On Fri, 07 Aug 2009 10:34:05 +0100
David Ramsden <david@???> wrote:
> john lewis wrote:
> > On Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:26:49 +0100
> > David Ramsden <david@???> wrote:
> >
> >> Alan Pope wrote:
> >>> 2009/8/6 David Ramsden <david@???>:
> >>>> I have the need to upgrade 3 remote servers from Debian to
> >>>> Ubuntu. I'd like to avoid a complete re-install because:
> >>> Blimey, you're brave posting "Upgrade .. from Debian to Ubuntu" on
> >>> this list. Get your best flame retardant underpants on.
> >
> > I didn't like to comment ;-)
>
> s/Upgrade/Migrate/
>
> Although that probably doesn't make things any better, does it
> John? ;)
>
> >
> >>> Apparently, if I want to run the latest version of the required
> >> software, I have to use Ubuntu now. Which is a bit of a pain when
> >> there are these three Debian servers out there...
> >
> >> One server is currently on Debian 5.0.2, the others are Debian 4.0.
> >> The required software now needs Ubuntu 8.04 LTS.
> >
> > what software package can't you get with Debian 5.0.2?
>
> Unfortunately the package is provided by a 3rd party vendor, via
> their own repository.
>
> The latest major release of the package is Ubuntu only. I could
> probably download the .deb and get it to work but then I may run the
> risk of hitting a bug and the answer being "it's because you're not
> running Ubuntu".
>
> The reason behind this is because the product can also run as a
> virtual appliance using VMware. I've been told that Debian is no
> longer VMware certified but Ubuntu is. Therefore the software vendor
> has decided to ditch Debian with newer versions of their product.
This make me fume! Ubuntu is "supposed" to be a derivative of Debian
and packages developed by Ubuntu developers were "supposed" to be
compatible with the parent distro or at least passed back to Debian to
be made compatible (/me simplifies a bit)
so is ubuntu now officially a fork of Debian?
as for Debian being no longer 'VMware certified' I cannot find
anything regarding this via googling. Debian Lenny with the gnome
desktop certainly has VMware tools and this URL suggests a way around
one problem found in upgrading from Etch to Lenny
http://www.virtuallifestyle.nl/2008/10/debian-lenny-vmware-tools/
a Howto for lenny amd64 suggests getting
VMware-server-2.0.1-156745.x86_64.tar.gz
and installing that, presumably there is a 32bit tar package as well
http://linux.com/community/blogs/howto-install-vmware-server-2-on-debian-lenny-amd64-64bit.html
[snip]
> The boxen have been running for nearly a year and there wasn't the
> need to upgrade. Upgrading means some downtime which wasn't an option
> either. Luckily I now have a window where I can upgrade or re-install
> as it looks like I'll be doing.
I have done debian upgrades without even having to reboot!
but usually an upgrade includes a newer kernel so a reboot is then
needed to take advantage of whatever enhancements the newer kernel
provides.
--
John Lewis
using Debian Sid with windowmaker for a nicer desktop
