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- Caldera OpenLinux 2.2
- 32BitsOnline reviews all major Linux distributions including Caldera Linux 2.2, Red Hat Linux 6.0, TurboLinux Workstation 3.6, SuSE 6.1, Mandrake 6.0, Debian 2.0 and Slackware.
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Click here to review our second installment: TurboLinux Workstation 3.6 Caldera Systems claims to be the world leader in "Linux-based business solutions", and through it’s most recent offering of OpenLinux 2.2, the boast might well be justified. With an assortment of software including Corel WordPerfect 8.0 for Linux, StarOffice 5, Netscape Communicator 4.51, PartitionMagic, BootMagic, and KDE, Caldera has created a feature rich distribution.
Installation
OpenLinux offers two types of installation. The default is LIZARD, a graphical installation that supports auto detection of video cards and easy network setup. The second option is to use the OpenLinux Installation and System Administration (LISA) software. LISA, unlike LIZARD, is console based and does not auto detect video hardware.
The flexibility of package installation is the primary difference between the two installation methods. LIZARD offers four installation choices: minimal, recommended, recommended plus commercial, and complete installation. LISA, however, has a wealth of package installation options. One can choose a full or recommended installation, similar to LIZARD, or choose from two other powerful options. The first allows the user to generalize the system’s required services. For example, choosing X, Network, and Development will have LISA install X, networking software, and most GNU development tools, including gcc and gdb. The second option is to install the system on a per-software basis. This allows the user to install only the necessary components of each package, such as named and perl, but not dhcpd and gcc. This gives incredible flexibility to users who either have small storage devices or need very targeted installs for systems such as firewalls or routers.
Both LISA and LIZARD offer network setup upon installation. This includes setting the host’s IP address, hostname, and gateways. In regards to X setup, LIZARD features advanced video hardware detection. It was able to accurately probe the author’s Matrox G200 and choose the appropriate driver. LISA, however, does not have this ability and the user must manually choose the X server corresponding to their hardware.
The choice of which tool to use is based solely on the need for flexibility in package installation versus ease of installation. LISA provides a more flexible package installation system, whereas LIZARD is easy to use and employs automated video hardware detection.
Administration
The tools provided to administer a system are one of the prime concerns for any network administrator. Unlike a home user, an administrator must often configure and administer several systems. The speed, accessibility, and flexibility of the tools provided to administer a system become crucial in maintaining a high level of performance, reliability, and availability for each machine.
Caldera has provided two administrative tools with OpenLinux. They are the Caldera Open Administrative System (COAS) and the aforementioned LISA. COAS was created to replace LISA and provides a simple, easy to navigate menu system for administration. Also, COAS is available on both the console and X, whereas LISA is confined to console use.
Installed out of the box, both COAS and LISA provide tools for the administration of kernel modules, peripherals, networking, system services, and package management. The kernel function allows the user to load and remove kernel modules, easing new users into this incredibly powerful feature of Linux. In regards to peripherals, LISA has a more complete set of tools. Included are options to configure diskette drives, hard disks, keyboard maps, modems, mice, printers, CDROM drives, streamers (tape drives), and the X server. COAS, on the other hand, is only able to configure the keyboard map, console mouse support, and printers. Also, unlike LISA, which can both install and configure a printer, COAS only configures installed printers.
The COAS tool is well suited to configuring network services. While LISA does provide the capability to manage network services, COAS has a more complete set of options. A notable mention is that OpenLinux 2.2, unlike 1.3, does not offer the choice of installing sendmail or smail from within the configuration tools. Sendmail 8.9.1 is now installed as the default mail transfer agent (MTA). This is unfortunate in that smail is simple to configure while still providing a robust mail system.
Lastly, package management, especially during the first few weeks of a system’s life, is very important to both an administrator and home user. LISA provides the same powerful mechanism for package management as it did during installation. COAS, on the other hand, simply fails to offer an easy to use system when used from the console. When used within X the menu structure is both obvious and easy to navigate. However, during console navigation it can become tedious.
Apparently, COAS is meant to completely replace LISA as the distribution evolves. While it certainly has the makings for a great administrative tool, it simply lacks too many necessary functions to replace LISA completely. Regardless, the combination of the two tools makes for very effective system administration.
