfect world, it could happen.
Tags:
OS, open-source software, Open-source Server, Microsoft, Apache
OS Roundup: What does an enterprise server OS look like in your perfect world? Find out how some real-world options -- from Linux to Unix to Windows to Mac OS X -- might stack up in a dream universe.
Tags:
Unix server, Mac OS X, Linux server, OS, server os
Tip of the Trade: Bash redirection is tricky. Here's a handy
cheat sheet for this open-source software utility.
Tags:
OS, Linux, open-source software, bash
Tip of the Trade: Anyone who has encountered the Perl @INC array in the context of a 'cannot find module' error knows the value of being able to see a list of directories on you Linux server. Here's how to access @INC and find obscurely located modules before they are lost.
Tags:
perl, OS, Linux server, Linux
OS Round Up: Despite the strength of backers Intel and Nokia, Meego has already fallen prey to a common open-source software pitfall -- a moronic name. Can it overcome its nomenclature handicap and help make Linux the OS of choice for mobile computing?
Tags:
mobile linux, Intel, Nokia, smartphone, OS
In Windows Server 2008, Group Policy Preferences simplifies client management to make it possible to reap the chief benefits of an Active Directory environment. The Control Panel Settings nodes in the Group Policy Management Editor makes this possible.
Tags:
Windows Server 2008, Active Directory, OS
Tip of the Trade: Readline is the library that handles Linux command-line input as well as input for applications. Most of the default settings work perfectly well, but some change the way tab-completion behaves and thus require modification.
Tags:
Linux, command line, readline, OS
Tip of the Trade: The flip-flop operator in Perl is quite useful for comparing arguments, but it does have some surprising quirks.
Tags:
perl, tip of the trade, Linux, OS
Tip of the Trade: Perl is a great tool for reading in information from
a file. Several useful special variables can be used to neaten up code or alter the default behavior when reading in records.
Tags:
programming language, Linux, OS, perl, programming
Tip of the Trade: Have typos in your email file names. Hey, it happens to the best of us! Normally, it's an easy fix, but if you have a file with a name starting -, it's not so easy. To fix this, you need an escape sequence for rm itself, not the shell.
Tags:
file management, OS
OS Roundup: Windows 7 launches in two days time. For many organizations its debut won't be welcome.
Tags:
Windows 7, OS, Windows, Windows 7 Professional
Although the development process has made Linus Torvald's job easier, more care must be taken to reduce bloat.
Tags:
kernel, Linus Torvalds, OS, Linux
Virtually Speaking: With the OS and hypervisor converging, the phrase 'heterogeneous data center' may soon have new meaning.
Tags:
Linux, VMware, Hyper-V, virtualization, OS
OS Roundup: As idyllic as it may seem, it's hard to see how any overly controlled and closed system, a la Apple, would ever triumph over an open system like that of Linux in the long term.
Tags:
Red Hat, OS, data center, Apple
