Most commercial control panels have for quite a while worked on debian based systems, then you have an extensive free one that only works on debian based systems.
Apart from that I’m torn between debian and ubuntu, both have pros and cons.
Ubuntu puts out stable releases more often, but usually includes a boat load of stuff you don’t really need or want on servers, debfoster can help, but you get a smaller image with debian, especially since you don’t need kernels and what not on Xen installs.
On the other hand a Debian stable release is really really stable, and a lot of the packages Ubuntu shoves into universe and multiverse aren’t tested, and it can be sort of rediculous when a user space tool exists, but there is no kernel support.
As for dist-upgrade, it’s not really recommended by the ubuntu guys, but dist-upgrading xen hosts I’ve not had any problem, even when I went from dapper to gutsy, and my laptop has been dist-upgraded from dapper I think, to every release and is currently using hardy packages, though I don’t upgrade it as often as I probably should have, then again there is usually no pressing need unless something is broken, which usually only happens when it does get upgraded ;)
Unfortunately no distro seems to be all things to all people and it’s unfortunate that debian doesn’t have a rough release schedule as it truly is better in terms of running servers, where as ubuntu tends to excel and be aimed at the desktop with the server stuff more of an after thought then anything.
Most commercial control panels have for quite a while worked on debian based systems, then you have an extensive free one that only works on debian based systems.
Apart from that I’m torn between debian and ubuntu, both have pros and cons.
Ubuntu puts out stable releases more often, but usually includes a boat load of stuff you don’t really need or want on servers, debfoster can help, but you get a smaller image with debian, especially since you don’t need kernels and what not on Xen installs.
On the other hand a Debian stable release is really really stable, and a lot of the packages Ubuntu shoves into universe and multiverse aren’t tested, and it can be sort of rediculous when a user space tool exists, but there is no kernel support.
As for dist-upgrade, it’s not really recommended by the ubuntu guys, but dist-upgrading xen hosts I’ve not had any problem, even when I went from dapper to gutsy, and my laptop has been dist-upgraded from dapper I think, to every release and is currently using hardy packages, though I don’t upgrade it as often as I probably should have, then again there is usually no pressing need unless something is broken, which usually only happens when it does get upgraded ;)
Unfortunately no distro seems to be all things to all people and it’s unfortunate that debian doesn’t have a rough release schedule as it truly is better in terms of running servers, where as ubuntu tends to excel and be aimed at the desktop with the server stuff more of an after thought then anything.