help with substitution of WinNT server with Linux

[BrownB]

Hello, I need some hints about this: my company is looking about change the currently used domain server, based on WinNT, with a newer one, and I suggested to use Linux with SAMBA, but I never did this thing.

I need to know if someone did this choice and if this is a good choice, or should we go on WinServer2003? I'd like very much to use linux, I'm experimenting in the free time with SAMBA, and it's not so hard, but I need to know if someone have experienced problems.

Almost all the machines connected to the company net are using Win2k or WinXp.

Any hint will be appreciated very much,
BrownB

[joeprogrammer]

Linux and Samba should work very nicely with the WinNT (especially if you have more time than money). And stop putting everything in bold.

[Fordy]

If your looking to upgrade a domain server, you need to know what you are doing. Moving from Windows to Linux without experience is probably going to hurt in the longrun

[BrownB]

If your looking to upgrade a domain server, you need to know what you are doing. Moving from Windows to Linux without experience is probably going to hurt in the longrun

I guessed about this problem...can you explain better which kind of problems I could find going on this road? Note that if the problems are about manually editing conf files or about installing rpms or other "linux-style" jobs I'm not afraid. I'm afraid about possibly insufficient support for the services and protocols.

All the PCs I'm going to connect are Win2k/Xp based.

BrownB

[Fordy]

Ive only installed a domain server in an all windows situation, but that was enough of a headache at times. It's all very well thinking that your home experience will carry you through, but where your doing it for a company they expect it done quickly with virtually no interruption.

When a member of accounts doesnt have write access to a folder he/she needs, someone from marketing says they dont have permission to read the shared email folder they use, admin are complaing about there database system crashing after you converted the old SQL Server system to MySQL, management are complaining that the last 3 backups failed for some reason, and the server simply refuses to allow some workstation in HR to log-on, you cant placate them with "Hold tight, I'll spend a couple hours googling the answers to the problems we are having".

For this stuff, you need to know what you are doing and how to deal with any problems that will arise.

[GanglyLamb]

+ since its for your company they will ask to document everything like usual... but unlike with windows you'll notice you will have to write much more documentation for linux , since if the next in line for this job gets there, they need to have either linux expertise or follow your documentation carefully....

And if that guy is a die hard windows user, he'll know barely something from linux ...

[BrownB]

Very interesting, thank you very much for your answers.
BrownB

[Jaqui]

This Download is targeted at migrating from windows to linux, and helps you to decide if it's the best option for your company.

Personally, I have zero microsoft products, and will not support any microsoft based products, so I know Linux can work for every use in a business. Because I don't have any windows machines, I have no experience with Samaba on either the server or client end.

Note:

the download is sponsored by Red Hat Linux and Intel, the registration information is shared with them for marketing purposes.