Re: [SLUG] Most valuable free/OSS software that doesn't exist?

[Gavin Carr <openfusion@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, Nov 15, 2004 at 02:20:52PM +1100, Jeff Waugh wrote:
> > OTOH, most of the server environments I encounter are much smaller than
> > that; typically 5-15 machines, and usually mostly or all Linux. In this
> > kind of environment I've found cfengine to be overkill - the learning
> > curve for the local admins is just too much to justify the benefits.
> 
> See, 5-15 machines says "one admin" to me. If that one admin has a tightly
> honed deployment / change management solution (for example, cfengine), then
> she won't be overwhelmed when projects (not maintenance or support) start to
> multiply, or when four machines die at once.
> 
> Learning cfengine is challenging, but even for small deployments, there's a
> pretty good saving to be had.

But from cfengine in particular, or from having a "tightly honed deployment / 
change management solution" in general? I'm all in favour the latter; it's 
the cfengine instance of that solution that I've found a hard sell.

cfengine is sendmail in this space - does everything, but is a dog to learn. 
I want a postfix.

Cheers,
Gavin