[Asterisk-Users] Linux Distribution for Asterisk server use

[Oliver Rath]

Hi TWV,

> My question is about which Linux distribution to choose for Asterisk. 
> (/me holds breath) OK, hopefully you’re still reading, because 
> whatever you were thinking now, you’re thinking wrong! ;)
>
> Still, my question was not answered! Mainly because the same answer 
> always came back: “Use the one you are most comfortable with”. Well, I 
> already knew that (linux is linux), but it doesn’t apply to my 
> situation at all!
>
> [..]
>
> Having explained all this, it should sound logical that I chose the 
> AsteriskWin32 version for learning Asterisk. Of course, I realize that 
> we can’t put any production system on AsteriskWin32… So before we can 
> go live with Asterisk servers and services, this last issue remains to 
> be resolved: what Linux distribution should I choose (and learn)?
>
> As I explained, I see Linux merely as a “necessary evil” (because of 
> my lack of knowledge) for running Asterisk. So I’m asking about the 
> best linux distribution only to put up asterisk servers. I’m NOT 
> asking for the easiest one or so (I always enjoy challenges and 
> learning new things), I’m asking for the best choice to build a 
> carrier grade telecom system, having to support thousands of users 
> each and every day. So it must be reliable and easy to maintain and 
> upgrade. We are going to use Asterisk in our own datacenters 
> (supporting nation-wide services), as well as in servers that we sell 
> to corporations and callcenters for use as an advanced PBX/CTI system).
>
> So it should be clear that I’m not talking about a hobby or home 
> deployment here. Our central asterisk systems for example will have to 
> manage DS3 or (lots of) E1 trunks…
>
We use a special adaprion of Gentoo-Linux with Asterisk compiled against 
mlibc. I think, for professional use it is the best way to make your own 
distribution. However, there are asterisk-specialized Linuxdistris in 
the net at all. If you need a distri for beginning, but not for gamers, 
i would recommend debian.

Hth,

Oliver