Best Linux server distros of 2023

Everyone here except boss uses Windows , while I use Debian (with Windows VM for stuff that doesn’t have a linux equivalent). We don’t use Exchange or AD and most of our servers are linux with a couple Windows that will be removed soon. Let’s say, though, that you just want to keep up on general Linux news and not the hardcore tech and programming information. If that’s you, the aggregate site, Linux Today, does a good job of gathering up Linux news stories, features, and the latest tutorials.

Why Linux is best for networking?

The main reason for learning Linux networking is that many servers run Linux. This ranges from simple, small office/home office servers and cloud servers to massive data centers. Linux dominates all of these systems. This is because it's cheaper to run Linux servers than Windows servers.

You should always be on the lookout for applications and software that are typically recommended for programmers. Some distribution platforms have different release cycles , so it’s up to the user to decide what they want. As part of our subjective evaluation of each distro, we offer our recommendations for who should use it. If you’re looking for a Linux distro for network administration, you have many options to choose from. Some of the most popular network administration distros include Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS, and Fedora.

Kali Linux​

You’ll also want to look at how secure and stable the distro is, and find out whether it offers an easy out-of-box experience. We’ve evaluated these distros across many factors, like scalability, security, stability, and support. We also looked at the documentation, ease and duration of server installation, graphical user interface , and whether there was an active online community for discussions. Also with a commercially supported distro, you get the benefits of the latest open source innovation with the stability and support an enterprise needs. Once you do, you’ll also need to learn the ins and outs of the Portage package system. Unlike almost all other Linux distributions, which use binary software packaging systems such as Red Hat’s RPM and Debian’s APT, Portage is source-code based.

best linux distro for network engineers

Numerous original apps enhance and simplify the user experience. Debian’s Constant Integration strategy entangles autopkgtest , Piuparts and Lintian . Long Term Support will ensure enduring support for https://remotemode.net/ Debian’s accustomed releases for at least five years. Simpler installation and configuration of the service point environment. Graphical user interface for managing KIWI images created with YaST.

Best Linux distro for network admin?

I’ve been very happy with Ubuntu the last couple of years, Kubuntu to be exact. I’ve been running Linux since the first Slackware on a stack of floppies. Then through the Red Hats, Fedora Core, and then Fedora I got tired of upgrading every 6 months or so, on several machines and settled on an LTS distro.

best linux distro for network engineers

When it comes to older hardware, openSUSE Leap is very reliable and stable. The Core version is a replacement for iXsystems’ linux network engineer popular FreeNAS. TrueNAS Core is compatible with a number of popular operating systems, including Windows and Apple.

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Once Manjaro is installed, you will be greeted with vanilla copies of Gnome, KDE, or whichever desktop operating system you want to use. Because of how well Ubuntu is documented, its extensive application base, and how well supported it is between different types of devices, Ubuntu is one of the best Linux distros for servers. The developers behind Elementary OS developed their own desktop interface called Pantheon. Pantheon is one of the few non-traditional desktop environments available for Linux. The default desktop in Fedora Linux is the GNOME desktop environment, whereas other popular desktop environments like KDE, Xfce, LXDE, and Cinnamon are also available for installation.

CentOS is the go-to free clone of RHEL, which is the most prevalent distro used in business here in North America. You could stay on the cutting edge of RHEL by using Fedora, or even give SUSE a try by using OpenSUSE. I demo’d Opensuse a couple months ago and really liked the look and feel of their desktop. Currently I’m using Debian, but am wondering what everyone else is using as their primary workstations and what they’d recommend.