If you were starting from scratch with a RaQ4i, how would you go about it knowing what you know now?

For instance, in what order would you install various software? (like phpmyadmin, ssh, etc.) Make updates? Take care of security issues and backup issues?

What are the most important things to do first to keep them from being harder to do later on?

What can wait until last?

Is it a good idea to use a domain other than the initial domain name for everything you intend to do on the RaQ besides the control panel?

Hmm, I think in the early stages setting up a secure environment to work in is step one, so I would first get ssh2 up and running and then limit access to the server through tcp-wrappers.

The next thing would be installing the Cobalt updates. Seems the latest OS update kills some stuff, so with nothing running yet, who cares.

All other stuff is unimportant in the early stages, like phpMyAdmin. phpMyAdin is used to administer MySQL databases. There are no databases yet, so why even bother with it?!

First get the server updated and secure...

Thanks for the reply.

Security, then updates...

That is the kind of solid advice I'm looking for, but I'm also looking for specifics.

For instance, if I'm going to install ipchains, is it wiser to install ipchains before or after the box is updated?

i did this on my raq3

-ssh, then stopped telnet
-cobalt updates
-installed other misc. pkgs
-installed php (doesn't come on a raq3)
-mysql
-didn't even bother with phpmyadmin, i do everything on the command line
-ipchains
-logcheck

so on so forth with whatever you need on your box.

Thanks for more info.

Does anyone have any nightmare stories for installing one thing before another?

or an opinion on this... Is it a good idea to use a domain other than the initial domain name for everything you intend to do on the RaQ besides the control panel?

Most nightmare stories I've seen were because of unstable Cobalt updates. But since most of those have been out a while, I don't see bad dreams coming from that direction.

As for the domains, our main domain is actually an "unused" one. I've installed several things there, like phpMyAdmin. Then I installed a self-signed certificate so we can use encrypted ssl connections when playing with server related stuff. Think I even move our webmail there :)

Guess that's a benefit of using another domain...