We want to use Ubuntu 14.X Server edition in our Dell PowerEdge R470 Servers for one business critical application, I already downloaded the Operating system from official Ubuntu site. My doubt is do you have any commercial edition which suits for servers platform instead of free/open downloadable OS, What is the major difference in terms of security features in free downloaded OS. Do you have any other version which having more security and feature set. Please suggest.
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What is the major difference in terms of security features in -open source- free downloaded OS.
The difference between open source and closed source is that with the 1st many eyes can look at the source code whereas with closed source your need to trust the company that owns the code. If some government decides it needs a backdoor in an operating system adding it to an open source system will be spotted. In a closed source version it will not.
In general, a closed source operating system tends to be non-free. But open/closed source is not exactly the same as free/non-free.
My doubt is do you have any commercial edition which suits for servers platform instead of free/open downloadable OS.
Do you have any other version which having more security and feature set. Please suggest.
No, why would we need to? It is super-secure out-of-the-box and with a few simple commands it can be hardened even further. It is not invulnerable, but much more robust as most commercial OSes. Ubuntu does have a (payable) support service called landscape for businesses.
Please suggest.
Feel free to use the Ubuntu operating system (stick with an LTS though due to the long support cycle) or any other Linux system for that matter. It is safe, secure and you can tinker with it as much as you want. We use Ubuntu for all our server needs: professionally, my company has Ubuntu servers where we code on, we have Ubuntu in a datacenter hosting our software and we use it in google and in amazon instances to host our software. All with apache, mysql, jasperserver (that is a document server system) with replication between all of them.
Canonical (the company behind Ubuntu) does not put any restrictions on anyone using it besides their copyright on the word *buntu and the *buntu logo. But that is only if you want to distribute your own version of the operating system. Not when using it.
Security is something that needs permanent evaluation. If anything security is about social engineering.
Changing passwords every so often; making sure passwords are not easy to guess. If the admin gets fired you FIRST change the admin passwords and then you fire him. Checking log files every so often. Sign yourself up to mailing lists so you are up to date regarding bugs and security related problems. Security is also making sure the backup is restorable so in case there is a breach you have something to fall back on.
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Ubuntu is a free, open-source OS with regular security and maintenance upgrades provided. There is no distinction of "free vs. commercial" versions of Ubuntu. Suggest that you read the Ubuntu Server Overview. Would also suggest that for a business server deployment that you use the 14.04 LTS release as it has a five year support term.
douggro
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