Why Are You Using FreeBSD?

[Dave Hayes]

Flemming Jacobsen <fj at batmule.dk> writes:
> Damien Fleuriot wrote:
>> You missed the bit about 3 reboots, while these don't take 15 mins each,
>> they're still time consuming and disruptive.
>> 1/ reboot after installing new kernel
>> 2/ reboot after installing new world
>> 3/ reboot after rebuilding ports
> Or ... use sysbuild (/usr/src/tools/tools/sysbuild) and just boot
> once.

I respectfully disagree here. Sysbuild makes some assumptions about the
partition layout which you'd need to factor in before you created your
server. For the average layout (single disk, single partition), sysbuild
won't be easy to make work.

More generally, it's best not to clutter this interesting thread with
delusions of rapidity. Given ports/packages/rpms/etc ... I claim it does
not matter what system you use: There's just too much software out there
that all has to work together to expect a simple upgrade to take 5
minutes on a well managed production server.

I believe the more cogent solution is along these lines:

Kevin Oberman <kob6558 at gmail.com> writes:
> Make your own freebsd-update server and build whatever custom system
> you need. It does not need to be a GENERIC kernel. It does not need to
> be RELEASE.Then use freebsd-update to update all of your production
> systems with a single reboot and about 15 minutes (depending on system
> and disk speed and I have not actually timed it).and it can be done
> without console access or a single-user boot.

If you take some time and plan your deployment and server layout, a
single (even virtualized) server dedicated to building world and ports
can help homogenize and streamline upgrades of large numbers of FreeBSD
servers. I'd imagine that anything over 10 servers would almost demand
this kind of attention to detail, but that's me. 
-- 
Dave Hayes - Consultant - Altadena CA, USA - dave at jetcafe.org 
>>> The opinions expressed above are entirely my own <<<

People complain about time being short, going fast.
But when it seems to go slowly they complain that it drags.

Let us consider the people, not the supposed movements
of time.