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Are you running Ms NT4 or Windows 2000 servers and are about to upgrade them?
Try an OpenSource Server Solutions
Do you want: Increased security? Better system stability? Save money on your license cost? Have more server capacity and better performance? A simple and web-based server administration interface? You can do this! and use existing hardware! A minimum of service interruption. Add more disk if you need but otherwise keep the system as it is. Your users won't know the difference!
The Basic software.
Linux:
Start at these good sites:
Linux System
reference site. But there are lot of web-sites describing different aspects of Linux.
Linuxhq
is another good starting place. Here you will find references to current releases and vendors for Linux. The big ones:
Red Hat
Mandrake
S.U.S.E
These are complete distros with most things that you need and will cost you about $150 if you order a CD-set. So how do you choose ? It is more a matter of taste. The Linux distributions that are Available are made up of a collection of Open Source software. Maybe 90% of what is included are the same software packages, precompiled and synchronized in versions relative to all their dependencies, and brought together with an installation program and some programs developed by the Distributor. This is done in a relative similar fashion by all and from distribution to distribution this has been more or less successful. The difference is in general quite minor. If you just want to check the different software out, or download separate packages for installation here is the important ones:
Samba:
The Samba File server suit
has been around for a long time now, (since 1992). Several stable releases has been used for years by different companies. New features and functions are still added and the software is developing to adopt to new requirement constantly. Samba is able to be a primary domain controller for NT4 domains, supports all windows versions so far and has good support for printing from windows. Integrates well with WINS, NetBios, WinBind, DNS/LDAP/ADS and kerberos environments, Check this articles:
Samba runs rings around Win2000
There are a number of administration tools that can be used besides Webmin. Just a couple of examples. SWAT - Samba Web Administration Tool, a web based manager that comes with Samba.
Smbconftool
- A Java based tool for smb.conf editing.
Printing:
The Lprng Printer
software is an enhanced, extended, and portable implementation of the Berkeley LPR print spooler functionality, Cups
Webmin:
Webmin
- is a general web based unix administration tool. This is a "plug-in" based admin tool with a lot of support for many server components and it comes with a good Samba component.
Mail Server software
To replace a Mail server is an easy task, but if you are using a multi-purpose server like the Ms-Exchange server, and you are using the groupware functions like the calender etc. then here are several functions to replace and it will take some time and work to do a migration. There are some commercial products available that probably will be cheaper but it requires some investigation and planning anyway. If you just are using the mail transport functions then you may replace that more easily with postfix or some other mail server program.
Additional software
You may add server functions for specific purposes if you want to. There are nice substitute for Intranet and groupware solutions, mail and databases that you can install and use for free. But the "cost" of moving some of these functions may be much higher than the basic server system.
Ftp-server
File transfer protocol server. Might be useful in an intranet solution or for program download etc.
Scp-server
Secure copy (file transfer) server. A more secure alternative to a standard Ftp server solution.
Ssh-server
Secure shell server. A useful "terminal server" for maintenance work etc.
Databases
Replacing MS-SqlServer, Oracle or any other commercial database by OpenSource databases might include a lot of work with application changes and retesting the system. So this is something that has to be examined and planned very careful in that case. OpenSource databases to consider:
PostgreSQL |
The Questions:
- So how do you do this?
- Who is it for?
- What does it cost?
- Is it safe to do?
- How long time does it take?
- How much more load does this handle than a W-NT/W2k server?
- How much do you save?
- What do you need? Do you need all the software and service on all servers? and
- What do you get?
The Answers:
- Upgrade your servers to an Open Source software system.
Use Linux, Samba and Webmin as a base for a new server system.
- Systems with a smaller amount of servers can do this upgrade in a couple of days.
Larger server fleets can absolutely do this as well but should probably
choose different admin tools
- The software is free so this cost and the license fee is ZERO, no server cost and no client cost.
Buying a server Cd-release is a minor cost.
Planning and installation time is the only actual and necessary cost
- Yes, Most functions can be replaced by Open source software solutions with
higher security and better control than a MS alternative.
Planning and a spare Server or disk will help to minimize the interruption time.
- The upgrade and the maintenance of the system takes time,
but not more than any other upgrade.
Each server can be installed in one or a couple of hours.
Data should be transferred and users set up, this will take transfer time and
up to 30 minutes per user, but not more.
Installation and server configuration should be planned and scheduled,
these times depends on size of the system.
- It depends on a number of things, but it won't be slower!. Reports shows that Samba
can handle maybe four times as many client systems as a Windows 2000 server
before performance begins to drop off.
- Savings are: The server software and license cost + Client licenses.
Total amounts depends on what software you use and how you buy it,
but a minimum license cost of $100/year/user is not an unreasonable to expect.
A Linux distribution with no strings attached and unlimited usages cost between $50 and $150.
Not including client software for office usage.
In addition to this you should add the maintenance and/or support fee.
You can buy support for Open source software if you do not want to handle that yourself.
In return for using OpenSource software you should try to help the OpenSource community.
This could be done in a number of ways, so you can give something back.
It could be problem reports, information about solved problems or writing some
documentation or code.
- You can get each software package separately from the Internet or you can download or buy
a set of Cd's with a server system from a number of companies that packages
the software together with a "simple to install program".
Companies like Red Hat, Mandrake and Suse is the most known.
It does not matter much witch one you use, the server software is almost the same.
But the installation and utilities may differ a little.
A general software install list is:
Boot-loader, kernel, samba, backup-tools, printer server,
webmin and drivers ( if any ) that are needed for your hardware.
If you install a system from one of the main distributions then that package contains
all of this and more hardware support you probably need.
- You get a system that can perform a wide range of server functions:
File-server, Windows-master ? Domain-master, ... dhcp-server, ...
Each part needs some configuration and this will take some initial time.
But there are nice configuration tools and help available.
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