How should we approach the GNHLUG InternetServer project, from an administrative (not technical) standpoint?

This page is based largely on discussion which happened in a thread on the OrgList. Archive of thread here: http://www.mail-archive.com/gnhlug-org@mail.gnhlug.org/msg01254.html

Group effort

I (BenScott) would like this to be as much of a "group effort" as possible. In the words of BillMcGonigle, I would like this server to be "a shining city on a hill for Linux Done Right".

Benefits of a group approach:

• We have few people who know everything that we need
• We have few people, period
• Learning experience for those involved
• Knowledge resource for others who are interested
• Demonstration of the power of Linux
• Transparency of GNHLUG operations

Drawbacks of the group approach:

• Will take longer, possibly much longer
• Higher administrative overhead, at least initially
• Potential for extended arguments, disagreements, bad feelings, etc.

Feedback

Do you support the idea of the group approach? Do you oppose it? Do you just have some comments? Put them here! Sign your comments.

• I obviously support the idea. -- BenScott - 08 Feb 2006
• I support it too. Its very important to the industry that collaboration skills be improved. (How often has a critical information resource left a project only to leave everyone else in the lurch?) -- BruceDawson - 09 Feb 2006

Mailing list

List home: http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-sysadmin

An email mailing list has been created for GNHLUG internal systems administration discussions. Server configuration planning and operations will be the major topic for this list. Changes to the system configuration of GNHLUG servers should be noted on this list, to keep all operators informed, and to provide a change log. Technical proposals can also be discussed there.

A separate list was created to keep arcane technical details from flooding the gnhlug-org mailing list. Non-technical matters and anything having an impact on general GNHLUG policy should be discussed on gnhlug-org or gnhlug-discuss.

Discussion of matters unrelated to GNHLUG IT should be held elsewhere. An explicit goal of the list is to keep the signal-to-noise ratio high.

Getting volunteers

An announcement offering a general invitation was sent out on 9 Feb 2006. See ServerAnnounce for details.

Choice of distribution

I'm interested in having a discussion about choice of distro with any volunteers. I don't hold any illusions that we're all going to agree on what should be the The One True Linux Distribution. However, most distro wars occur in the context of the general case, which makes them mainly academic. Here we have a specific case, with specific parameters and goals. I'm curious as to how/if that will impact the discussion.

Of course, at some point, we're going to have to actually pick one to install. In the interests of fairness and actually getting some real work done, I'm thinking it would be best to put a pre-established time limit of a week or two on any such discussion. Pragmatically, I suspect we'll end up going with whatever most people have the most experience with.

If the whole thing dissolves into a flame-fest, we (for some definition of "we") can always make the decision by fiat.

Time Pressure

Due to time pressure, it is unlikely we will be able to have as much discussion as I (BenScott) would have liked. More on this at ServerDistro.

Feedback

Do you support the idea of trying to decide the choice of distro this way? Do you oppose it? Do you just have some comments? Put them here! Sign your comments. In the interests of keeping things clean, please do not post your opinion on the actual choice of distro here. ServerDistro is the place for any (preliminary) distro waring which must happen.

• I obviously support the idea. -- BenScott - 08 Feb 2006
• I also support it. -- BruceDawson - 08 Feb 2006
• At least three admins who know how to keep the server and essential applications running and are volunteering to do so should have experience with the chosen distro. -- BillMcGonigle - 08 Feb 2006