[NTLUG:Discuss] Upgrading Redhat

[JR Newsletters]

Paul Drew wrote:

> Howdy Everyone,
> I have another question which I wanted to pick your brains on. I have 
> a dell rackmount server which currently is running non updated 7.2 
> Redhat. We are going to be re-installing the application software from 
> scratch that currently runs on it. I am being asked to update the o/s 
> while we have the chance.
>
> My question is, should just patch the system like mad, and get 
> everything updated? Should I actually upgrade the o/s version? I am 
> thinking maybe move to 7.3 and update everyone on it. Then I was 
> thinking maybe I should just go to 9. What go you think, and why?

Definitely go to Red Hat 9 which updates everything to the latest that 
redhat has.  Main reasons to upgrade.....RedHat only supports their 
versions for 1 year as they announced earlier this year, Most recent 
software and patches (otherwise you will have to install a lot of 
patches on RH7.3 for security and still won't get as secure as RH9), 
Ability to upgrade to the next linux distro (example:  RH9 can run a 
linux-2.6 kernel, RH7.3 cannot), updated GUI software (most apps that 
are updated or created today support Gnome2 and/or KDE 3, but will not 
work well on Gnome-1.4 or KDE2 that is present in RH7.3).  Note that 
gcc-3.2 is used in RH9, not RH73...a lot of apps that compile under 
gcc-3.2 will not compile under gcc-2.95.2/2.96 under RH7.3 (as I've 
experienced).  Also, running RH9 means that later you can upgrade to 
RH10 when available much easier.  As far as your application, it may 
need minor tweaks if it is recompiled under gcc-3.2, or if it is a Gnome 
or KDE app, you might need to recompile and retweak it...but I bet your 
odds of just installing and running are very good.

The other question I have for you is why continue with Red Hat when you 
have Debian or Gentoo available to you which are, IMO, better than RH on 
servers?  I've yet to see any programs that work under Red Hat not work 
under Gentoo.