Manageable installation

[Joe_Wulf]

Regarding the evolving fedora method of choosing what parts/pieces to
install...

>From functional, operational, deployment, time and security perspectives it
makes sense to provide a mechanism to efficiently and transparently select
the right packages for installation.  The current method in FC6 and RHEL AS5
beta are inefficient time-wise, as multiple 'selects' of buttons and windows
are required to wade through the multitude of package options.  Familiarity
is presumed on the SysAdmin's part, where in many cases it doesn't exist.
Further, there currently are far too many packages that are installed by
default that the user has zero opportunity to determine if they want, much
less need, and finally, having packages define requirements that are
frivolous (such as a package set which REQUIRES a cdwriter package to
function; there are other examples).

So building a system with 'everything' takes forever to walk through and
methodically select every package, just to get all the parts and pieces
installed, so they can be examined and researched and decisions made as to
what works best for me this time around, for this project.  If you are
unwilling to give the 'everything' build option back, then provide an
out-of-band method to easily and efficiently examine all packages,
understand their real intent, function and ability.

Building a system for a minimal installation to provide basic unix
functionality without 'fluff' is a shot in the dark that will take many many
installs to 'get right' based on the current approach.  We are in an age
where the production enterprise environment MUST be tailored for a minimal
exposure to the miscreants, so as to diminish opportunities to exploit
vulnerabilities, while at the same time efficiently providing for a robust
near-all-encompassing behind-the-scenes development environment, etc....

Bottom line:  building a system from the RedHat fedora distro SHOULD be
painless and straightforward.  I would hope RedHat is methodically
evaluating the most efficient, optimal methods to simplify an installation,
and especially to provide for variety and diversity in holistic package
selection and management in a way that minimizes the waste of time,
keystrokes and mouse clicks.  Efficiency is from my perspective, and
hopefully from yours, too.

R,
-Joe Wulf, CISSP
 Senior IA Engineer
 ProSync Technology Group, LLC