jwcolby
jwcolby at colbyconsulting.com
Wed Sep 21 05:27:22 CDT 2011
Thanks for that Hans. I have zero experience with Linux but my inclination is to recommend that to this client. It just makes sense for a vanilla server that is going to sit in the corner and run MySQL and be a file server. The biggest problem is very simply that they and I have zero experience. So there is that nagging "what if something goes wrong" in the back of our heads. We know Windows, we are comfortable in Windows, we have tons of experience recognizing, categorizing and dealing with Windows problems. It just *feels like* if we have a problem, even a year down the road, we could spend a fortune learning enough to figure out what is wrong and fixing it. The other nagging, back of the head issue is, "how well does it play in an otherwise all windows network. And how well does the windows network play with it? John W. Colby www.ColbyConsulting.com On 9/21/2011 2:29 AM, Hans-Christian Andersen wrote: > John, > > My best recommendation is to use either Ubuntu or Debian (for an even more > minimalist experience). I work daily with these systems and their > installation is fairly trivial. But, I suppose, if you've never dealt with > anything outside the Windows eco-system, it could be a bit daunting with all > the different terminology and so forth at first. > > Regarding partitioning, if you want to keep it simple, just always select > "Guided partitioning". This means the system will just go with the most > obvious, simplest choice (which is usually to install the system onto one > drive using as much disk space as possible and only using one partition). > > IT professionals and experienced Linux users will know that there are very > good reasons to plan how to lay out your partitions, so the system will > present you that option during the installation process. For > instance, separating your home partition is often a good plan. Moving your > swap partition to another physical drive is another good idea... Then there > is drive encryption or logical volume management and so forth. Sometimes, > selecting a filesystem type is very important as well (when plain ext3 isn't > quite what you need for performance reasons). etc etc. > > But if you want a plain old vanilla system, which will be enough to perform > well as a server, then using the defaults with "Guided partitioning" is good > enough. > > Once you set up your basic Debian/Ubuntu install, all you have to do is run > from the command line: > # apt-get install mysql-server-5.0 > and then mysql will install and be prepared for you. > > It doesn't get simpler than that. If you continue to have issues, let me > know. This is my bread and butter and I've built an entire companies > infrastructure around Debian Linux, with over 20 1/2 U servers, hosting over > 50-60 vm's, so I know a thing or two about this sort of thing. > > Hans-Christian > > > > > On 20 September 2011 04:40, jwcolby<jwcolby at colbyconsulting.com> wrote: > >> Mark, >> >> >>> 1) I have been playing with Ubuntu recently and it is fun. >> >> I am trying to install Ubuntu on a VM and it is not fun (and I haven't >> succeeded yet). The SuSE install mostly just went, although in the end I >> was unable to get the tools installed for the virtual machine. Ubuntu must >> have asked a dozen questions in the first 2 minutes. Unfortunately when you >> are installing on a VM trying to answer those questions is an awkward >> sequence of tabs and enters and more tabs and enters etc to position the >> cursor in the right place, select text boxes etc. Even then, after I >> managed to break the virtual disk into two partitions and tell it to use the >> first, it told me I had to go make one of them the system partition or >> something like that. >> >> <rant mode> >> >> *JUST DO IT* >> >> It is precisely this geeky stuff that drives us nubees away. I am trying >> to get the big picture done, not set partitions to system. >> >> </rant mode> >> >> So I still have no linux vm to play with. >> >> I assume I could probably set up Linux on a real physical box, it is just >> the added complexity of the vm that stops me dead. And I have built at >> least a dozen Windows VM guests, truly click click done. >> >> Are you experienced enough you could do this for me? >> >> >> John W. Colby >> www.ColbyConsulting.com >> >> On 9/19/2011 6:57 PM, Mark Breen wrote: >> >>> Hi John, >>> >>> Ok, sorry, when you mentioned Access I assumed that the db's were not too >>> big. >>> >>> Can I throw a few things out, just in case they are useful for you? >>> >>> 1) I have been playing with Ubuntu recently and it is fun. >>> 2) I successfully installed mySQL on Ubuntu over the weekend - I have more >>> testing to do but for your client, that's all free and it is good >>> software. >>> 3) Once you get your mySql server up, you