On Tuesday 14 June 2005 20:07, Mike Dewhirst wrote:

I'm looking for some comprehensive advice, study materials or book titles so I can figure out how to migrate my company to Linux file servers.

We have two Novell 5.1 and one 5.0 servers which are going really well. They have performed flawlessly for years. It is time to think about putting them out to pasture and replacing them with something bigger. Sort of reward them. The 5.0 machine is in another LAN in another office totally unconnected.

I would like to put a monster SuSE server alongside the Novell 5.1 servers and another alongside the 5.0 chappie and somehow slide them into place and remove the old boxes without the users noticing. I'm not being devious - I just don't want to disturb their work patterns.

We also have a Windows 2000 Terminal Server machine to permit remote Novell login to the LAN. We don't store anything on the WTS it is just used as a terminal.

I'm not very experienced with Linux. I've had a SuSE 9.1 box under my desk for few months and that's it. I live and work in the Windows world and that ain't gunna change overnight.

Any advice will be very much appreciated.

Thanks

mike

Why not just put the NetWare on bigger boxes? If you think migrating to Linux is the way to go, I suggest you ask Novell directly for advice on how to proceed. If I were in your position, and decided to go with the migration to Linux, I would set up a test server, and try to get it right in a controlled environment. I'm not sure there is a simple solution to the general question. It really depends on what you are using Netware for. I'll bet all the pieces are there to do whatever NetWare is currently providing, but there will be 'some assembly required'. I still think the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' solution is the best one. -- Regards, Steven

On Wednesday 15 June 2005 03:07, Mike Dewhirst wrote:

I'm looking for some comprehensive advice, study materials or book titles so I can figure out how to migrate my company to Linux file servers.

We have two Novell 5.1 and one 5.0 servers which are going really well. They have performed flawlessly for years. It is time to think about putting them out to pasture and replacing them with something bigger.

That would be Novell Open Enterprise Server. It's sort of SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 + Netware in a box. You can choose between having a Linux or Netware kernel. But even if you choose Linux (SLES9) you can run all the other Netware stuff on it.

Mike Dewhirst wrote:

Any advice will be very much appreciated.

There's a lot of info available from Novell on this, particularly on Novell Storage Services etc. You can also download trial versions of their servers, so you can experiment. Novell also publishes some books that may help you. Incidentally, Novell now sells servers that can run on either Linux or Netware kernels. So, my advice to you, is go to the Novell site and start looking around.