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Thread: Open Source Software

Author Image Gerry Patterson. The world's most humble blogger
Edited and endorsed by PGTS, Home of the world's most humble blogger

Ubuntu Upgrades - Just Amazing


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Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:00:51 +1000

Around about the time of the great TPG fiasco of 2007, I switched my firewall from BSD to Ubuntu. Actually, since it was something of an emergency, I used an old workstation with Ubuntu already on it. If I'd had a little more time, I would have configured an Ubuntu server (using the server distribution). What I got was a Feisty Fawn workstation.

I would apply the updates every month or so. Last week, I saw an update arrive for my Ubuntu and Kubuntu workstations for BIND. I thought this was unusual and so when I saw a news item about a new DNS vulnerability, I followed it. I decided to patch the firewall immediately. While I was about it, I thought I might upgrade to Gutsy Gibbon (Ubuntu version 7.10).

I have had so many good experiences with the Ubuntu upgrades that I was quite relaxed about it. It all went pretty smoothly ... it took all night, but it went well.

Now, I've probably raved so much about Ubuntu that you are getting tired of it. But I just have to give another plug for Ubuntu, which is simply the most remarkable software distribution I have encountered. I inserted a major version upgrade on the firewall, almost without a hitch, and all the while it continued to function as a firewall and mailhub!

And the little problem? Well after the upgrade had completed and the firewall was restarted, eth2 had disappeared. For some reason, when I hastily installed a second Ethernet card in the workstation, the Feisty Fawn distribution of Ubuntu decided that it would be eth2. After the upgrade Gutsy Gibbon decided (quite reasonably in my opinion) to consider the second card as eth1. I had to change the main firewall script and use ifconfig to configure eth1 and bring it up. No big deal.

But once again, I am just blown away! Ubuntu is just extraordinary! Let's just put this into context for you Microsofties. It would be like installing Vista on your proxy-server, which had been running an old version of Windows. And it would go seamlessly all the while continuing to function as a proxy server, without every missing a beat ... How likely is that? About as likely as it is that the server would grow wings and take off to join a formation of pigs flying over Port Phillip Bay!


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