Post #16,098
11/1/01 5:04:17 PM
|
Local Linux guru is disliking RedHat more and more
RedHat seems to be making their distributions more and more un-Unix like (eg, using xinetd rather than inetd.)
"Beware of bugs in the above code; I have only proved it correct, not tried it."
-- Donald Knuth
|
Post #16,105
11/1/01 5:53:46 PM
|
Not to push RH, in this case I agree
xinetd is superior in several regards to inetd, including numerous security enhancements. Considering that this is the first (and in some cases only) line of defense for a bunch of very naive, built-for-a-friendly-world, networked applications, I have to applaud RH. The distro has taken steps in the 7.x release to increase security (you might say they'd make the task easy with their prior practices).
xinetd isn't a default under Debian, but it's an available package. I'm looking at installing it following your comments.
There are reasons to dislike RH. This isn't one of them.
--
Karsten M. Self [link|mailto:kmself@ix.netcom.com|kmself@ix.netcom.com]
What part of "gestalt" don't you understand?
|
Post #16,129
11/1/01 9:26:18 PM
|
at first glance xinetd looks icky
of course I said the same about inetd as well as portmapper when it replaced getty. Actually after configuring it and a little better understanding of how it works, it is a good tool. I like I can explicitly name a service and block it. Also if it isnt in the directory and is not buried in init.d "it" doesnt have an available listner.
thanx,
bill
tshirt front "born to die before I get old"
thshirt back "fscked another one didnja?"
|
Post #16,152
11/2/01 2:24:10 AM
|
Not *that* much of a guru, then.
1. Linux is not UNIX, and woe betide anyone who doesn't heed this.
2. xinetd kicks inetd's spotty arse on just about every level - speed, security, configurability, etc.
Peter
Shill For Hire
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
|
Post #16,234
11/2/01 2:24:16 PM
|
That was an example
The xinetd vs. inetd thing was just an off-the-head example; I don't know that he even specifically said that one. It's just one that I know about from having wrestled with it.
Linux is often described as a "Unix compatible operating system", but that doesn't say much. Which Unix? Even different flavors of "real" Unix differ. I've used BSD, Ultrix, Dynix, HPUX, AIX, and probably some other fillintheblankX's that I don't remember. They all differed in various ways, sometimes significantly.
Yes, Linux isn't Unix. But as a Unix shop (currently mostly HPUX, some AIX), it is better from our perspective for a Linux distribution to be closer to Unix than farther away. That which takes it further away makes it harder to maintain.
"Beware of bugs in the above code; I have only proved it correct, not tried it."
-- Donald Knuth
|
Post #16,453
11/4/01 10:22:01 AM
|
Speaking of xinetd...
My class is using RH 7.0 and for some of the students xinetd at bootup is showing failed. (as in failed to start up.) Networking works fine, though.
I'm assuming this is a configuration issue, but as I'm more familiar with inetd could someone point me to a good xinetd reference so I can make a little course module on troubleshooting?
Tom Sinclair
Speaker-to-Suits
|
Post #16,459
11/4/01 10:49:26 AM
|
Re: Speaking of xinetd...
I can do no better than to point you to [link|http://www.xinetd.org|The Source].
Peter
Shill For Hire
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
|
Post #16,503
11/4/01 7:42:28 PM
|
Thank you....most kind.
Tom Sinclair
Speaker-to-Suits
|
Post #16,501
11/4/01 7:35:24 PM
|
are they using laptops?
xinetd will show failed because the pcmia drivers havnt kicked in yet, once they do the net is up and xinetd is sitting waiting for connections.
thanx,
bill
tshirt front "born to die before I get old"
thshirt back "fscked another one didnja?"
|
Post #16,502
11/4/01 7:42:01 PM
|
Nope, Dell Optiplex desktops
There doesn't appear to be any problems with networking so fixing it hasn't been a high priority. (I could give it as an extra credit project, though. Hmmmm....)
Tom Sinclair
Speaker-to-Suits
|
