How to determine if Desktop or Server was installed

[jjscott]

I have a CentOS 6.2 system that was dropped in my lap and need to know if it was installed with Desktop or Server.

How can I determine this?

Thanks

[awc]

I think the obvious answer here is that if the system only has a command line interface (CLI), then it's a server build. Ideally, server installs don't have a desktop environment aka graphical user interface (GUI). A GUI may seem to make a system easier to manage, however it consumes precious resources as well as creates more possible vulnerabilities.

So aside from the obvious, there may be some designator in the kernel name, such as server or desktop. I seem to remember seeing that in a Ubunutu install, but it may be a long shot.

[Lazydog]

Back in the day RedHat made 2 different releases of their software, one was a desktop (ws) the other was a server (as).
Today's model it is all one system that is interchangeable. You can start off with either installed and then add what you need to it.

[lystor]

On RHEL:

$ cat /etc/issue