Linux Distro Comparison: OpenSUSE 10.3 vs. Mandriva 2008

The successor to Mandrake takes on the open version of SUSE...
Mandriva and openSUSE are two well-established Linux distributions worthy to be considered elite. Both have successfully conquered the hearts of many Linux enthusiasts long before Ubuntu and PCLinuxOS took the stage. With their latest releases namely Mandriva Linux 2008 and openSUSE 10.3, they remained a force to be reckoned with.

In case you are wondering which is better among the two, then you are in luck because it is time once again for our distrowar.

http://junauza.blogspot.com/2007/12/battle-of-elite-opensuse-vs-mandriva.html

Mandriva Directory Server on Debian

This document describes how to set up the Mandriva Directory Server (MDS) on Debian Etch. The resulting system provides a full-featured office server for small and medium companies - easy to administer via the web-based Mandriva Management Console (MMC).

http://www.howtoforge.com/mandriva-directory-server-on-debian-etch

Review: Mandriva Powerpack 2008.0 Linux

Another look at the latest Mandriva Linux distribution...
Mandriva PowerPack edition is unique among desktop Linux distributions in that it doesn't try to remove the technical complexity from the operating environment -- it isn't "dumbed down." It's the perfect balance between automation and control; this is especially welcome in a desktop Linux realm where distributors are increasingly focusing on eliminating control in favor of automation in an attempt to appeal to low-knowledge users.

http://www.softwareinreview.com/cms/content/view/86/

Virtual users, domains with Postfix, MySQL on Mandriva

This document describes how to install a Postfix mail server that is based on virtual users and domains, i.e. users and domains that are in a MySQL database. I will also demonstrate the installation and configuration of Courier (Courier-POP3, Courier-IMAP), so that Courier can authenticate against the same MySQL database Postfix uses. The resulting Postfix server is capable of SMTP-AUTH and TLS and quota (quota is not built into Postfix by default, I will show how to patch your Postfix appropriately). Passwords are stored in encrypted form in the database (most documents I found were dealing with plain text passwords which is a security risk). In addition to that, this tutorial covers the installation of Amavisd, SpamAssassin and ClamAV so that emails will be scanned for spam and viruses. read more...
http://www.howtoforge.com/virtual-users-domains-postfix-courier-mysql-mandriva2008.0

Set up a server on Mandriva 2008 Free

This is a detailed description about how to set up a Mandriva 2008 Free (Mandriva 2008.0) server that offers all services needed by ISPs and hosters: Apache web server (SSL-capable), Postfix mail server with SMTP-AUTH and TLS, BIND DNS server, Proftpd FTP server, MySQL server, Courier POP3/IMAP, Quota, Firewall, etc. This tutorial is written for the 32-bit version of Mandriva 2008, but should apply to the 64-bit version with very little modifications as well. read more... at
http://www.howtoforge.com/perfect_server_mandriva_2008.0

Chroot in OpenSSH / SFTP Feature Added To OpenSSH

For regular user accounts, a properly configured chroot jail is a rock solid security system. I’ve already written about chrooting sftp session using rssh. According to OpenBSD journal OpenSSH devs Damien Miller and Markus Friedl have recently added a chroot security feature to openssh itself:

Unfortunately, setting up a chroot(2) environment is complicated, fragile and annoying to maintain. The most frequent reason our users have given when asking for chroot support in sshd is so they can set up file servers that limit semi-trusted users to be able to access certain files only. Because of this, we have made this particular case very easy to configure.

This commit adds a chroot(2) facility to sshd, controlled by a new sshd_config(5) option “ChrootDirectory”. This can be used to “jail” users into a limited view of the filesystem, such as their home directory, rather than letting them see the full filesystem.

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