[aklug] Re: Need a little nudge in the right direction...

All good points.

I do feel the need to point out that I work in a Windows environment. We
have about 8 or so Windows servers. I don't understand why people think you
have to babysit a Windows server. I don't.

We do have Linux systems for a few things. I do love Linux when it is the
right solution for the job.

On Fri, Jan 15, 2016 at 9:12 AM, JP <jp@jptechnical.com> wrote:

> Valid questions...
>
> First, the registry hack, 3 keys modified (bit flipped), one to reduce the
> voracity with which windows searches DNS for the domain controller, and the
> second relaxes the functional level it is looking for in the domain
> controller, the third I believe prevents you from doing something stupid if
> you enable roaming profiles.
>
> The reason is two-fold...
>
> 1st, the SME server, and linux implementation of NT domain (not full AD,
> think older but reliable tech, like SSH) has been unchanged for a really
> long time. It is rock solid... dead simple, and there just aren't many
> moving parts to go wrong. Since the OS also has the bare minimum running
> necessary (albeit there is a pop/smtp/imap service I don't need), it is
> lean and requires very little maintenance. It is VERY rare to have to
> reboot the SME server, from experience.
>
> 2nd, the all mighty dollar... All said and done, installing an SME takes
> about a 1/4 the time to install and configure, it costs nothing and has
> greatly reduced operating costs. Plus the upfront costs of licensing are
> eliminated. Windows servers need constant babysitting. Even with a good
> RMM, which I have, you still have to manually reboot the things, and we all
> know the longer between reboots the more painful the reboot will be. On
> the flip-side, SME is Linux and to a large degree, compared to Windows, it
> is a 'set it and forget it' affair. This means wayyyyy less maintenance
> time for the client to keep the most basic need of central stored
> usernames and passwords working. So total cost of ownership is a fraction
> of what a windows domain will cost to maintain.
>
> Bonus 3rd reason, backups are ridiculously simple. plug in a thumb-drive,
> choose to backup to removable media, watch as tar does it's work. Move
> removable drive to a new install, choose to restore backup, watch tar do
> it's job, you have now migrated your DC to new hardware. Backup time is the
> only factor, no architecture concerns, etc.
>
>
>
> On Fri, Jan 15, 2016 at 8:53 AM Damien Hull <dhull@section9.us> wrote:
>
>> JP,
>>
>> I hate to dump on your Linux server, but what's wrong with Windows?
>>
>> I know I'm going to get hate mail and a few death threats for this.
>> However, having been in the IT world for a few years I would take the needs
>> of the business into consideration. Trying to get Windows to work with
>> Linux servers can be a bit tricky. As you pointed out, you need to hack the
>> registry. I'm not a fan of registry hacks. If the business can't find
>> support when you're gone they're SOL.
>>
>> Server 2012 R2 or Server 2012 essentials would be my pick. In a Windows
>> environment like this one, it just works.
>>
>>
>> If the network had 10 or so workstations I might consider your Linux
>> option. This is just my 2 cents.
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Jan 14, 2016 at 3:07 PM, JP <jp@jptechnical.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Yes, Peter is right.
>>>
>>> It is based on CentOS with many pre-configured packages based on
>>> official releases. During install, and anytime later, you choose which
>>> features you want, similar to Roles in Windows Server, it grabs the
>>> necessary components and installs them. You can still get to the yum
>>> package manager and install direct releases with no modifications, the real
>>> tweaking is in the config files of course. It really is very reliable, I
>>> have never had an install fail on me, but I have had a much smaller set of
>>> installs to base reliability on.
>>>
>>> http://wiki.contribs.org/Main_Page
>>>
>>> The history of SME server is pretty interesting, it has changed hands A
>>> LOT but seems to have retained the contributors over the years. The
>>> addon-packages were called contribs, hence the domain name hosting the
>>> documentation.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, Jan 14, 2016 at 2:39 PM Peter Barclay PCNI <admin@pcni.us>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> It's an all in one small to medium enterprise Linux server akin to the
>>>> roll up Microsoft did with sbs...
>>>>
>>>> Sent from Outlook Mobile <https://aka.ms/blhgte>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Jan 14, 2016 at 3:01 PM -0800, "Lee Brumbaugh" <
