Probably the easiest way of implementing this is to allow one user of access to the folders where the reference, group or individual workstation profiles stored on the Samba server. This could be achieved via any Windows workstation on your network. Once connected you can then use all your usual windows administration tools, and save the configuration back to where you found it when you have finished. This has the advantage of allowing you to test that a configuration works on a Windows machine before you commit this to live users. Next time a new user logs in at the target machine the new profile will automatically be loaded. As for installing new software, it's possible to add a 'run once' programme entry to any workstations registry. This can be set to run the new applications install programme. Alternatively you could set this up on a reference machine first and then create a script that that will download and install all the changed applications files and registry entries. You could even pack all of this into a single self extracting ziped auto-update file. As for print queues, users, etc, well these would be stored on the Samba server anyway. So you should be able to access these from any workstation via a login with the appropriate admin rights. Now what you are trying to achieve is something that greatly interests me, so do please keep in touch regarding how you get on. I'm also working on a 'howto' configuration guide for schools, targeted at network managers and ICT coordinators regarding issues just such as these. So it would help me enormously to tailor what I am writing to the real-world requirements of as many schools as possible. BTW: Where are you based? I'm down the south end of the Devon / Dorset border! Best wishes, David Bowles TeacherLab / Education Support PS: You are welcome to go look at my new web site. At present it's somewhat devoid of content -- more of a 'statement of intent' really, but I am planning on filling it with useful content as quickly as I can so it's well worth book-marking now. Go point your browser at: http://www.teacherlab.co.uk

Hi,

Are there any software vendor in the industry that sells linux based workstation administration software?

I am aware that we can have a linux PDC and use SAMBA to connect windows workstations. I am looking for an administration software that can manage users' desktop, remotely install the software packages, creating and deleting users, managing print queues, set up topics etc.

At the moment the school is still using NT4.0 and the administration software packages is supplied by a PLC company that specialise in School network.

It would be great to get out of NT4.0 and get into Linux.

Look forward to hearing from you.