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Network Computing on Linux
MECC wrote in
to send us an evaluation of Linux vs. NT that appears over at
network computing.
The review is a little more evenly considering showing
that the OSs are much closer in performance than a certain
"other" test, and that either can be made to outperform the
other (surprise surprise). Some numbers, some samba benchmarks,
and more. A good looking piece.
I know this is some what reiterating what you already stated, but I really have strong feelings on this topic.
:)
Linux is PERFECT for Universities. It's free, modifiable and it actually WORKS. I just completed a course in High Speed Computer Networks where we had to modify the Linux kernel TCP portion to implement a Credit/NACK protocol. The professor stated at the beginning of the semester that he choose Linux because the source is available and there is no problems with licensing. Every student that came out of this class, knew networking AND Linux. This is my third class that I was able to use Linux as my OS.
If this is the case in most Universities, then in (at most) four more years, there is going to be a large number of Linux administrators out there
Steven Rostedt
-- Nevermind
How can Linux ever grab the attentions of enterprise users with it's current DB selection?
Sybase ASE
Informix-SE
Oracle 8i
Solid
InterBase
etc...
What commercial database do you want that isn't available?
Availability of database software really isn't that much of a problem anymore.
I like that. Maybe that should be the slogan that Jon "Maddog" Hall was proposing , i.e.:
Acme Linux
Protected by GNU
The OS battleground is shifting back to education, which is where it should be. UNIX became so popular because almost every university I knew of found it more practical than the competition. M$ made small inroads but never really gave universities what they wanted, but businesses said 'we dont care' and M$ acquired that dollar sign. Now, Linux is restoring the advantages and education, where one can get an apprenticeship, is supplying the training.
I'm not saying this is the best scenario or criticizing either. I'm just commenting here. The system does seem to work better than M$'s alternative.
So long and thanks for all the fish . . . !!!
The article seem to make a lot of assumptions about how hard NT-admins would find it to run Linux.
/.'ed.
/. readers should be a lot more careful about bashing NT-admins as there is about a 67% chance that this NT-admin also run Linux!
A poll conducted by Sunbelt (that I think claims to be the largest online community for NT-users) suggest that this is not the case.
http://www.sunbelt-software.com/0399_ 2000.htm
In this poll something like 67% of the NT-admins was already running linux!
And in the next 12 months they were one average planning to add more linux than NT-servers!
And this poll was not
This make it seem unlikely that most NT-admins will have any major problems learning linux.
My own experience is also that this is the case. Most of the NT-admins were I work have already tried linux and if they were put the same amount of work they put into learning NT, into learning linux they would hardly have any problems.
This poll also suggest that
Linux, coming to a desktop near you!
Right, but Unix "weenies" are NOT going to be getting jobs as Unix administrators.
You HAVE to be competant to be a Unix admin, but you DON'T have to be very competant to be an NT admin.
This seems to be pretty fair review, certainly do not seem to be in Micro~ pocket.
There testing also seamed more real world, I want to see Gigabit damn it, I use it,
It's a much better solution then 4 100Mbit cards.
Admining is complicated I have not seen any admin. worth two bits, that did not use
command line, NT included, Unless you are admining 5 boxes under a rock in Mongolia.
Admin. issues are admin. issues are admin. issues.
Most of the time people don't really talk about, what it takes to be a real administrator; I spend my
day dealing with software, infrastructure, servers, purchasing, short, mid and long term planning,
If you where truly a "NT admin. dimwit" you will be unable to do the other jobs effectively and
do a miss service to your company in general.
Why do people think that a under trained admin. would benefit a company? I don't really know.
It happens continuously, I fear it, it can bring down a whole department.
As a side note; let me tell you about my last experience hiring someone, I interview 25 people,
most were clue less, all had experience with NT. When I chose; all of the other related Managers
disagreed with my choice the thought he would be expensive, he would be bored, on and on.
The point was he had a Degree in Computer science, they thought that some how that was
unnecessary, that his job (and mine) did not need a four year degree.
They were wrong, and asked in hindsight they have agreed they where wrong. It was if they were
crows with there eyes filled with the shinny microsoft bangle, there ears ringing 'nevermore'
'nevermore will I have to get and pay for truly qualified staff.'
"Think of it as evolution in action."
They claim there is no proper backup system for Linux. Perhaps the standard PC-centric tools like ARCserve are not, but at least on the client side, Legato Networker is available on linux. The best backup system I've ever seen, easily handling Unices, NT, Novell, and Mac systems mixed together from one (or more) server(s).
Network Computing seems to be horribly worried about getting support staff. Two quick points:
Could we find a way to put the "qualified staff" misconception to bed? Or are there are large numbers of NT administrators ready for hire out there who can keep NT networks humming along without constant downtime, and a dire shortage of people who can answer a few questions on a menu and then type "make"?
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo
--Andy Finkel (J. Klass?)
Let's face it system administration is the real changing field. It is not so much about systems, as in NT or *nixes as it is platforms as in web platforms.
Web programming has to focus on administration, see the Enterprise Java Bean spec and its HEAVY focus on web-admin.
Micros~1 understood the developers like nobody else. Linux needs to focus on administrators, not so much end users (IMHO) or _even_ developers. The key is in administration of networks and web networks. Mark my words.
The first one to raise this profession to the level it needs to be at is going to hit jackpot.
regards
marc
I've come across a lot of people that are proud of their title as an "NT Administrator" or "NT Engineer". It doesn't take a lot of intelligence to get a basic NT system/server set up, manage users, etc. It DOES take a bit of intelligence and planning to set up more complex things like roaming user profiles and some of the more advanced NT things, and I've never met an "NT Administrator" that could perform these tasks.
With UNIX, however (thus Linux), you *have* to be good at what you do, or you simply won't be able to function.
There ends up being a line of minimum education for both NT and Linux, and that line is much lower for NT than for Linux. Think of this as a good (fewer clueless Linux admins than NT admins) or a bad (more expensive/fewer Linux admins than NT admins) thing, however you need to.