I would much more care for timely security updates.
Servers are the parts where you don't need the latest software, in my opinion.
Not if it comes for less stability or security.
In the best case i have a very secure default installation, install the software i need from updated repositories,
let the server update itself (or let it remind me of updates) and be gone with touching the shell ever again.
The goal is to have the server running safe and secure for years and not to have the latest pre-beta release versions of NoSQL-engine XYZ "just because".
Personally on my Desktop i have been a Debian guy (and after that Ubuntu), but it all depends on the requirements.
My personal view:
- my personal server runs Debian but i would place ubuntu a second for a one-person thing with no personal data on it. I know it runs a stable and updated OS and it just runs and runs and runs. You need a newer software version? You can selectively take some from testing or even unstable if you have to. You still get timely updates and live in an eco-system that is largely seen as proven, stable, excellent. Ubuntu (afaik) only get's Debian testing packages anyway, but still needs to patch them or tweak them. Or you get non-upstream packages. Also my experience is that Debians configuration is quite secure by default. Whereas Ubuntu tries to make it easy for you but also more open to security flaws.
- for an enterprise i can totally see why many choose RHEL (because of support, fast security updates and great in-house know-how. Do you know how many kernel developers are employed by Ubuntu? You don't want to know.. I give a lot of Kudos to RedHat for being such an open and contributing company.)
- for a start-up i can totally see how FreeBSD might fit as an internet-facing frontend. It's a stable and fast workhorse, and you'll end up compiling, configuring, installing the core components of your system all the time anyway.
Talking about it i feel a bit sad of not mentioning Solaris anymore. Solaris "was" awesome.
My personal view:
- my personal server runs Debian but i would place ubuntu a second for a one-person thing with no personal data on it. I know it runs a stable and updated OS and it just runs and runs and runs. You need a newer software version? You can selectively take some from testing or even unstable if you have to. You still get timely updates and live in an eco-system that is largely seen as proven, stable, excellent. Ubuntu (afaik) only get's Debian testing packages anyway, but still needs to patch them or tweak them. Or you get non-upstream packages. Also my experience is that Debians configuration is quite secure by default. Whereas Ubuntu tries to make it easy for you but also more open to security flaws.
- for an enterprise i can totally see why many choose RHEL (because of support, fast security updates and great in-house know-how. Do you know how many kernel developers are employed by Ubuntu? You don't want to know.. I give a lot of Kudos to RedHat for being such an open and contributing company.)
- for a start-up i can totally see how FreeBSD might fit as an internet-facing frontend. It's a stable and fast workhorse, and you'll end up compiling, configuring, installing the core components of your system all the time anyway.
Talking about it i feel a bit sad of not mentioning Solaris anymore. Solaris "was" awesome.