IS&T recognizes the demand for support from the Linux community at MIT. The Linux operating system comes in multiple distributions, from different vendors, aimed at different usage models. The current IS&T supported options for Linux at MIT are listed below.
Ubuntu Linux (Debathena)
In 2009, Athena moved from a formal operating system to a suite of software layered on top of and integrated with Ubuntu Linux. This version of Athena is referred to as "Debathena", and is available for all current versions of Ubuntu Linux on 32- and 64-bit Intel platforms. Ubuntu Linux itself comes in two different editions: standard and long-term support (LTS). Normally, a new version of Ubuntu is released each April and October, and each version is supported for 18 months from its release dates. Every 4th release is an LTS release, which is supported for 3 years from its release date.
Ideal for: Desktop use; compatibility with the Athena environment
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Users who require minimal Athena compatibility or require a server environment with long-term support may wish to consider Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5. Operating system, install, and related issues are handled through the Service Desk. Application support for fully supported applications is provided by the Service Desk. Support for other applications, particularly those available through AFS, is on a best-effort basis. Security and errata updates are available to the MIT community through IS&T's Red Hat Network service.
Ideal for: Server environments; software distributed in RPM format
Other Linux
So many versions of Linux exist that full support for all of them is not feasible. Recognizing the inherent similarities between certain distributions (e.g. Fedora vs. RHEL; Debian vs. Ubuntu), IS&T will provide documentation concerning generic configuration information for the MIT environment on a best-effort basis. For additional support, users may wish to turn to community resources such as the linux-help mailing list, or the IT Partners list.
Ideal for: Hobbyists; Linux developers