Ubuntu Linux as a Windows Server replacement...

By donmc, 15 June, 2008

I have recently setup a Linux server to begin serving a small (12 users) legal firm that had Windows Small Business Server 2003 running. The issue was that they were not doing anything special, just FILE SERVING, and so a Linux/SAMBA solution would get them away from needing anything in the way of a proprietary server...

So I took a good look at the config details, crossed my fingers and went for it - and was very pleasantly surprised ! It was a simple task, and I have since found the software to be very stable, very fast, and easy to maintain.

Helpful links ?
Well, it is mainly three different pieces of software:
1. www.ubuntulinux.com - this is the Linux distribution from http://www.canonical.com/ who do a great job of packaging the thousands of different projects together into an easily imnstalled and managed whole...
www.samba.org - this is the package that originated at my school in Canberra, Australia (yes - that's the capital of Australia for those who didn't recognise the name !) Samba provides all of the windows specific protocol support to allow the Linux server to play nice with the windows workstations etc.
www.webmin.org - this is the management tool that lets you install, maintain and monitor most major software projects in the Linux environment - web browser based, very easy and flexible. Great product.

So overall, it has been very cool to do this, and the preformance of the new server is more than I had hoped for.

Go ahead and leave a comment below if you have anything to add !