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Samba-TNG Team Releases 0.3
emissary47 writes "The Samba-TNG (the next generation) team, releases the
first beta of Samba-TNG (a Samba fork since 2000) including some very interesting features for everyone willing
to replace NT4 domain controllers. With excellent LDAP-backend support,
integration of Microsoft tools such as usermanager for domains and
servermanager and a powerful command-line tool called rpcclient it is
_the_ alternative solution for Windows domain controlling at the moment.
They even include scripts for NT4-server migration in order to make a
change easier."
How will they handle the wormhole effect?
Code named 'Crusher'.
-- HG Pennypacker, wealthy industrialist and philanthropist
Taken directly from the announcement, but it's short enough to just put here.
Most important changes in 0.3:
--sex
Very popular slashdot journal for adul
Before anyone gets off on a huge rant about this fork being pointless/harmfull/etc, read this - it's a statement by Andrew Tridgell, saying that he is "delighted" about the fork...
The Free desktop that Just Works
This was a show-stopper for us only last week - trying to find a reasonably easy way to get Samba supporting NT LANManager v2 authentication? Anyone?
"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." -- Goethe
"What does the TNG stand for?"
It stands for:
That's
Not
Gnu
.
Samba doesn't support domain trusts, does TNG? For example, if I have my own domain configured at home, can I set up a trust relationship with the domain at work and thus make authentication and network access easier for me?
late I dont think so
even MS will admit that they cant get people to move from NT to XP or 2k
this is right on time ! because people will start to find NT is no longer supported by MS and move what they move to might just not be Microsoft based because its too expensive hence samba TNG
but what I want to know is this
can samba-TNG be a real PDC and comunicate to a NT BDC all the information such as the userlist AND when it falls over and comes back up (system maintenance) take back the PDC status and any changes from the BDC ?
acting as a PDC and syncing with a NT BDC is what SAMBA really lacks IMHO
regards
John Jones
There are alot of places that still use NT4 and with MS EOL'ing it people will be forced to upgrade to Windows 2000. If this makes it easy for people to move over to Linux instead of Windows 2000 than all the better.
Due to the complexity of LDAP, and samba w/PDC in general about 6 months ago I wroteup a pretty significant document on how to configure and deploy such a system, I've spent more then 40 hours on it to date, it's fairly complete:
http://howto.aphroland.de/HOWTO/LDAP
no way in hell could it withstand the slashdot effect, it runs ontop of Zope which is slow enough as it is! Apache seems to be in the order of 2000x to 2500x faster then zope+Zwiki, but the features of zope make it worth it.
(been on
You mean "Tng is Not Gnu" I am sure ?
From what I read in the summary, you can use the same tools you'd use to admin a native NT4 server, at least for the server list, and users.
If this is "news for nerds" site, was it really necessary to explain what TNG means? Or do I now have to stop imagining all my fellow /.ers posting in their klingon uniforms?
Key to financial independence: Spend less than you earn. Save and invest the difference. Do it for a long time.
The regular Samba project has had NT4 domain controller support for quite sometime...
We are currently working on Active Directory domain controller support. We've got a domain join more or less working for AD but are still working on initial logon.
Read here for more info.
int func(int a);
func((b += 3, b));
So what exactly are the advantages of TNG over TOS (The Original Samba)? And I don't mean 2.2.x, but the 3.0 developement series.
This is your sig. There are thousands more, but this one is yours.
Quotes:
(...) releases the first beta of Samba-TNG (...)
(...) it is _the_ alternative solution for Windows domain controlling at the moment (...)
While I'm all for OSS alternatives to M$ products, I don't think it is wise to call a "first beta" product a viable alternative to NT4, which is proven and tested (I can almost feel the fames coming now)
This comment is misleading. There are no plans for samba.org to release Samba TNG, they are there own project now, and we have our own development process that is producing a very nice PDC for 3.0.
Samba 2.2 contained basic domain control capabilty, and 3.0 really does a good job of completing it.
Also, Samba 3.0 does many things that TNG does not - in particular Active Directory client support, and even Active Directory DC developement (very early)
I noticed on their status page that they don't support printing. This seems like a kinda huge issue.
Did I mis-read it?
The more I learn about science, the more my faith in God increases.
Older but still heavily used DOS based Medical and Accounting packages WILL NOT reliably use a samba machine for a SMB share. a NT server will do it fine, but samba, including the latest and greatest will not. it keeps losing data or losing the connection.
Cince most doctor offices still use Dos based medical software, and Most companies still use their DOS based Accounting software (Quickbooks is a Joke compared to these real accounting packages) any migration of their servers to linux spells doom.
I've waited for over 4 years for this issue to be dealt with and it seems that the samba team is not interested.
I personally wouldn't use these old (but still cost thousands today) apps.... but you cant tell a customer that to save $400.00 on their server they need to spend another $5500.00 to change their software suite and spend 100-200 hours manually keying in the old data into the new system.
companies are funny that way.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Samba already does support ACLs... I know that is at least possible if XFS is the underlying filesystem. It may be true for the other acl implementations, but Samba certainly is capable.
As an aside, I'm really not that big of a fan of ACLs, they get too complex for users to effectively manage too quickly in large organizations. Sure, in theory it is good to give that degree of granularity, but in practice it is too fine grained. Now if the users used acls judiciously, it is no problem, but I often see users frequently adding groups and users to allow access to certain files without bothering to ever remove them. At that point, the permission system breaks down, and that is my complaint about ACLs.
