Window Linux Network Suggestions

[marquix]

Hi,

I had a similar question this morning since I'm deciding I want to run Fedora Core on an Pentium IV machine.

The situation I have is this.

I want to learn more. Maybe step up the knowledge with servers and hosting. I mainly do Web Sites, Design and stuff to get by and make a living.

I have three machines. Two identical Dell 8300's and a Laptop zv6000... so I thought, maybe I could do Linux on one of the Dell's for my fast web research and the make the files using my XP Pro machine, (Photoshop, CSS stuff and all) but if I want to get into being more "secure" I get the impression that Linux offers an added security layer since I'm worried more and more about the vulnerabilities I may be subject to as a web developer. Hacking and such since I want to get into some more higher end work. Question I guess, would it be good for me to do all my file transfer stuff on Linux and just keep my Windows box like the Designing mule? If so, can I move upload the files with the Linux machine from their place on the Windows machine?

I think I already know just about what I need to know with FTP stuff with windows and such but haven't really done it with Linux. It would seem that getting into SSH stuff is more "compatible" with Linux and such. I essentially want to understand the way I need to interact with a remote servers more and get it into my head really well in order to gather the confidence needed in purchasing my own rack server and learning more. Any suggestions on setting up a little home development center? The computers, plus the rack server I would like to add within a few months. My thoughts were two Windows, 2 Linux (server and desktop).

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

[HROAdmin26]

Two suggestions:

1) VMware Server => One machine, as many OS'es as you have disk space for.

2) When you install Linux, don't install (or disable) the GUI. Nothing will force you to learn faster.

[marquix]

Thanks HRO.

I've used VMWare and got excited about using Linux a little more "naturally" since it feels like it has some limitations. Also seemed to think that it wasn't the real feel of just cranking up a machine everyday. So you recommend not instathlling the GUI. Hmmm, that takes some damn courage since I would basically feel blindfolded, right???

I mean, this is eventually I guess the way I need to work my way into the server world right? I haven't gotten that far and figured since a monitor wasn't "hooked up" per se in the Data Center (unless I have some type of KVM switch) that I needed to communicate this way. Talk about tough sounding (:

Ok, so if I go this way without the GUI does this mean that I'm gonna still be able to surf the web? no right? It would end up being like a terminal machine or something? I'm starting to get it a little more but wondered why I couldn't just use a GUI mode to talk with the server in the non GUI mode. Is this Graphic to no graphic approach the learning barrier difference? And will I be actually slowing myself down intellectually or doing myself a service learning this way. It seems so backwards I'm not even sure if it is the correct way to go. Is this what students studying this kind of stuff do in school? What do they teach?