Why Are You Using FreeBSD?

[Daniel Kalchev]

On 31.05.12 18:41, Damien Fleuriot wrote:
> You missed the bit about 3 reboots, while these don't take 15 mins each,
> they're still time consuming and disruptive.
> 1/ reboot after installing new kernel
> 2/ reboot after installing new world
> 3/ reboot after rebuilding ports

About the only time I ever do that is when moving from very distant 
versions, like from 6.4 to 9.0...

Upgrading from say, 8-stable from year ago, to today's 8-stable usually 
requires just one reboot: rebuild world, kernel, reinstall kernel, 
world, update configuration files, rebuild ports, reboot.
There are many cases where I do rebuild/reinstall kernel and world but 
do not reboot for one reason or other. Cases, where the kernel is 
incompatible with userspace are extremely rare and typically documented.

So yes, for example during port rebuild there might be glitches with 
services. You are better to shut down these services that will be 
affected, like web server. (Although usually say, apache would load all 
modules at startup time and replacing them under its feet will only be 
noticed after it is restarted). Most of the time however is spent just 
compiling... and unless your server is really underpowered or overloaded 
it does not impact anything. This again, is especially true for the OS. 
I wish ports could be rebuilt and reinstalled on a single step like FreeBSD.

In any case, if you have 'server farms', or like you said firewalls with 
CARP etc, you can usually shut down any of the members for as long as 
necessary and not impact any services. If you rebuild things on 
'central' server, the downtime will be indeed minimal.

Daniel