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
Samba-TNG was originally an unstable CVS branch, run by people from the Samba team. However, the project has now forked, and is developed by a separate group. It's vaguely similar to XEmacs vs GNU Emacs, although the details are very different.
If you want the unstable version of Samba, try the Samba 3.0 alpha snapshots. Many of the domain integration features will be in this development series. If I understand correctly, some of the code is reused from Samba-TNG (both projects are GPL'd), but most is rewritten.
As Andrews says in the open letter, diversity is good: you can try -TNG and 3.0a and see which one suits you.
I am gonna have two subjects in this message. One a suggestion to fix the problem, and two, some advice on the medical software industry.
,and on the old machine turn over all stuff over three years out to a collection agency(careful with this, some people are on payment plans and do not deserve collections).
You are running dos software? I am assuming you are peer to peered unless you are running it across NT. Also assuming you want to put in a Linux box so you can have a fileserver, web proxy, and whatever your heart desires.
I dont know your office but i cant imagine it is very large if you are using DOS, otherwise you could have used novell. You dont have NT, or why would you worry about Samba?
Heres what I would do. Goto ebay. You can Lantastic with 10 licenses for 40 bucks. You can acquire as many as you need at that price or lower. You acquire an old p2 or p3 for 200 bucks and your choice of ram. make sure it is in good shape. Pricewatch a new one. 150 bucks for a new p3 750, kick another 100 for hard drive and nic. You ever seen DOS run on a p///??? Like a scalded dog.
Pop lantastic on that baby and fire it up and walk away. Problem solved for 300 bucks. And whatever labor you charge.
Give me some more details on what you want to do and what you currently have installed. Then I can probably be a lot more helpful.
My father ran a medical management company from 1970 to 1998. He had a mainframe installed in his office in 1970 to manage the financial end of the business then. He was way a head of his time. Offer the years I saw him switch systems from IBM/36s, in house Cobol Programmers, Sco boxes, Lantastic, Novell and finally to NT. And I learned them as they came out.
I installed and supported a variety of systems over a 10 year period in the medical industry. So let me drop a dime on you and save you some headaches. I also did a stint for a group of 8 clinics as the IT guy. 30k active patienrs running through my box. AS400, 8 modems. All locations dialed in with 286, 386s. with a client. Ran smooth as hell.
PLUS I was an actual clinic manager. I know the financial side as well.
****KEEP THE OLD SYSTEM RUNNING***** Whether it is still on the network or you got one station.
1. They have access to all the old records, as will be explained.
2. Something happens(employees refuse to learn new stuff) your box blows up. You got the old one as back up.
1. Doctors make plenty of money. But they do not like to spend it in their practice, usually the least amount is done on the system. And with good reason. Late 80's billing systems that filed electronically could cost a 250k and upwards. But most medical tech sales people approach it the wrong way. Tell them to finance it(yes banks will finance software and hardware together) make it a part of operating costs, and they can write the whole thing off, so no need to skimp. Get the numbers together. When you give final bid. Show them total cost. Then show them that they can finance for three years at 500 a month.
And remember all of this really hinges on docs being cheapskates.
2. DONT SKIMP ON HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE that manages peoples money. Because that 400 you saved you went with some cheaper hardware. It craps out. The manufacturer doesnt get the blame, you get the blame. You cant say"well you wanted to save money on the hardware" A doctor will have a lawyer on your ass in a heartbeat. And then tell all his doctor buddies at the club you are a louse. Remember you have to fix the hardware. Get a Dell. They make good on the warranty and quick. Docs also like big named companies, might have stock in them. Docs will throw a bone that way.
3. Most real practice management software, legacy software was made to run on old Unix boxes. AS400's. Some of it was later ported to dos boxes, or to run on Novell. However, the medical industry preffered UNIX. I have seen logs of uptimes of 5 years plus, and even one for 8. NT and SQL has made heavy inroads. Honestly, in all my years I only saw a few dos apps, and most were just clients that hit a nix box.
4.And if you glean anything from this post make it this. It is a good selling point, headache saver, and NECCESITY if you are going to have peace of mind.
NO DATA CONVERSION. Unless you intimatley know both databases, or someone has written a tool to go from one to the other. Do not do it.
A. You usually can only get patient demographics and money owed. Too difficult, costly, to get all historical data. Those old 'bases aint pretty.
And it costs money. And the first time Betty Sue Blowjob whines to the doc all the history aint there(cause she is too lazy to fill it in) he reams you.
B. Docs carry around a load of DEAD Accounts receivables. So you been using a system for 8 years, you are carrying around loads of deadbeats. If they hadn't paid in three, they will not pay ever. So any reporting on the A/R is useless. I knew a doc with 8 million in outstanding. And i did a couple queries, and it was because since he started practicing, he kept people on the books. Now is a good time to start fresh. Make this point to him. They alway go for it if you can explain it concerning money. Tell them that he can get current real A/R totals
5. Whenever a patient comes in the girls can say"Hey we have a new system, new encounter form, whatever" and have the patient fill it out. As each patient comes in, they do this. You clean up the patients files this way, mistakes, get all the new info, and it really is not too much work for the girls to do. And they do not have to sit 100 hours in a row rekeying. Just as necessary. And really, takes about 6 minutes for a normal typist to whip this on in. I did a study of this with 10 office workers.
So I hope I hope I have given you some ideas and things to look out for. You gotta really go head to head with docs. But 90% of it are people issues. I no longer work in this part of IT because it burned me out. I wouldn't reccomend it to anyone. And I left good money.
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised