The value of consistency in server UI
Running different "platforms" often entails learning a variety of user interfaces, directory structures and the like. You can say "adios" to the difficulties with TurnkeyLinux.
When I started with TurnkeyLinux back in, I believe, 2011, I had never run anything in Linux. I had been a Mac, Dos and Windows guy. Before that, I likely was running some UNIX client on our timesharing systems in both High School and College.
I had run many flavors of Networking with Apple and both Dos/Windows, including for a bit, Lantastic, Novell, Appletalk, Windows NT Server and most generations that followed. (Add to that some Cisco and other higher end routers). Through all of that, I was very aware of the learning I needed to do to "talk the talk" and do the work in the different platforms. It got a little tiring to be honest.
And then came Linux, and for me TurnkeyLinux. There was certainly some learning I needed to do, especially when I wanted to build some of my own appliances, but the environment at TurnkeyLinux was ideal. I learned quite a bit, but at the same time, it was pretty easy to get into the realm. I used the Webmin Platform they provide perhaps longer than I needed to, but I really used their systems. SSL Certificates. Apache configurations. User rights and much much more.
Turnkey offers in a standard build
- SFTP
- Webmin
- Shell (SSH)
- Webshell
- Database Interface (and API access capabilities)
- Backup and Migration
- a degree of Fun.
What is important to realize that you want to roll your data but not be stuck to your server. There are various reasons why you might want to leave a server or platform behind, but you want to access your data and work with it.
Not that we don't have some criticizms. Turnkey's platform is excellent. Their methodology to move you from one Generation to another on a system like Magento or Odoo has not been ideal. I have worked through that, and yes, it is not reasonable to put the onus of the application developers (though they are all Open Source) on to TurnkeyLinux. That said, still, there are times when these subjects need to be taken on. Turnkey, on their side, will provide a very well configured new Server with the new Application Generation installed, but a simple Data Move from your old server to new server will not suffice. You will need to take on the Data Migration tasks and sometimes that will be easy and sometimes it will be more involved. That is not Turnkey's fault, but we will say, they do an excellent Job of migrating your Linux Debian system experience forward.
Kudo's to Turnkey, and a special kudo to Jeremy Davis who mans the main interface station there.