[ale] Migrating from WindoZe to Linux.

[jeff_hubbs at mcgraw-hill.com]

Migrations - one of my favorite parts of this line of work.  I've always liked
the dramatic effect of doing the same thing or better with no more or perheps
even less, and easier to boot.  I did this once before, going from
Win3.1/NetWare to NT/NT, and here you are taking the next logical step.
Hopefully I'll be right there along with you in due course.

Supposing you've got a good handle on setting workstations up under Win95/98/NT,
then set up one of each (or at least 98 and NT) for your existing environment
just the way you want them, and then disconnect them and set them aside.  What
I'd do then if I were you is set up a "tabletop" network just like your real one
except with a Linux server instead of an NT server, plus the workstations you
just set up.

Samba is going to be the key crossover point between the NT and Linux worlds,
handling authentication and file and print serving.  Make sure you get the
latest version - 2.0something.  There was a recent posting that contained a good
URL about Samba tuning:
http://www.linuxworld.com/linuxworld/lw-1999-04/lw-04-mindcraft.html.  Once you
go live with this, you're going to want to have the latest Linux kernel running
too, since its memory management (especially WRT disk cache) is supposedly quite
improved.

DHCP and Notes serving are separate issues, although for the latter you're going
to want to use your file sharing ability to better consolidate your overall
Notes plant.  I don't know how many users you're talking about, but if I were
you I'd plan on having a separate Notes server (is the Notes server software for
Linux actually available now??) and Samba server if at all possible.  What you
might want to do is start out fooling around with Samba and Notes on one
machine, then at some point take down your NT server and redo it as a new Notes
server.  This would work really well if you also already had Notes served
elsewhere or weren't using it yet at all - otherwise you might have some
logistical issues to work out.

- Jeff






oojior at udc.com on 04/26/99 12:33:17 PM

To:   ale at ale.org
cc:    (bcc: Jeff Hubbs/Tower)

Subject:  [ale] Migrating from WindoZe to Linux.






Greetings

Can anyone provide direction to documentation or other resourceful information
on migrating from a Microsoft Windows NT network infrastructure to a Linux
network infrastructure?

My main concern (since Linux is technically, and otherwise, a more efficient
network operating system than MS Win NT) is to process the migration with little
or no effect to the users.  I don't want my users to have to make any changes to
their clients (win 95, 98 and NT) if at all possible.  My NT infrastructure
requires a file serving, DHCP, print services, and application serving
(particularly handling server side groupware application such as Lotus Notes).

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks