[Asterisk-Users] Linux Distribution for Asterisk server use

[Andrew Kohlsmith]

On Sunday 03 July 2005 02:45, TWV wrote:
> 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!

Then you don't understand or aren't willing to accept the answer.

> or application platforms to linux (let alone my workstation).  What's more,
> I have NEVER come in to contact with linux/unix before, so I have never
> worked with ANY distribution.

Ah, so there is no distribution that you are most comfortable with.  :-)

> 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)?

It's all about time and expense balance.  If you go with one of the commercial 
distributions (redhat, suse, etc.) they will have courses for you to take and 
certifications you can use to gauge your understanding and basically they 
have all the same analogues that you see in the windows world.  There's 
someone you can call and pay for support.  This is probably the most stable, 
least bleeding edge way to do things.

However, if you're going to go down this path, why not just call up Digium and  
make use of their Asterisk Business Edition package?  This is *exactly* what 
it's for!

By and large, Linux is linux but it's the details that will hang you.  Startup 
scripts, package management, documentation, support...  these all vary from 
distro to distro and saying that Linux is Linux is like saying Windows is 
Windows...  Win31 was quite different from Win95 which was subtly different 
from Win98 which is different from Win2k and XP, and even the latter two have 
subtle gotchas.  And we haven't even touched on 2000 vs 2003 vs the server 
edition of both and so on...

Personally I use Slackware which is one of the oldest maintained distributions 
but it's not known for its ease of use, moreso for its simplicity.

What it sounds like is that you want Asterisk Business Edition on one of their 
supported distributions, and then get yourself some training on that 
distribution.   It's likely the most sane, stable way to deploy Asterisk for 
those who have the money to trade for time.

-A.