Network Operating Systems: Linux Targets The Data Center

Like Randy Moss to the NFL or Leonardo DiCaprio to Hollywood, Linux is definitely the fair-haired golden child, flavor of the moment to the computer industry. But like every operating system issue, the question of where and when to use this talented new-comer has become a debate of near religious zealotry in most camps.

We've asked ourselves the "Where and why Linux?" question a number of times and have come to the same conclusions favored by most of those not caught on one side or the other of the Microsoft-Linux jihad. Namely, that Linux is great for niche serving applications (just as it has been for years), is making inroads as a stand-alone network-serving platform, but is still not really a viable option for general-purpose business desktop computing.

So when the topic of testing Linux distributions cropped up, we had to decide on our focus very carefully. After some debate, we decided to check out only commercial Linux distributions and test them with an eye toward standard-network and Web-serving suitability. Basically, do these distributions have what the average IT manager is looking for in terms of a standardized server platform?

We had a number of players in this category, but when the dust settled, our submissions had narrowed to Caldera's OpenLinux 2.3, a late entry from Corel of its Linux beta, Red Hat's version 6.1 Deluxe, SuSE version 6.1 and the new TurboLinux Server 4.0. We originally wanted to run a general Linux distribution--either the latest versions of Slackware or Debian--through the same paces, but our testing time ran out.

Overall, we were impressed by how far Linux had come in such a short while, yet surprised at the turn that commercial Linux distributors are taking. Even though we made it clear that this was a server-oriented review, Corel still entered what is obviously a beta distribution aimed at desktop users. Red Hat also sent only its Deluxe version, not the Professional version, which includes more in the way of server applications. And while Caldera claims it can run just as well in either configuration, it's obviously aimed more at the desktop user as well. SuSE seems to be entirely neutral on the question, while only TurboLinux sent a distribution aimed solely at network serving.

We pondered the meaning of this result for some time. Does it mean that commercial Linux vendors have decided the data center is conquered so they can concentrate on the desktop? Or is Linux still such a niche product that only true geek desktops are expected to run it?

We've all been confronted by Linux converts claiming that there is nothing this operating system can't do on the network. But if commercial distributors have bought into this claim, they're sorely mistaken. Strictly speaking, you can find a Linux application for almost anything you might want to do--either network- or desktop-oriented. Finding the application isn't the problem; however, getting it to smoothly integrate with the rest of your network is the real obstacle.

Backup and restore, for example, is a major sore point in the Linux camp. This round of Linux distributions saw all the vendors quickly pointing to bundled back-up utilities like BRU 2000 or Knox Software's Arkeia. True, these applications do back up and restore Linux servers, but they won't integrate with most existing back-up frameworks designed for Windows NT or NetWare, especially the big names like ArcServe. That means network administrators will need to redesign any automatic back-up plans they have in place to include a work-around for new Linux servers.

Remote management is another example of Linux's flawed integration. Red Hat managed to release something along these lines in the new 6.1 version, but that's the first time we've seen any kind of support for this capability under the Linux OS.

Considering that companies like Cobalt, Compaq, HP, Rave and VA Research are offering these systems mostly in rack-oriented configurations, remote management should be paramount. But Cobalt offers only a proprietary Web-based utility to this effect, while Red Hat's is also proprietary, and neither can compare with what you can do under Solaris or using third-party utilities for Windows NT/2000.

While these results show that Linux still has a way to go as a seamless corporate-serving platform, that's not to say it hasn't made strides. All the distributions we saw here, save possibly the one from SuSE, took pains to make sure the software was easily able to connect to a network and interact with file systems based on Windows or NFS. We would like to see a bit more support for native NetWare in this regard, but overall we had very little trouble getting these distributions working in our test network.

Basic tasks like drag-and-drop file-sharing are now commonplace, and even print-sharing is easier. Graphical configuration tools and much-improved native documentation across the board have gone a long way toward taking the frustration factor out of Linux. Hooking Windows-based clients up to Linux servers has also become easier, with distributions like Red Hat and TurboLinux Server making this a completely invisible process on the client side and a simple one on the server side.

Is Linux ready for a higher profile on your network? For those looking down the barrel of a costly Windows 2000 migration, now is a perfect time to ask that question.

In general, our testing showed that Linux is certainly ready as a general-purpose network server for midsized businesses, as long as they are willing to embrace the platform wholeheartedly.

Enterprise-class networks, with concerns such as large-scale automated back-up and disaster recovery plans, as well as sizable in-vestments in custom Windows applications, will probably still have to relegate Linux use to niche services only. Linux's day is coming, but it's not quite here yet.

Can You Live With Linux?

Our testing this time around shows that Linux has come a long way since we first reviewed it in these pages. It's even come a long way since we last wrote about its efficacy in the corporate network. But has it come far enough to make it ready for widespread corporate deployment? Frankly, yes and no--which is a step up from what we would have said even just a few months ago.

The problem with Linux is not functionality. Today, there is a large library of applications that will handle most popular PC tasks, and the operating system itself is becoming reasonably reliable by corporate standards. But old problems continue to raise their heads. Samba, for example, while powerful can still cause you problems unless you know what you're doing.

