LDAP saga continues… Finally I have found something that Microsoft did actually good. I have found out that ldifde.exe -f myfile.ldf will export the whole Active Directory structure into myfile.ldf file in LDIF file format (human readable). That is extremely usefull when migrating I have also found Exchange-HOWTO an interesting read.
Author: Leonid Mamchenkov
First LDAP encounter
I have started to learn LDAP today. Here is how I did it:
- Install new Red Hat Linux 7.2 server.
- During install
- Specify to authenticate through LDAP which is located at 127.0.0.1
- I forgot to permit SSH connection during firewall configuration
- In boot manager configuration, I have specified to use GRUB with which I don’t have any experience yet.
When I did all this, I have found myself in situation where machine refused any connections via secure shell, refused any logins locally, Result:
- Unusable machine
- Frozen butt (a/c in the server room)
- Complete reinstall
- Linux LDAP Tutorial
Hardware upgrades
Small hardware updates: yesterday I have tested GeForce 2 MX 32. To say it short – it sucked against my Riva TNT2. I know that is not scientific, but I completely deslike playing Quake 3 Arena with it and needed some place to share the feeling :)
My new 40GByte hard disk is fine though. HDDs are getting cheaper and cheaper, especially those 5500 RPM ones. I gave my preference to 7200 RPMs though. :)
LTSP – Linux Terminal Server Project
Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP) is a great tool for setting up diskless machines. I have setup a ThinkNIC thin client as described in the documentation in the matter of minutes. Next nice thing to try is running applications locally on thin client.
Migration from Windows to Linux
It looks like migrating a well-established business from Windows to Linux is an interesting project. Especially, if the business is not a stand alone coffee shop, but a corporation with 400+ users. Fortunately, prior experience with thin clients might suddenly get useful. Up to now I consider the following plan to be the easiest way (I am not a money guy, so, no focus on prices here):
- Investigate alternatives for each and every application needed.
- Configure small test environment with only few users (mainly from IT department) and run it for some time.
- Migrate workstations of regular users.
- Migrate servers.
- Migrate development (New projects are done on new platform.Old projects are transfered gradually.).
- Migrate workstations of “power” users.