Arch Linux + Me = Crazy

[Madchatthew]

So I am posting here because I have come to the decision that I am going to run my VPS using Arch. Why am I doing this you ask? Well there is the old just because you can doesn’t mean you should. I have been doing a bunch of research and have found that anytime you want to upgrade to the new version of whatever server you are using, Debian, Ubuntu, or whatever other flavor, you have to install a fresh new server because if you don’t, well then you will end up doing that anyway. It takes a lot of time and if you want to upgrade or run some of the latest software you can run into some issues with that.

I am currently using Debian with Virtualmin and everntually, maybe years, will have to upgrade my server to the next version. I have been researching Arch and due to it using a rolling release to keep it updated, I potentially would never have to reinstall it when a new version comes out.

Some downfalls to Arch is that virtualmin doesn’t work on it. Webmin will work on it, but in my development environment where I am testing and setting things up using Arch, it actually isn’t that hard to get things setup. Once you get everything initially setup then the part that can be time consuming is setting up a new website on your server. Although, once you do that a few times, it goes pretty quick. Now this is not setting up the email server and such, but that is for another time. I would just set that up to just send emails from the webpages and not worry about receiving at this time.

So for instance, a new version of phpmyadmin came out and when I did a system upgrade, it upgrade my phpadmin to the latest version. Now my plan is to have one or two virtual servers running on my machine and performing those updates on them before running the updates on the production server. There won’t be a graphical interface, it will all be command line.

That is my newly crazy fresh idea that probably isn’t so fresh. I know a lot of people advise against this and that using Debian or one of the others is more stable, but I do kinda like the idea of being the most up to date with patches and the like.

What do you all think? Do you think this is too crazy and I should stick with Debian and Virtualmin or go for it and see how it goes? Not trying to create a distribution war, but just looking to what people really think and if this is something that any of you would actually try.

[phenomlab]

@Madchatthew Certainly an interesting concept, and according to the below, it is possible to run VirtualMin on Arch

https://ipv6.rs/tutorial/Arch_Linux/Virtualmin/

Arch Linux is a powerful and flexible distribution that offers a high degree of control and the latest software. It is well suited for experienced users who appreciate its rolling release model, minimalism, and the wealth of community resources. However, it requires a significant investment of time and effort to install, configure, and maintain. It is not recommended for beginners or users who prefer a more hands-off approach to their operating system.

Ultimately, whether Arch Linux is the right choice for you depends on your

1. level of expertise, your need for customization
2. your willingness to engage in ongoing system maintenance.

If you’re up for the challenge, Arch Linux can be a rewarding and enriching experience. If not, there are many other Linux distributions that offer a more user-friendly experience without sacrificing functionality.

One good example of this is Manjaro.

[Madchatthew]

I will have to do a fresh install of Arch and try those instructions out. I thought I had done that before and I couldn’t get it to install or it told me it wouldn’t install. I will have to try installing it again.

[phenomlab]

@Madchatthew I think it’s probably the Virtualmin installer telling you it’s not supported.

[Madchatthew]

@phenomlab said in Arch Linux + Me = Crazy:

@Madchatthew I think it’s probably the Virtualmin installer telling you it’s not supported.

Yes, I remember now, it was the install script that was telling me that. I wonder if following that guide it won’t tell me that. I will have to setup another dev server at home and give it a try again. It is possible I did something wrong the first time haha

[phenomlab]

@Madchatthew I think you can still install it, but not via the automated installer - it has to be done manually, which isn’t as bad as it sounds because it’s based on the LAMP or LEMP stacks, but you still need to install the Virtualmin side itself, or you lose the ability to manage domains individually.

Webmin is more of the overall management side. It’s possible to use this to manage domains etc, but it’s more complicated this way. Would you consider looking at other management platforms aside of Virtualmin?

[Madchatthew]

@phenomlab Yeah I would try other management platforms. I had done some research but could use a little direction when it comes to which one would work best instead of virtualmin in this instance.

I spose in regards to virtualmin you would need to copy all the files and manually make the changes required for it to work properly. I am sure there are alternatives for Arch that would work better than going through that whole process.

[phenomlab]

@Madchatthew have a look at

https://www.cloudpanel.io/

I’ve not tried it personally, but it does look impressive. The real issue with all of these platforms is that they inevitably have a learning curve. Virtualmin, despite being hugely capable has a significant learning curve but once you master it, it’s a game changer.

Admittedly, the interface is a little “cluttered” and it’s not easy to navigate your way around. It can also appear quite daunting to newcomers, which can be quite off-putting.

[Madchatthew]

@phenomlab I will have to check this out. It looks like it only works for Ubuntu or Debian. I will have to look further and see if there is a way to compile it for arch.

[phenomlab]

@Madchatthew hmm, yes, that might be problematic.