Aplogies for not replying earlier but BT have had us disconnected yet again for a few days - power surge at the exchange apparently!!! Ok - straight in - boot up of Unix and Linux thin clients - max. 15 seconds - boot up of XP clients - max. 45 seconds. Logon to thin client - max. 10 seconds including running of script to link local printer, check folders, etc. - Logon to XP client varies depending upon age, location and use but never more than 90 seconds. We have a central Unix server, one W2000 RAID fileserver, One Unix / SAMBA audio/ video fileserver, 1 Unix backup server, 1 IIS server for those little things that MS make so difficult otherwise, 1 printserver, 4 application servers - we don't use roaming profiles because they are a pain in the backside in a school and we use Citrix XP to deliver it all to the desktops - locked down XP desktop delivered to the XP machines, shadowing built in to Citrix XP - own intranet / extranet on the Unix server - a forum, e-mail - and shortly staff / pupil work delivery and 97 / 98% usability throughout the school. Rooms are open most of the day and break, lunchtime and after school equipment is in use most days. Security is very high - virus infestation almost nil - and administration can be from any thin client anywhere in the school. We feel that a little extra cost is offset by availability, security and many other useful features like central web based administration and shadowing (one local school which is RM and XP only locks all ICT rooms and log in is so slow that most non-ICT staff have given up - personal mailboxes - forget it). Anyone who wants to look can come and see. We don't really need Windows now - a friendlier front end to MySQL and we could do most of what we do now - the rest could be sorted with emulation, except music. We still run Windows to keep all the other staff happy because that's what they have at home and they just want to use it. If you want real support and an excellent system then we use Precedence Technologies of Cambridge - never heard of them - course not - their system works - no moaning to fill the air waves - they are usually just inside the door at BETT.

Not directly related to Linux, but hopefully the feedback you give might help me to persuade this school I am working with to explore the Linux server route.

At present this school has some 200 oe so XP-Pro based workstations that have a modest but not inadequate spec. At the server end they are running three well speced Xenon based Raid-5 systems. The server software is RM CC3 (Community Connect Three), which is based on Windows Server 2000 with RM's ageing proprietary management / security overlay.

Now here's the problem: Workstations take about 2.5 minutes to boot up to the Login prompt -- apparently the CC3 workstation overlay does loads of checking with the server to implement security settings etc before the user can log in. Now when I say 2.5 minutes to reach a Login prompt ...well that's on a good day. On a bad day this can take a good ten minutes or even longer.

As for the time it takes to get from logging in to being presented with a usable XP 'Start' menu, well this takes at least another two minutes ...again on a good day. In practice it sometimes takes between a quarter-of-an-hour and twenty minutes to get from 'power on' to a usable 'Start' menu.

OK. So the two managed service providers involved in supporting this school's site are playing 'pass the buck'. Meanwhile the school management is gradually waking up to the fact this level of performance isn't actually normal!

So what I want to know from the good members of this list is how long in practice does it take you to boot a networked XP workstation to Logon and thereafter to a usable menu ...talking to either a Linux (Samba) server or a Windows 2000 / 2003 server? Note that all users of this school network use 'roaming profiles'.

Also if anyone on this list can get access to a RM CC3 based network, what sort of boot / logon / Start Menu times are you commonly achieving with this setup in practice?

Thanks in advance.

David Bowles

-- If this e-mail contains anything that the recipient takes exception to, please contact: The Headteacher, Maidenhill School GL10 2HA UK (+44) (0) 1453 822469