Best linux distribution for Java build server & ...

Hi all, we are trying to setup a build server for building our Java projects. Following software will be installed: * Subversion * Jira/Confluence/Crucible/Fisheye ... * Bamboo (continuous integration solution)

I have 2 questions: 1. Which dist of linux is better suited in your opinion? Our current candidates are: openSUSE, CentOS, Gentoo, Mandriva. 2. Is it possible to build something like an image after finishing setup process and burn it on hard drive for next customers without need to repeat all installation and config process?

Thanks in advance,

From serverfault ashkanr

• It shouldn't really matter, but Java and Redhat go together quite frequently, and CentOS is a clone of RedHat.

  I wouldn't recommend gentoo for this personally, it is generally considered the most complex of those distributions.

  Cloning is quite possible. If they are all identical machines, you might just want to use dd to clone an image of the hard drive.

  Trevor Harrison : +1 re: gentoo: You are interested in continuous integration of your software, not gentoo's software, right? So yeah, avoid gentoo and the endless recompiling it forces you to do.

  Trevor Harrison : @Kyle Brant: right now you have 666 answers in your profile. Nice.

  Kyle Brandt : @Trevor Harrison: Nice, it was http://serverfault.com/questions/134864/maximum-speed-of-data-transmission/134873#134873 that was my 666th I think :-P
  From Kyle Brandt