Ubuntu on the server instead of Debian

Why would a system administrator want to consider Ubuntu as a server operating system? Ubuntu is a young GNU/Linux distribution and a newcomer to the server market. Still I think a case can be made for Ubuntu as a capable and beneficial operating system for servers. As well as why, for many scenarios, Ubuntu might be preferable to Debian.

I think the concept of trusting an operating system that’s less than 3 years old to server duties should make any system administrator wary, at the very least. Of course, age is not the proper measure for maturity in this case as Ubuntu was originally forked from the very mature Debian operating system. Ubuntu has also, in its short existence to gather a large market on the desktop and created a large helpful user base for support.

At the time I started using Debian I didn’t “know” it was a good operating system. I used it because the people I respected were using it as their GNU/Linux operating system of choice. Having used Debian for many years now I can appreciate how good that choice was. If I had to point at the single biggest reason I feel the need to move to Ubuntu it would be the Debian release cycle.

The long an unpredictable Debian release cycle has always been discouraging to me. Over the lifecycle of a Debian server I find that while initially the package selection is ideal over time I have to pull more and more packages or other software onto the system to take advantage of newer features of existing software or new software. This process gradually erodes the benefits of a well put-together release.

At the point of the release all the software is current and has been tested within the distribution. Security updates are usually handled promptly. As packages are imported, either from sites like backports.org or from other versions of Debian, or software is downloaded and compiled the tasks of maintaining stability and security fall to the administrator and each piece of software needs to be monitored for security announcements, updates, and bug reports. As the amount of software outside the release grows so too does the work in maintaining the system.

For some server projected this is not an issue. Some web and mail servers never have need for much if any new software and can be happily left alone with the exception of checking for security updates periodically. But I find that very often my projects are closer to the cutting edge than not. And for those projects a stable, predictable, and frequent (compared to Debian) release cycle is a much better fit.

I like the idea of not having to upgrade a server every 6 months but having the option too is also nice. For some servers I can see using the Long Term Support versions of Ubuntu and for others upgrading every 6 months will be necessary to keep up with fast moving software and technologies. These are choices that Debian cannot offer me leaving me only the choices between the stable repository, the testing repository, or a computer that has packages and software from a variety of sources.

Another reason I think Ubuntu is a good choice for servers is the community that Ubuntu has built up for the desktop. I would like to see server support follow a similar path with emphasis being put on the values of friendliness, collaboration, and learning. There is a tremendous benefit to having a range of skill levels and a breadth of experience in a community. Making server knowledge available to desktop users will also have plenty of rewards I think.

A final draw to Ubuntu on the server for me is the simple fact that the servers will be running the same operating system as my desktop and laptop. I think it will be nice that the skills I learn on my personal computers can transfer to my server work and vice-versa. Of course the installed software will not be the same. For example, I tend to run servers without any graphical interface whatsoever. But there will still be more similarity than I’ve experienced in the past and I think that focus is a good thing provided I keep my skills sharp on other operating systems.

I will admit that I feel very much like I did in those early Debian days: unsure of whether I was making the best choice. I have had a lot of success with Debian systems some of which have had no downtime save for kernel updates. Over the past few months I’ve been standardizing on Ubuntu for desktops and servers and so far it’s been working well. Though just as it took years to feel comfortable with my decision to pursue Debian I suspect my experience with Ubuntu will follow a similar path.