[WBEL-users] Enterprise Managment Suggestions

[Jeremy Bowers]

If you're used to windows you can use Active Directory with Linux/Unix 
via Vintela's cool software.

http://www.vintela.com

It's not free, but it does a great job of managing Linux boxen with 
Active Directory.

--Jeremy

Tony wrote:

>This is where I'm coming from:
>
>I have a setup that will be about 500 workstations, and a handfull of servers.
>About 500 or so users as well.
>
>What we need is a way to *centrally* manage the PCs and users, not the 
>traditional Unix way of managing them on the workstation.. ( running them as
>dumb X terminals isn't the solution here, due to bandwidth ). That sort of
>'management' just isn't practical at this level.
>
>By 'manage' the users:  central database of logins, and policy rights. LDAP 
>makes the most sence here of course. All workstations need to hit the LDAP 
>server for authentication, and 'policies'.
>
>Need the ability to create and manage the 'directory' from several locations 
>( this part isn't hard i realize as LDAP can be accessed remotely. )
>
>I'm still messing with kiosk mode for KDE for desktop control, and if that 
>does a good enough job ill want to head that direction as well, but that 
>would need to also tie back to groups defined in the 'directrory server'.
>
>Manage the desktops:  Again, central database control. Need to be able to
>create groups of workstations, so as to install/remove applications with out
>having to touch each workstation manually, ( even remotely ). 
>
>I know things such as ssh and webmin can do this remotely, but its still a 
>manual, one by one process.
>
>I guess it just boils down to managing the entire enterprise via 'policies', 
>from a central location.. not ever having to touch a PC manually unless it 
>dies, and having *all* software policy, and login information stored on a 
>central directory.
>
>Those of us from a large windows enterprise know what I'm talking about 
>when i speak of SMS, GPO and AD.. thats what i want to emulate, as much
>as is possible..
>
>Enterprise monitoring, thats taken care of as there are plenty of 'enterprise' 
>monitoring tools.. 
>
>
>
>  
>
>>Message: 9
>>Subject: Re: [WBEL-users] Enterprise Managment Suggestions
>>From: Dan Geist <Dan.Geist@cox.com>
>>To: Tony@instaview.com
>>Cc: whitebox-users@beau.org
>>Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 09:58:40 -0500
>>
>>Tony, That sounds like a perfectly good topic! I wish more people would
>>talk about management tools in the open-source community, but that's not
>>to say there's not lots of stuff out there.
>>
>>The question arises... what exactly are your goals? Also, what types of
>>machines are you managing?
>>
>>I worked at a place that had a RH Linux developer core with windows
>>bus-dev folks. A few cleverly-crafted small scripts were all that was
>>needed to maintain the developers hosts (nightly updates, etc).
>>
>>I have some WBEL hosts currently that utilize central authentication
>>sources using PAM_TACPLUS (so they can share user resources with routers
>>and switches, etc..).
>>
>>So... what are you trying to do, exactly?
>>
>>Dan
>>
>>On Thu, 2004-11-11 at 09:41, Tony wrote:
>>    
>>
>>>Sorry if this is a tad OT, but does anyone have suggestions for
>>>'enterprise management' tools?
>>>
>>>Having to manage a whole department of machines separately is a drag.
>>>What is needed is
>>>something like Microsoft's' GPO/Active Directory..
>>>
>>>Short of writing a whole bunch of scripts ( and perhaps a GUI for our
>>>'admins' ) on my own,
>>>what all have you people dealt with that can do the same sort of job? And
>>>preferably GPL or
>>>BSD licensed..
>>>      
>>>
>>--
>>Dan Geist | dan.geist@cox.com | (404)269-6822
>>Network Security Engineer | Telephony/Data Eng | Cox Communications
>>
>>    
>>
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