That's a headache that most network managers don't need--especially since they're being told that critical Linux network functions are here, only to find out upon closer examination that most are still maturing. These include SMP, clustering, integrated server and network management, and even hardware issues like support for RAID, gigabit ethernet and multimedia. Most distributions have attacked these problems, but no distribution is foolproof.

That means that dropping Linux into your data center as anything other than a niche server appliance is still an individual decision. If you like tweaking your kernel and can maintain that on a corporate service level, if your support staff and budget can withstand the technical support costs, if your application set can be migrated or combined with Linux-bound versions, if your hardware and software inventory don't present any major problems, well, then Linux could very well be for you.

This may sound like we're against Linux on a widespread basis in the enterprise. We're not. Linux can make an invaluable contribution to many businesses if used properly. It's powerful, very fast, extremely stable once configured and still a fraction of the cost of Windows. But if you have a business looking to you to keep its network running smoothly, you still need to look long and hard before you leap.

Caldera OpenLinux 2.3

We've reviewed previous versions of OpenLinux, but version 2.3 is by far the slickest and most polished distribution we've seen. Caldera has delivered a world-class Linux product with this release--as long as you're looking to use Linux on the desktop rather than the server. And unfortunately, this is a server-oriented roundup.

Don't get us wrong, OpenLinux can easily run as a server, and most of the core building blocks you'll need are included in the box--the Apache Web server, the SendMail e-mail server and Samba for heterogeneous network connectivity as well as file and print-sharing. But although these building blocks are present, the software is definitely more geared toward the personal user rather than the server.

Installation is one example of this trend. Off the bat, Caldera has spent a lot of time perfecting OpenLinux's ability to easily run on a dual Windows-Linux system. You can even start installing the OS from within Windows, and OpenLinux will automatically take care of partitioning your hard disk for you.

Additionally, Caldera has done a fine job of incorporating support for sound and video card drivers with the Lizard installation tool, making this one of the easiest install processes we've seen. But how often do you want to run any network server in a dual-boot configuration?

As you might have guessed, we had no trouble installing Caldera on our Windows 98-based HP Pavilion test workstation. As advertised, the installation process ran fine from within Windows and had us up and running in a dual-boot configuration in just under a half hour. Caldera has also included 1.3 GB worth of additional Linux software on its CDs, much of it devoted to personal computing. You'll find trial versions of Applixware 4.4.2, Netscape Communicator 4.61, StarOffice 5.1, Corel WordPerfect 8, the KDE desktop as well as the KDE Themes manager with 80 bundled themes, and more.

On the server side, you'll also find a Linux client for NetWare and a nice Java virtual machine, as well as a new back-up and restore utility integrated directly into the KDE desktop.

Again, these are largely workstation-oriented tools. Even the manual seems to give more attention to personal dial-up IP networking than it does to LAN-based networking. The manual's Samba documentation was far from in-depth as was its coverage of internetworking with NetWare or Windows NT, adding new server tools or running NFS.

Installing the software on our Compaq ProLiant 800 server predictably proved more difficult than on the Pavilion. Most of the installation went fine, though you'll have an easier time if you ensure that your system is capable of booting from a CD-ROM. Caldera has made this a little easier by offering users a list of preconfigured installation scenarios, including all packages, business workstation, network server and others. We chose network server and were rewarded with an installation process that took only what most servers required and left the rest up to us.

The software easily identified most of our system components, including both Pentium 350 MHz CPUs, the video subsystem and our CD-ROM drive. It also recognized both our 9.1 GB SCSI hard disks, but balked at Compaq's Netelligent 10/100 network interface. Though we searched Compaq's and Caldera's sites for a Netelligent driver, we couldn't find one and had to use a Linksys 10/100 PCI card instead.

Once that card was installed, it was as smooth as silk with IP address and gateway designations being an entirely menu-drive process.

Unlike Red Hat, Caldera includes its own Caldera OpenLinux Administration Software (COAS) utility. While this tool is much easier to use than Red Hat's Linuxconf utility, it's also not quite as deep. On the upside, it has some nice touches, like the fact that you can access COAS from any local account and the software will simply prompt you for the root password instead of forcing a separate login that way.

Compared to a distribution like Red Hat, OpenLinux comes up short in the server department. Though the basic tools are there, you'll almost certainly have to add administrative or even functional modules to get what you need. Additionally, Caldera's after-sale support for OpenLinux isn't close to what Red Hat provides, and its manuals aren't in the same league either.

On the other hand, installation and polish really were amazing, and it only costs a fraction of Red Hat's price. If you know what you're doing with Linux, you'll have no trouble tweaking Caldera to your needs.

Corel Linux Beta

Our experience with Corel's Linux beta CD was mixed to say the least. The company's apparent raison d'etre is to create the easiest to use Linux distribution on the market. In that, we'd say it is well on its way. As it has based this product on Debian Linux (one of the more stable distributions), Corel has done an admirable job of making its version not only easy for network administrators, but downright usable right into the home market.

Unfortunately, this review wasn't aimed at the home market, but rather the aforementioned network administrator. And that person is left out in the cold for the moment as far as Corel is concerned. During installation, Corel offers users a choice of four basic install scenarios: typical desktop, development desktop and two forms of network server. That's too bad for us, as the two forms of server installations were still unavailable in this version of the beta. We opted for the development desktop as a close substitute.

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