[OT] Debian mailinglists

[Derek Broughton]

Marcin Kasperski wrote:

>>> Existing SSH connections remain up, so you can log int via SSH, edit,
>>> then try to establish a new connection, and drop the old one only when
>>> you are sure the new config works.
>>
>> Hahahahaha!  I just saw an admin upgrade 3 servers last week, without
>> doing
>> anything more than a superficial check of any of them.  It was days later
>> that he actually figured out what he'd done wrong and fixed it...
> 
> Well, being sensible sysadmin require some responsibility. Not
> everybody fills this bill.

Not everybody actually has the resources to _hire_ a sensible sysadmin -
even as woefully underpaid as they usually are.  In a huge number of
installations, the sysadmin is someone who has a basic technical knowledge,
at best, and administers the system in addition to his regular job.
> 
>> In the case of an SSH server, wouldn't it make more sense to use a config
>> tool that actually _did_ try to establish a new connection before
>> finalizing the changes?
> 
> Yeah, now you are talking about the config tool which must run
> cooperatively on *two* machines (the testing connection should
> be made from your client PC, shouldn't it). Yeah.....

However, that's exactly what Mario said you have to do.  If you _have_ to do
it before it's safe to complete the configuration, then it should be part
of the configuration tool.

> Not to mention, that you must reload with changes applied to test
> them in this way.

That was given.
-- 
derek