Another question: Is there a good server/performance monitoring tool out there? (open/free source). Love to find a good package that can monitor MySql, Apache, etc.

James
44581904@mylife.unisa.ac.za

There are detailed install instructions on their website (look here: http://www.webmin.com/docs.html). Chances are, that you can even install it from your package manager. To me, this is the prefered way, although you are not always getting the newest version. But you get the advantage of security updates from your normal update procedure. If that is not available for you, your installed Webmin will tell you about when it’s time to upgrade all alone, as long as your server can send mails.

Putting all enthusiasm aside, there are drawbacks, too:
First of all it tends to destroy formattings in config files. I still edit most of the stuff in my /etc directories by hand. Also, it clutters up configuration of, let’s say apache, up into several different sub-menues. Not my type of overview, honestly cause you might easily oversee things you configured last month.

Besides of that, Webmin’s little brother usermin is perfect for letting people change their own passwords and work on their files without granting them shell access at all. But you really really really really really really have to check twice what you grant. It is possible to open up HUGE security holes in your systems with web- and usermin. So please use it with caution.

OJay.