Which Installation Type is Best For You?
Red Hat Linux includes four different classes, or types of installations. They are:
Workstation -- A workstation-class installation is most appropriate if you are new to the world of Linux, and would like to give it a try. By answering a few installation questions, you can be up and running Red Hat Linux in no time!
Server -- A server-class installation is most appropriate for you if you'd like your system to function as a Linux-based server, and you don't want to heavily customize your system configuration.
Custom -- A custom-class installation allows you the greatest flexibility during your installation. You choose your partitioning scheme, which packages you want and more. Custom-class installations are most appropriate for users who are very familiar with Red Hat Linux installations and for those afraid of losing complete control over every aspect of the installation.
Upgrade -- If you already have a version of Red Hat Linux 2.0 (or greater) running on your system and you want to quickly update to the latest packages and kernel version, then an upgrade is most appropriate for you.
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The custom-class installation allows you the most flexibility. The workstation- and server-class installations go through the installation process for you and omit certain steps. However, partitioning control has been added to workstation and server-class installations, so you can now partition your drives manually during these types of installations, if you so desire. |
These classes give you the option of simplifying the installation process (with some potential for loss of configuration flexibility), or retaining flexibility with a slightly more complex installation process. Let's take a detailed look at each class, so you can determine which one is right for you.
The Workstation-Class Installation
You can choose from two types of workstation-class installations:
The GNOME Workstation installation is for a system that will be used primarily as a workstation. The GNOME GUI desktop environment is installed and the system is configured to start GNOME when the system boots. If you choose not to manually partition, the installation program deletes all data in all existing Linux partitions, decides how to partition the disk for the new version, and chooses which software packages to load.
The KDE Workstation installation is for a system that will be used primarily as a workstation. The KDE GUI desktop environment is installed and the system is configured to start KDE when the system boots. If you choose not to manually partition, the installation program deletes all data in all existing Linux partitions, decides how to partition the disk for the new version, and chooses which software packages to load.
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Unlike previous workstation-class installations, performing a Red Hat Linux 6.2 workstation-class installation will not install the network daemon inetd. Not installing inetd results in a more secure installation; however, network-related services such as finger, telnet, talk, and ftp will not work. If you require these types of services, choose a server or a custom-class installation. |
What Does a Workstation-Class Installation Do?
If you choose not to partition manually, a workstation-class installation removes all Linux-related partitions on all installed hard drives (and uses all free unpartitioned disk space) to create the following partitions:
A 64MB swap partition.
A variably-sized (the exact size is dependent on your available disk space) root partition (mounted as /) in which all other files are stored.
Older SPARCs and Alphas will get a 16MB partition (mounted as /boot) for the Linux kernel and related files. Newer SPARC and Alpha machines won't get this partition, because they don't need it.
This approach to disk partitioning results in the simplest filesystem configuration possible.
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You will need at least 700MB of free disk space in order to perform a workstation-class installation. |
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A workstation-class installation will remove all existing Linux partitions on all hard drives in your system. |
The Server-Class Installation
During the server-class installation, the X Window System is not configured and no GUI desktop environment will be loaded when the system boots. The installation program deletes all data in all existing partitions of any kind, decides how to partition the disk for the new version, and chooses which software packages to load.
What Does a Server-Class Installation Do?
If you choose not to partition manually, a server-class installation removes ALL existing partitions on ALL installed hard drives, so choose this installation class only if you're sure you have nothing you want saved! When the installation is complete, you'll find the following partitions:
A 64MB swap partition.
A 256MB partition (mounted as /).
A partition of at least 512MB (mounted as /usr).
A partition of at least 512MB (mounted as /home).
A 256MB partition (mounted as /var).
A 16MB partition (mounted as /boot) in which the Linux kernel and related files are kept.
This approach to disk partitioning results in a reasonably flexible filesystem configuration for most server-class tasks.
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You will need at least 1.8 GB of free disk space in order to perform a server-class installation. |
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A server-class installation will remove ALL existing partitions of ANY type on ALL existing hard drives of your system. All drives will be erased of all information and existing operating systems, whether they are Linux partitions or not! |
The Custom-Class Installation
As you might guess from the name, a custom-class installation puts the emphasis on flexibility. During a custom-class installation, you can choose how disk space should be partitioned. You have complete control over which packages will be installed on your system.
If you do a custom installation and choose to install everything, you will need a minimum of 1.7 GB of free space on your system.
Behind the Scenes of a Custom-Class Installation
This section covers those installation steps that are only seen when performing a custom-class installation.
The following list may help those of you who are trying to decide which installation class will suit your needs. If you think you'll have trouble performing any of the tasks on this list, you should not perform a custom-class installation without reading through this manual and clarifying any questions you may have.
Creating Partitions -- In the custom-class installation you have to specify where you want Red Hat Linux to be installed. (You also have the option of manually partitioning during the workstation and server-class installations.)
Formatting Partitions -- All newly created partitions must be formatted. Any partitions that contain old data (data you no longer need or want) should be formatted. (If you chose to manually partition during your workstation or server-class installation, you will need to choose which partitions to format.)
Selecting and Installing Packages -- This is performed after your partitions have been configured and selected for formatting. Here you may select groups of packages, individual packages, a combination of the two, or choose an "everything" install.
Upgrading Your System
Upgrading Red Hat Linux 2.0 (or greater) will not delete any existing data. The installation program updates the modular 2.2.x kernel and all currently installed software packages. See Chapter 5 and Chapter 7 for instructions on upgrading.