Since you already have some Novell servers, NDS might be a possibility. NDS is currently available for NT and Solaris. Novell has said they will have NDS for Linux out by the end of the year.
There is a free imaging app available at: http://cuiwww.unige.ch/info/pc/remote-boot/howto .html
Last time I checked it is free for non-commercial use. I have tested it with Win9X clients. The image creation process is slow, but the restore speed was fine.
Well, I too have been looking for an inexpensive small footprint system and here is what I have come up with:
Microworkz - they are offering a $200 dollar system with 32M ram, 2.1G HD, Intel 266Mhz Processor. Worst case you load up the IDE hard drive with OS source files on another computer, then put it back in the Microworkz case and load it up! It looks like a really small system in the photos - no CD, no floppy, tiny!
Build your own - I went out to www.pricewatch.com and did a search for NLX and found links to NLX cases for between $53 and $70.00. Be careful - some NLX cases will use a regular CD-ROM, others require very expensive notebook/slimline CD drives.
The NLX motherboards are awfully expensive - but at least they include everything. An Asus Socket 7 NLX board with built in sound, video, and lan is $168 at www.techstore.com An Asus
An Asus LX chipset NLX board with built in sound, video and network is $170 - that is a killer deal. I believe they are using an Intel 10/100 integrated nic - nice card, nice features, I have about 10 of them:).
An Asus BX board for $250 - to pricey for my needs.
FIC, Gigabyte, and MSI also make NLX boards.
NLX systems are very, very small. They have 2 expenasion slots (PCI). The motherboards slideout of the case for ease of management. It is a spec aimed at the "NetPC" market. I have used, installed, and managed NetPCs - diskless, cd-less systems in a business and environment and it was great. The units I used were made by Intel (whole system made by Intel). The company I was out receceived them through a special deal with Intel - so they are regretfully not available to my knowledge (they were very expensive too).
What I suggest is the Asus LX chipset NLX board with the $70 case that supports regular CD-ROM drives. Pop in a Celeron and woohoo! The systems only have ATI Rage 2 cards, so you will need to add a Voodoo2 if you game - but those are being blown out for $50 on the web.
If you are in a real space bind, shop around carefully for an inexpensive electronic KVM - keyboard, video, monitor switch. I have friends that have picked up 4 port switches for $100 (cables NOT included). KVMs allow you to attach mutliple PC's to one monitor, keyboard, and mouse. The electronics switches switches prevent blown ports and ensure that the systems always detect a mouse and keyboard. I've got 2 8-port units and 1-4 port unit. They rock.
I like my setup: All my data is on my Server. I a workstation goes down I don't care - I have not lost anything. I backup my server.
I do fiddle around a lot with my PC's. I like to try out different OS's, different Apps.
I create base OS installs with all updates and current drivers, then I use Ghost or DriveImage Pro to create images of these base OS installs on my server. That way I can restore them whenever I want. With compression, even an NT installation takes under 150Meg on mt server.
Another trick for rapid restores: My primary workstation runs NT (don't flame me - I am already in a world of pain!!!!). I have a 1 Gig boot/system partition, and a 7 Gig partition. I frequently backup the 1 Gig partition that holds the OS by Ghosting it to my server. I install apps to the D: drive. If my system crashes, I restore the C: drive, and I am OK - that restores the OS, registry, and most system files. A nice rapid restore (not %100 fool proof, but very convenient.)
Good luck.
BTW: There is a free imaging app available at: http://cuiwww.unige.ch/info/pc/remote-boot/howto .html
It is part of their great and imaging remote boot solution!
Slashdot Mirror
Since you already have some Novell servers, NDS might be a possibility. NDS is currently available for NT and Solaris. Novell has said they will have NDS for Linux out by the end of the year.
Although I suppose with 1/6 gravity there might be to high a drowning risk to have a shower.
I did have hopes for regular toilets
There is a free imaging app available at:o .html
http://cuiwww.unige.ch/info/pc/remote-boot/howt
Last time I checked it is free for non-commercial use. I have tested it with Win9X clients. The image creation process is slow, but the restore speed was fine.
The link has a terrific solution!
Hope it helps!
Well, I too have been looking for an inexpensive small footprint system and here is what I have come up with:
Microworkz - they are offering a $200 dollar system with 32M ram, 2.1G HD, Intel 266Mhz Processor. Worst case you load up the IDE hard drive with OS source files on another computer, then put it back in the Microworkz case and load it up! It looks like a really small system in the photos - no CD, no floppy, tiny!
Build your own - I went out to www.pricewatch.com and did a search for NLX and found links to NLX cases for between $53 and $70.00. Be careful - some NLX cases will use a regular CD-ROM, others require very expensive notebook/slimline CD drives.
The NLX motherboards are awfully expensive - but at least they include everything.
An Asus Socket 7 NLX board with built in sound, video, and lan is $168 at www.techstore.com
An Asus
An Asus LX chipset NLX board with built in sound, video and network is $170 - that is a killer deal. I believe they are using an Intel 10/100 integrated nic - nice card, nice features, I have about 10 of them
An Asus BX board for $250 - to pricey for my needs.
FIC, Gigabyte, and MSI also make NLX boards.
NLX systems are very, very small. They have 2 expenasion slots (PCI). The motherboards slideout of the case for ease of management. It is a spec aimed at the "NetPC" market. I have used, installed, and managed NetPCs - diskless, cd-less systems in a business and environment and it was great. The units I used were made by Intel (whole system made by Intel). The company I was out receceived them through a special deal with Intel - so they are regretfully not available to my knowledge (they were very expensive too).
What I suggest is the Asus LX chipset NLX board with the $70 case that supports regular CD-ROM drives. Pop in a Celeron and woohoo! The systems only have ATI Rage 2 cards, so you will need to add a Voodoo2 if you game - but those are being blown out for $50 on the web.
If you are in a real space bind, shop around carefully for an inexpensive electronic KVM - keyboard, video, monitor switch. I have friends that have picked up 4 port switches for $100 (cables NOT included). KVMs allow you to attach mutliple PC's to one monitor, keyboard, and mouse. The electronics switches switches prevent blown ports and ensure that the systems always detect a mouse and keyboard. I've got 2 8-port units and 1-4 port unit. They rock.
Good luck!
I like my setup:
All my data is on my Server. I a workstation goes down I don't care - I have not lost anything. I backup my server.
I do fiddle around a lot with my PC's. I like to try out different OS's, different Apps.
I create base OS installs with all updates and current drivers, then I use Ghost or DriveImage Pro to create images of these base OS installs on my server. That way I can restore them whenever I want. With compression, even an NT installation takes under 150Meg on mt server.
Another trick for rapid restores: My primary workstation runs NT (don't flame me - I am already in a world of pain!!!!). I have a 1 Gig boot/system partition, and a 7 Gig partition. I frequently backup the 1 Gig partition that holds the OS by Ghosting it to my server. I install apps to the D: drive. If my system crashes, I restore the C: drive, and I am OK - that restores the OS, registry, and most system files. A nice rapid restore (not %100 fool proof, but very convenient.)
Good luck.
BTW: There is a free imaging app available at:
http://cuiwww.unige.ch/info/pc/remote-boot/howt
It is part of their great and imaging remote boot solution!
www.gazoom.com
It seems this is the future of the internet. As long as sites I value, such as Slashsdot, still exist, I can ignore the rest.