[TriLUG] rpm database question

[Jon Carnes]

> 		Production Boxes:
> 		   _Nothing_ goes on the box that isnt an RPM.
>
You have got to be kidding me...  You mean you wait for an RPM fix when 
there is a vulnerability announced?

All my main servers have their main software installed via tarball.  For my 
mail servers that's Sendmail, for DNS it's Bind, for my main Fileserver 
it's Samba.  In fact, I can't think of a major process on a server that I 
haven't installed from Tarball...

All my servers run well and are secure.

I also play a little fast and loose on my workstation at home, but I've 
never *not* been able to force an rpm to install... and if it ever 
happened, I always know where to find the latest source.

It's just my opinion, but I think of RPM installs as being somewhat generic 
- an attempt at one-size fits all.  Linux is tough enough that most times 
that works out just fine, but I like to get that extra edge of really 
installing the app or service to match my environment and my companies 
needs.

It is a strategy that has worked extremely well for the last 4 years.
 
Jon.