Linux@DUKE Resource Site

Linux@DUKE is a collaborative effort of many systems administrators from various departments who run Linux on Duke University campus. Linux@DUKE provides the following resources for fellow Duke linux users (and for the world in general):

Linux@DUKE Distribution of Linux OS

Linux@DUKE provides and maintains several Linux Distribution trees for use at Duke, which are closely based on linux products provided by Red Hat and several other closely related projects, such as Centos Linux.
Things provided additionally by Linux@DUKE are:

• Duke-specific customizations
  Several packages provided with Red Hat Linux are modified, plus several others are added so your linux system can interoperate successfully with the Duke environment. For example, several distribution trees provide OpenAFS to access your ACPUB shares.
• Proprietary/non-free software
  Duke University Site License allows us to distribute several packages which other distributions cannot include due to licensing restrictions. Examples of such software include Mathematica, Matlab, SUN Java 2, Acrobat Reader, and several others.
• Package Management Utility
  Installing a Linux system is only the beginning. It is also important to keep your machines constantly patched and updated for security and bugfix reasons. For those distributions that don't already ship with it, Linux@DUKE provides yum, a small package-management utility, which allows you to easily install additional software on your systems, and to keep your boxes constantly updated with the main Linux@DUKE repository to ensure that your boxes are not succeptible to cracking. Linux@DUKE works closely with the OIT security office to make sure that machines on Duke campus stay constantly updated and secure. For more information about yum, see:
  • Yum project pages

See currently available distributions.

Linux@DUKE Support

Please visit the support page to see all available venues for obtaining support for you Linux@DUKE installation:

• How to get support for your Linux@DUKE installation

Why should I use Linux@DUKE?

There are several reasons to use Linux@DUKE over another distribution, including the vanilla Red Hat Linux:

• Specialized Duke-related software as part of the installation procedure
• Strong support group on campus
• Convenient package management system
• Timely application of tested security patches and their automatic propagation to member machines (if not disabled)
• Multiple package repositories from various groups on- and off-campus
• We have a cool-looking logo that remotely resembles the Duke Blue Devil. :)