---
title: "Server Challenge - Instance #0"
url: https://perrotta.dev/2014/03/server-challenge-instance-%230/
last_updated: 2026-02-19
---


I'm starting a new challenge about servers (after the openbox challenge froze
last October). Servers are more interesting than window managers, so here's the
proposal: I'll learn about setting up web servers.

## Which Distros?

I'm covering free distros best suited for web servers (sorry RHEL and SLES):

- **Arch Linux**: Full control over packages; people say Arch isn't for servers,
  but I'll prove them wrong
- **Ubuntu LTS** (12.04): Supports until 2017 (non-LTS versions only have 9
  months of support)
- **CentOS**: An RPM-based distro for comparison
- **openSUSE**: I disliked it before, but let's give it another chance

(I'm skipping Debian since Ubuntu is based on it — minor differences only)

## Plan and Schedule

**Initial focus**: Installation and VirtualBox setup of these 4 distros.

The openbox challenge was daily, but expect a more relaxed schedule here — I'll
post when time allows. I'll detail the next steps at the end of each post.

## Purpose

- **Self-learning**: The main reason
- **Sharing knowledge**: I want to document what I learn (sharing knowledge
  doesn't mean you'll learn from just reading — you must study too)
- **Documentation**: These posts might help someone else or my future self

Always for knowledge, always for the challenge, always for sharing with the
community. Until soon.