Linuxoids are a vivid example of the quality work of numerous teams of professional developers. In the field of Linux-systems, the logic of development has acquired a completely different aspect, preserving and enhancing promising relic ideas in the field of system programming.
Windows as a software example, and Apple as a technical one, have achieved a lot, but the Linux family is completely different. Like many many-sided peoples, they simply settled and successfully work. In this article, we will look at Debian: versions, assemblies, and landmarks.
Variety, assembly and source
Debian version 9 is a range of options. In general, this is a special representative of the Linux family of families, focused on professionals. It is supported by qualified development teams around the world. Debian 9.8 supports a multi-million dollar army of information resources.
Meanwhile:
This release mainly adds fixes for security issues, as well as a few fixes for serious issues.
This is stated on the official website of the project. Please note that this release is not a new version of Debian 9, but only updates some of the included packages.
This accompanies the appearance of almost every popular and fully functional software product. Skipping the version number has not been discussed for a long time by the consumer, even if Windows is capable of this.
Linux tend to declare openness of code. In practice, this means assembly. This is not an independent software product, but it is the same product, only assembled by different specialists or in a different combination of components.
The first or latest version of Debian, downloaded from the official site, is absolutely nothing. The source is important, and this has long been not only the official site. Often the "best source" of a stable version will be a system administrator, a stable, large company.
Time requirements and benchmarks
Everything should work stably, “without panic”. If the server was "raised" on Debian version 8, you need to seriously think before moving on to the "other" level.
The opinion of authoritative sources is not much different from the quotation above. Essentially, it’s not so important to find out the version of Debian that closes the consumer’s tasks, how important it is to ensure that these tasks are solved in a continuous and trouble-free cycle.
The main requirement of the consumer is stability and continuity. Safety, reliability and other parameters are extremely important. But if the company's infrastructure cannot instantly move from Debian version 9.8 to, probably radically new, version 10, then what will be the consequences ...
Linuxsoids always follow their rule: "no panic." This is not enough today. Obviously: the version number for any serious software product is just a guide. Do not consider it the basis for a decision.
Debian version 8 functionality is sufficient even today. There are no special reasons for choosing a nine. For example, many relevant resources work on CentOS 6 and do not plan to switch to the older brother - the seven. Apparently there are serious reasons for this.
The consumer’s guides in choosing a specific software product are the study of the functionality of the version, and not the solution of the issue of likely migration to the next version, subsequently.
The stability of functionality and updates
Feature: updates. For Linux systems, “update” and “upgrade” is the holy of holies. Debian version 9 will be updated as well as the eight. In theory, each next version should include “updates” of the previous one. That is part of the code.
A characteristic feature of programming is the rigidity of syntactic constructions. In addition, the larger the development team, the faster the number of servers (for example, on Debian) is growing, the more difficult it is to change anything.
Updates come down to fixing bugs, fixing particular problems, refining relationships or data formats. Ultimately, the factor of functional stability is formed.
The hardware component is constantly evolving. It works, but may in some way or somehow not meet the expectations of the code already written.
A simple example. Downloading the assembly debian-live-9.8.0-amd64-xfce.iso from the official site for the purpose of deploying a virtual machine system will not allow installing Proxmox Virtual Environment (Proxmox VE) on all computing platforms. But if desired, the problem can be easily solved - a matter of time and qualification. Another assembly, debian-9.8.0-amd64-netinst.iso, is installed on the fly and provides Proxmox VE immediately.
The server itself is relative. Much more important is the functionality deployed on it, for example, Apache / NGiNX, PHP, MySQL or a higher level - Proxmox VE. A modern consumer is a demanding information system, even if two or three people work in it. The modern consumer can process huge volumes of information or bear serious responsibility for solving small problems.
In all cases, and here Debian is no exception, it is important to choose not so much a version as a product with a possible (accessible) environment for it to focus only on this “complex assembly”, which is understandable to the consumer. Choosing such a complete solution is a few years, during which Debian can easily offer 10, 11, 12, ... versions.
Functionality and Information Migration
For more than ten years, the word "migration" has become not only understood, but also really in demand. World Wide Web servers contain a wealth of information. Together, they represent a "self-developing" functional.
From this point of view, the consumer can rely on the developer: each next version of the software product will be able to take everything that the previous one provides.
But it will be better this way: the consumer considers the set of “complex assembly” he has chosen as a framework, and positions his information system:
- as mobile as possible;
- minimally tied to a specific frame.
Debian is a great system. It provides the possibility of stable and reliable operation, but it is a building. Information "lives" in this building. Its structure and the rules of "residence" should not be tied to the elements of the building.