11-09-2004, 12:09 AM
At home, I run a GNU/Linux sytem as my DSL router. On my main computer, I use Windows for gaming and GNU/Linux for anything else. On the same network, there are 2 more Windows systems, belonging to my father and my brother.
I am no professional network administrator, but in my free time, I administrate a small network with a GNU/Linux server, about 12 stationary Windows clients, 1 stationary Mac, 1 Mac laptop, a handfull of Windows laptops, and occasionaly, some more machines. About 3 times a year, I administrate a network for a LAN gaming party with about 40 machines.
Windows networking is a major PITA unless your network consists of Microsoft systems only, and even then, you often run into trouble. Interoperability is not exactly a big strength of Microsoft software ;)
Small example: Current versions of Windows do not support LPD printing. To print on a network printer that understands neither SMB nor IPP, you have to install third party software. Or (which is what I usually do) you attach the printer to a GNU/Linux server and then share it with the Windows machines via Samba.
Generally, Windows' multi-user and networking abilities are very inferior to the ones of any Unix-like system. I mean - Windows does not even offer a SSH server or client out of the box. I simply don't understand how you can ship a 'modern' OS without SSH support. WTF are these guys in Redmond thinking? The DNS implementation is broken (Windows machines continously send out DNS requests that serve no purpose whatsoever). Windows cannot read any file systems except for FAT and NTFS. You can continue the list forever. Windows also lacks many basic, very useful tools that are standard in the Unix World, and it does not provide adequate alternatives.
Once you are used to the <insert your favorite Unix here> way of doing things, administration is alot easier than it is in Windows. At least, that is my experience. Add to this the big advantage of not being dependent on a certain vendor and say 'goodbye' to M$ ;)
IMHO, there are only two actual reasons for using Windows in a networking environment:
1) Your users cannot be taught how to use another OS
2) You depend on a 'killer application' that is only avaiable on Windows.
I am no professional network administrator, but in my free time, I administrate a small network with a GNU/Linux server, about 12 stationary Windows clients, 1 stationary Mac, 1 Mac laptop, a handfull of Windows laptops, and occasionaly, some more machines. About 3 times a year, I administrate a network for a LAN gaming party with about 40 machines.
Windows networking is a major PITA unless your network consists of Microsoft systems only, and even then, you often run into trouble. Interoperability is not exactly a big strength of Microsoft software ;)
Small example: Current versions of Windows do not support LPD printing. To print on a network printer that understands neither SMB nor IPP, you have to install third party software. Or (which is what I usually do) you attach the printer to a GNU/Linux server and then share it with the Windows machines via Samba.
Generally, Windows' multi-user and networking abilities are very inferior to the ones of any Unix-like system. I mean - Windows does not even offer a SSH server or client out of the box. I simply don't understand how you can ship a 'modern' OS without SSH support. WTF are these guys in Redmond thinking? The DNS implementation is broken (Windows machines continously send out DNS requests that serve no purpose whatsoever). Windows cannot read any file systems except for FAT and NTFS. You can continue the list forever. Windows also lacks many basic, very useful tools that are standard in the Unix World, and it does not provide adequate alternatives.
Once you are used to the <insert your favorite Unix here> way of doing things, administration is alot easier than it is in Windows. At least, that is my experience. Add to this the big advantage of not being dependent on a certain vendor and say 'goodbye' to M$ ;)
IMHO, there are only two actual reasons for using Windows in a networking environment:
1) Your users cannot be taught how to use another OS
2) You depend on a 'killer application' that is only avaiable on Windows.