[asterisk-users] Please advise: Asterisk on Dell PowerEdge 1750 w/ hyperthreading

[Gordon Henderson]

On Wed, 30 May 2007, bu at westnet.com.au wrote:

> Hi Gordon,
>
> Any reason you mention Debian? Is it just preference? Or...?

I've been using it since 0.96r1 ... ie. about 12-13 years?!? I have many 
"LAMP" type servers running "stuff" which are as rock solid as a rock type 
thing...

Eg. the server I'm typing this email on:
  13:16:13 up 398 days,  3:23,  2 users,  load average: 0.06, 0.12, 0.10
another:
  13:16:33 up 587 days, 23:18,  1 user,  load average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00
anod another - note the load average )-:
  13:22:19 up 90 days, 23:39,  1 user,  load average: 3.57, 3.99, 3.17
(that's a very busy vBulletin server - just say no!)


But I don't always use Debian packages - I tend to treat it as the base 
system, then if the supplied packages aren't what I need, then I compile 
them myself. This "habit" stems from years of supporting different systems 
- SunOs/Solaris, *BSD, HP, IRIX, etc. although I have to say in recent 
years, it's been almost exclusively Debian only...

I always compile up a static kernel tuned to the exact hardware (zaptel, 
etc. modules are the exception these days) and off I go. That's not for 
everyone though, but it's a habit I've gotten into ....

> I'm a Debian person, myself. We have * 1.2 on a PowerEdge 2950 with CentOS 
> (which I dislike). We got it commercially done and it's under warranty, 
> although I don't think they'd mind if we muck around with the OS - they'd 
> probably just charge if they have to do some servicing. I'd make sure I have 
> system image backups.

I've run 2950's as file/dns/nis/samba servers in the past. (for clients) 
Not tried asterisk on them though. Etch ought to boot OK, Sarge won't boot 
directly (lack of network/disk drivers in the ageing kernel in Sarge) 
unless you use one of the Dell specific loaders. I prefer Asus servers for 
my own stuff.

> If I had my way / spare time / etc I'd put Debian... but for the risk of 
> wrecking a perfectly working, production system.

Quite! If it ain't broke ...

(although there are some who might argue that RH/FC/CentOs are broken by 
design ;-)

Gordon