Plug-n-Play Server And Network

shyster writes: "The IMASS is a server for the technophobes. Built on a Linux OS, it autodetects network segments in less than 5 minutes, and sets up DHCP, DNS, FTP, Email, file sharing, firewall, NAT, internet access, dial-up, etc. almost automagically. Pluses include a solid state drive for the OS, so the hard drive is only used for file storage and backup (seperate 120GB hard drive for backups.) seems to be just what some of my clients need to finally convince them that Linux CAN be easier to use than Windows, and they can, for the most part, manage the network themselves! Check out a review from PCMagazine."

Comments

Security?

[ymgve]

How's the security on such a device that automagically sets up everything and then some?

(Remember, it was the automatic detection of network services (UPNP) that compromised WinXP..)

Almost

[squaretorus]

"sets up DHCP, DNS, FTP, Email, file sharing, firewall, NAT, internet access, dial-up, etc. almost automagically"

As we all know - that can be more annoying than not doing anything at all. Do what microsoft etc do - just miss out the almost.

It's not Plug and (mostly) Play is it?

Re:Almost

[Zocalo]

I quite agree, hence the strongly worded disclaimer. However, you can gather a hell of a lot of information on a network without even tranmitting a single packet (I made an "ethernet" cable with the TX wires open while playing around with this - it's a great way to learn). If you *truly* just listen, there isn't an IDS in the world that is going to know you are there, and I doubt many IDSs are configured to pickup some of the the most basic probes, even if they are capable of doing so.

Besides isn't a statement like "when my IDS finds it. (And it WILL find it.)" akin to saying "Oracle is unbreakable" or "the Titanic is unsinkable"? Watch that trust level!

Nice price comparison

[Whafro]

It's nice to see that they have under the traditional listing a server with every possible expensive option, while the opposite is true for the iMass.

Honestly, if you're going to have an IDE disk in the iMass, then clearly the "traditional" server you're comparing it to should also have an IDE disk. And what network of 2-150 users needs 25 mail servers? Clearly having a tape backup and a hard drive backup are vastly different in scope as well. They don't seem to be providing a way to keep the last year of daily backups on a shelf; or even the last week of backups plus the monthly.

They're just looking for the idiots who don't know what a CAL is or maybe once have seen the IBM linux commercials and look solely at the provided bottom-line.

Uh, no

[Anonymous Coward]

[S]eems to be just what some of my clients need to finally convince them that Linux CAN be easier to use than Windows

Sorry, but this product does not demonstrate any such thing. Using any OS in this kind of device makes it an embedded OS and therefore invisible to the end user. If it's invisible then by definition it has no usability, good or otherwise.

I'm sure Linux was a good choice for the OS in this product, as it's cheap and infinitely configurable. But the OS's inherent ease of use to the customer is not on the list.

Security is Paramount

[atubbs]

The biggest problem with this sort of system is going to be the lazy factor. WinNT/2000 with IIS is great in some regards, because it allows the average peon with a year of experience using 98 to set up an Internet server, without much thought. However, that same peon hasn't a clue how to maintain it, so his box is one of the first infected by Code Red, and one of the last cleaned.

Now, make it even easier, by making something an even lesser peon (one with virtually no computer experience) can just plug in and let run without ANY suggestions of maintenance of the beast, and it starts to form a pretty massive DDoS system, if you ask me.