can do all the rest of your work >>> in MS world, just use mySQL as your data store. No reason not to use >>> VS2010 >>> as your FE and mySQL as your BE. >>> >>> Do not be afraid of Ubuntu, it is not that difficult and weirdly, it is >>> satisfying in a way that Win 98, Millennium , Vista, Office 97, VS 2003 >>> (need I go on) can never be. >>> >>> Finally, I would adore to hear some results comparing your db between MS >>> SQL >>> and mySQL >>> >>> Mark >>> >>> >>> >>> On 19 September 2011 01:00, jwcolby<jwcolby@**colbyconsulting.com<jwcolby at colbyconsulting.com>> >>> wrote: >>> >>> Mark, >>>> >>>> The reasons are exactly what Jim mentioned. The client currently has >>>> around 5 gigs of data, or at least their mdb containers are around that >>>> size. >>>> >>>> The free SQL Server express has the following limitations: >>>> >>>> 1) 10 gb file size >>>> 2) 1 core maximum >>>> 3) 1 gig ram maximum >>>> >>>> And the client has: >>>> >>>> 4) Serious money constraints today. >>>> >>>> SQL Server Express 2008 is just fine for a small database with a hand >>>> full >>>> of users but this is a fairly serious call center app, with 25 users in >>>> the >>>> database all the time. It just feels like a single core and a single gig >>>> is >>>> starting with serious limitations. >>>> >>>> He was "written a check" for $2K for purchasing a new server to take him >>>> into the future. I proposed $2400 for a "roll your own" 8 core AMD 6128 >>>> and >>>> 16 gigs of ram, a modern 8 port Areca raid controller and 3X 120g hard >>>> drives. He went back to the controller and got $3K. With that he added >>>> 5X >>>> 1 tb drives to build out some real storage for the company. They have >>>> always had old ebay Dell servers with too little memory and too little >>>> storage. Always trying to shuffle things around to free up room. >>>> >>>> We are actually looking at starting with Windows XP X64 as the OS on this >>>> (otherwise) entirely modern system. If it works that gets rid of the "$X >>>> per seat" for something like Windows 2008. If we can use MySQL on that >>>> with >>>> let's say 6 cores and 12 gigs of ram and a 60 gig SSD partition for the >>>> database files he could have a fairly serious system for his company >>>> size. >>>> >>>> Windows 2008 and SQL Server 2008 together were going to cost him around >>>> $10K just for those two things. While we may go there next year or the >>>> year >>>> after, I want to get him moving now. We have been stuck in neutral and >>>> rolling backwards for too long. >>>> >>>> >>>> John W. Colby >>>> www.ColbyConsulting.com >>>> >>>> On 9/18/2011 11:24 AM, Mark Breen wrote: >>>> >>>> Hello Jim / Arthur >>>>> >>>>> Thanks for that analysis, quite accurate. >>>>> >>>>> Mr Colby, just a question, why are you not advising your client to use >>>>> the >>>>> free MS SQL express R2. I use it all the time and PowerDNN use it on >>>>> all >>>>> there servers that host 100,000 DNN installations. All free db's. That >>>>> is >>>>> not to be sniffed it. And there are loads of tools to help with the >>>>> enterprise tools that Express does not ship with. (Note: the free >>>>> version >>>>> does give you SSMS) >>>>> >>>>> Mark >>>>> >>>>> ______________________________****_________________ >>>> dba-SQLServer mailing list >>>> dba-SQLServer@**databaseadviso**rs.com<http://databaseadvisors.com>< >>>> dba-SQLServer@**databaseadvisors.com<dba-SQLServer at databaseadvisors.com> >>>>> >>>> http://databaseadvisors.com/****mailman/listinfo/dba-sqlserver<http://databaseadvisors.com/**mailman/listinfo/dba-sqlserver> >>>> **<http://databaseadvisors.com/**mailman/listinfo/dba-sqlserver<http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-sqlserver> >>>> **> >>>> http://www.databaseadvisors.****com<http://www.**databaseadvisors.com<http://www.databaseadvisors.com> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> ______________________________**_________________ >>> dba-SQLServer mailing list >>> dba-SQLServer@**databaseadvisors.com<dba-SQLServer at databaseadvisors.com> >>> http://databaseadvisors.com/**mailman/listinfo/dba-sqlserver<http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-sqlserver> >>> http://www.databaseadvisors.**com<http://www.databaseadvisors.com> >>> >>> >>> ______________________________**_________________ >> dba-SQLServer mailing list >> dba-SQLServer@**databaseadvisors.com<dba-SQLServer at databaseadvisors.com> >> http://databaseadvisors.com/**mailman/listinfo/dba-sqlserver<http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-sqlserver> >> http://www.databaseadvisors.**com<http://www.databaseadvisors.com> >> >> > _______________________________________________ > dba-SQLServer mailing list > dba-SQLServer at databaseadvisors.com > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-sqlserver > http://www.databaseadvisors.com > >