[ossig] Linux security patches - costs and features?

[Imran William Smith <iwsmith@mimos.my>]

I'm trying to get an understanding of the different costs and
ability of different Linuxes (sorry BSD guys) to stay up to date with
security patches, and also whether they feature any kind
of 'push' solution so the installation of patches can be
centralized at one system administrator (unfortunately, end
users cannot be guaranteed to install security patches regularly).


All I know is

Red Hat : USD 60 per year per desktop for RHN for desktop
	  Linux, much more for RH ES.  RHN is the ticket to
	  guaranteed access to patches.  Another USD 20 per year
	  or so (total USD 80 per desk per year) gives you
	  remote push technology.  Without paying, you
	  are effectively cut off from security updates unless
	  you complete frequent questionnaires (and you could
	  not expect all end-users to do that).


Mandrake : USD 60 per year gives you access to MandrakeClub.
	   Not sure if this features push technology for security
	   updates.


Debian:	   Free updates.  Not sure about push technology.  Not sure
	   who is paying for bandwidth (could set up national
	   mirror I suppose, to help..?)    Not sure how quickly
	   updates are released, I believe at least as efficiently
	   as the corporate Linuxes.



So in terms of cost, from what I can see, Debian wins.  In terms
of remote push of security updates, from what I know, Red Hat wins,
but I'm not sure how the others work.


Can anybody add any more info?

Thanks
Imran


--
Imran William Smith
Project Manager, Open Source Development,
MIMOS Berhad, Malaysia

Asian Open Source Centre : http://www.asiaosc.org
MIMOS Open Source        : http://opensource.mimos.my



------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe: send mail to ossig-request@mncc.com.my
with "unsubscribe ossig" in the body of the message