>>>> lbrumbaugh@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I've never used SME before, but how off the beaten Linux path is it? I
>>>> mean is it just a gui on top of standard tools or heavily modified
>>>> craziness?
>>>>
>>>> *Lee Brumbaugh*
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Jan 14, 2016 at 11:25 AM, Tim Johnson <tim@akwebsoft.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> :) Coding not networking is my forte and I am quasi retired -
>>>>> you're over my head here, but I'm sure Jamie can grok. Good luck.
>>>>>
>>>>> * JP <jp@jptechnical.com> [160114 11:22]:
>>>>> > Thanks TJ
>>>>> >
>>>>> > One thing to add... I am likely going to run this on top of Hyper-V
>>>>> 2012,
>>>>> > it is free, and the replication is awesome. I previously was
>>>>> XenServer all
>>>>> > the way (after many years of ESXi)... but I have had some support
>>>>> issues
>>>>> > from Citrix on the XenServer in the past... costly support issues,
>>>>> whereas
>>>>> > the hyper-v is becoming so ubiquitous that tracking down an issue is
>>>>> pretty
>>>>> > simple.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > On Thu, Jan 14, 2016 at 11:12 AM Tim Johnson <tim@akwebsoft.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>> >
>>>>> > > Hello JP :
>>>>> > >
>>>>> > > You might want to run this by Jamie Hushower at Rent-a-Geek in
>>>>> > > Palmer (I believe that he does a lot of business in Anchorage).
>>>>> > > He used to be on SLUG (Susitna Valley Linux Users Group) before
>>>>> it
>>>>> > > died.
>>>>> > >
>>>>> > > His phone number is 907 745-5060 and the website is at
>>>>> > > http://www.geeksalaska.com/
>>>>> > >
>>>>> > > I've known him for at least 15 years. I believe he's been doing
>>>>> > > networking all of that time.
>>>>> > >
>>>>> > > - tj -
>>>>> > >
>>>>> > > * JP <jp@jptechnical.com> [160114 10:57]:
>>>>> > > > I have a client with a windows network of about 40 workstations,
>>>>> the file
>>>>> > > > shares are (will be shortly) on a simple NAS, and the rest of
>>>>> their work
>>>>> > > is
>>>>> > > > on the cloud. At present, the only feature of Active Directory
>>>>> they need
>>>>> > > is
>>>>> > > > the ability to login to different computers, they jump around a
>>>>> lot, but
>>>>> > > > they DO NOT need roaming profiles, just mapped drives.
>>>>> > > >
>>>>> > > > I have, on half a dozen occasions, setup an SME server to
>>>>> replace SBS
>>>>> > > 2000
>>>>> > > > and SBS 2003 servers. I know that there is Win 7,8,10 support in
>>>>> SME
>>>>> > > with a
>>>>> > > > registry patch, and I am testing it in a lab with Win 10 as I
>>>>> have
>>>>> > > already
>>>>> > > > had good success with Win 8 and 7 in past labs. So, technically
>>>>> I know it
>>>>> > > > is possible and reliable.
>>>>> > > >
>>>>> > > > Here is my quandary... the only negative I can come up with from
>>>>> the last
>>>>> > > > 15yrs of IT work and running both Windows and Linux emulated
>>>>> domains is
>>>>> > > > that I have in the past built something only I can maintain.
>>>>> This is a
>>>>> > > risk
>>>>> > > > for the client, and it causes unnecessarily stress for me. So...
>>>>> are
>>>>> > > there
>>>>> > > > any techs in Anchorage that have used SME server, so that if I
>>>>> am hit by
>>>>> > > a
>>>>> > > > bus they could pick it up and run with it? Or does this risk
>>>>> outweigh the
>>>>> > > > savings on M$ licensing (about $4500), as I estimate the labor
>>>>> to rebuild
>>>>> > > > the domain to be a wash either way.
>>>>> > > > --
>>>>> > > >
>>>>> > > > *JP (Jesse Perry)*
>>>>> > > > voice/txt: 907-748-2200
>>>>> > > > email: jp@jptechnical.com
>>>>> > > > web: http://jptechnical.com
>>>>> > > > support: helpdesk@jptechnical.com
>>>>> > >
>>>>> > > --
>>>>> > > Tim
>>>>> > > http://www.akwebsoft.com, http://www.tj49.com
>>>>> > > ---------
>>>>> > > To unsubscribe, send email to <aklug-request@aklug.org>
>>>>> > > with 'unsubscribe' in the message body.
>>>>> > >
>>>>> > > --
>>>>> >
>>>>> > *JP (Jesse Perry)*
>>>>> > voice/txt: 907-748-2200
>>>>> > email: jp@jptechnical.com
>>>>> > web: http://jptechnical.com
>>>>> > support: helpdesk@jptechnical.com
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Tim
>>>>> http://www.akwebsoft.com, http://www.tj49.com
>>>>> ---------
>>>>> To unsubscribe, send email to <aklug-request@aklug.org>
>>>>> with 'unsubscribe' in the message body.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> --
>>>
>>> *JP (Jesse Perry)*
>>> voice/txt: 907-748-2200
>>> email: jp@jptechnical.com
>>> web: http://jptechnical.com
>>> support: helpdesk@jptechnical.com
>>>
>>
>> --
>
> *JP (Jesse Perry)*
> voice/txt: 907-748-2200
> email: jp@jptechnical.com
> web: http://jptechnical.com
> support: helpdesk@jptechnical.com
>

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Received on Fri Jan 15 08:23:51 2016