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Linux Upgrade
- Thread starter fmkicon
- Start date
Never heard of such a thing. Of course, Novell bought Suse so perhaps they have a migration kit of sorts.
It would REALLY surprise me if much exists on this..
D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting
It would REALLY surprise me if much exists on this..
D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting
LawnBoy
MIS
- Mar 12, 2003
- 2,881
Novell has migration tools, but they're intended for migration to OES.
What is it exactly that you're trying to keep? Your file structure will change, altering the location of home directories. No more Volumes, NDPS, etc.
If you'd be satisfied with only keeping the users, you could build your linux distro, install eDir on it, and join it to your existing Tree. NDS would then replicate to it, maintaining the user accounts. You'd still have to modify the user paths, though.
What is it exactly that you're trying to keep? Your file structure will change, altering the location of home directories. No more Volumes, NDPS, etc.
If you'd be satisfied with only keeping the users, you could build your linux distro, install eDir on it, and join it to your existing Tree. NDS would then replicate to it, maintaining the user accounts. You'd still have to modify the user paths, though.
Well yeah, and none of the configuration files will apply, neither will GUI settings (none on Novell, right?) and a lot of other nonsense that doesn't translate.
Frankly I think this is a non-starter.
Write down what you need in terms of DHCP services and firewall ports plus services you need to run. Beyond that it's pure configuration when you build the new server.
User names might be the only list worth printing from the old box.
D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting
Frankly I think this is a non-starter.
Write down what you need in terms of DHCP services and firewall ports plus services you need to run. Beyond that it's pure configuration when you build the new server.
User names might be the only list worth printing from the old box.
D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting
- Thread starter
- #6
The fact is its not me, its a client. We are having a hard time breaking them away from an old Novell system thats unreliable and unsafe. They are used to it, so thats what they want to keep. But they are having alot of problems with it and its costing them alot more money to keep having to fix it than just move over to a safer OS such as linux.
Then just build a linux server on some cheapo box, throw it into the network and begin to demonstrate its capabilities.
Also, gather some stats that validate your assertion that Novell server is "unreliable and unsafe". Also include discussion about unpatched vulnerabilities and maintenance.
D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting
Also, gather some stats that validate your assertion that Novell server is "unreliable and unsafe". Also include discussion about unpatched vulnerabilities and maintenance.
D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting
AlasdairKenney
IS-IT--Management
I am not sure the answers about everything changing are strictly correct. From the users point of view it can be a seamless transition.
We went through the change from Netware 3.11 to Linux a couple of years ago. It isn't a hard process, you just need to be methodical although we did put a Linux box on the network in parallel to see if it was worth it first.
Using Samba on the linux box we replicated exactly the directory structure of the Netware volumes on the Linux shares, used all the same usernames etc., created similar login scripts, got rid of IPX and changed to TCP/IP on the user's PCs for Microsoft Networking.
Apart from the grind of changing the PCs I do not think any of our users have noticed, except it is now quicker.
We went through the change from Netware 3.11 to Linux a couple of years ago. It isn't a hard process, you just need to be methodical although we did put a Linux box on the network in parallel to see if it was worth it first.
Using Samba on the linux box we replicated exactly the directory structure of the Netware volumes on the Linux shares, used all the same usernames etc., created similar login scripts, got rid of IPX and changed to TCP/IP on the user's PCs for Microsoft Networking.
Apart from the grind of changing the PCs I do not think any of our users have noticed, except it is now quicker.
LawnBoy
MIS
- Mar 12, 2003
- 2,881
Agree with thedaver. The terms "unreliable and unsafe" are simply incompatible with a fully patched Netware server. I've been running Netware for 15 years and have never had to rebuild a server or had one "hacked".
Maintenance on Netware is on a par with linux. Once you get the services configured, they run forever.
Maintenance on Netware is on a par with linux. Once you get the services configured, they run forever.
LawnBoy
MIS
- Mar 12, 2003
- 2,881
Also, you should consider Open Enterprise Server form Novell. It's a SuSE based distro and is the next generation of Netware. Novell is hungry for people doing exactly what you describe, and should be a lot of help.
thedaver: Netware 6.0 and 6.5 do have a x-windows GUI, but it is pointless and silly. I don't know of anybody who uses it.
thedaver: Netware 6.0 and 6.5 do have a x-windows GUI, but it is pointless and silly. I don't know of anybody who uses it.
Thanks for the FYI on the GUI, Lawnboy.
D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting
D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting
- Thread starter
- #12
This client doesn't have the ability to upgrade and patch themselves, and don't exactly have the money to throw around for us to come out every time they need a patch or upgrade.
Weve already talked about alot of your suggestions, and I thank you for your additional input on the subject. But the client is very computer illiterate and not very willing to switch to a newer NOS because of the time and money it could, and would cost. But the bottom line is, in the long run, its cheaper to have us do a new NOS like linux and not come back back every month to do maintenance wether it be tape backup or server errors.
Weve already talked about alot of your suggestions, and I thank you for your additional input on the subject. But the client is very computer illiterate and not very willing to switch to a newer NOS because of the time and money it could, and would cost. But the bottom line is, in the long run, its cheaper to have us do a new NOS like linux and not come back back every month to do maintenance wether it be tape backup or server errors.
So what the heck is your question again?!
D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting
D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting
LawnBoy
MIS
- Mar 12, 2003
- 2,881
There are some excellent people in the Tek-Tips Netware forums, we can probably help you stabilize that server. Of course, that doesn't generate revenue for your company... (no slur intended, it's a fact of business)
Again, the only migration tools I can conceive of would be for OES.
Again, the only migration tools I can conceive of would be for OES.
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