RE: iSeries more stable than NT? Who says?

Booth,

When you say "take over" I'm betting that you're referring to the browse
master in the NetBios environment. Like it or not, a W2K server will trump
an NT server as the browse master, that's just the way it is (and always has
been). If you're referring to something else I'd love to know what. They
didn't upgrade their domain controller, did they?

I'm not suggesting that they're not capable, but perhaps ill-informed. Have
they read the appropriate literature? Have they read the install/upgrade
notes and KB articles?

As for viruses, they occur in all windows environments, yes. I understood
your message to mean that they occurred _more_ in the W2K environment.

As for address book, are you talking about Active Directory? If so then you
went a little further than "experimenting" w/2K. I'll not argue that the
mail features of AD aren't great, but integrated w/Exchange 2K they're not
bad either. If you're not talking about AD, what are you talking about?
Exchange? What does that have to do with installing a test W2K server?

So you agree that you can't uninstall a release upgrade on the AS/400
either, no? As for PTFs, _most_ service packs and hot fixes are
uninstallable in W2K too. Some aren't, but there have been PTFs that require
perm apply, no?

I _am_ suggesting that W2K cannot be installed by mere employees. They need
to be informed and well-read before they attempt a W2K install, sorry.

As for new features in W2K, I'd disagree. Active Directory is a big step
forward, especially in the case of multi-site, multi-domain environments.
Multi-master replication and DFS is great too. IIS 5 is _much_ better than
IIS 4, W2K is more stable than NT. Routing and remote access including the
integrated VPN server is much improved and the addition of IPSec is a great.
Group policies are terrific. MMC does suck though. <G>

In a lan w/200 desktops someone better have an understanding of W2K, and a
good one at that.

-Walden

-----Original Message-----
From: booth@MartinVT.com [mailto:booth@MartinVT.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2001 11:16 AM
To: midrange-l@midrange.com
Subject: RE: iSeries more stable than NT? Who says?


This is a multipart message in MIME format.
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[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
To answer your questions:

Why can't a server be added to a LAN with every expectation that it will
not take over all the rest of the servers?  Are you worried that V5R3
might take over all the Windows servers on the LAN? Of course not. That'd
be outrageous.  It'd be just as outrageous if it just took over all of the
other OS400 operating systems it could find.

Am I to understand from you that Win2K servers are so complex and
confusing that a shop that has run Windows products in all configurations
for 10+ years is not capable of installing a Win2K server and that an
outside vendor must be brought in?   Surely you jest.

The viruses that have been plaguing the site are Windows-specific.   Win2K
is just the newest victim.  Win2K is no more virus resistant than any of
the rest of their LAN. All their Windows servers and desktops are being
infected routinely and repeatedly.

The clock is being badly set on the non-win2K desktops. The Win2K desktops
work just fine.

The address book requirements for the Microsoft mail services is complex
and not very well defined, so far as we can find (and we've asked the
experts).  Add in the inability to provide normal e-mail service features
that have been available since ELM and PINE;  Well, its discouraging to
the users that expect to have at least basic functionality.

When you talk about V4R5 and V5R1 you are speaking about the same
operating system with a fairly responsible trail of feature and function.
We do not go from V4R5 to V7R3 with nothing in between.  (interim fixes
and patches are always temporarily applied and easily backed out for
OS400, though, right?)

It is not a matter of horse and cart unless you are suggesting that
everyone should know that Win2K can not be installed succesfully by mere
employees, and must be installed by $150+/hour specialists on to virgin
hardware.

The customer now understands that Win2K is really about consolidating the
Windows
franchise and is a first step in "embrace, extend, exterminate" for the
internet.  There is no new feature or function in Win2k that serves any
other purpose.

Your statement that Win2K is as complex as any other server operating
system certainly has my agreement. I'd even agree that is more complex
than most.

I would add into this that the budget for IS people is a consideration.
This is a LAN of about 200 desktops, an active web presence, and an
ISeries machine.  Big enough to justify an IS staff, too small to have
intense specialization within the department.

------------------------------------------------
Booth Martin
Booth@MartinVT.com
http://www.MartinVT.com
-----------------------------------------------
Booth,

0) I've used "you" several times below. That is just because it's easy,
these remarks aren't necessarily directed toward you.

1) Never, _Never_, NEVER install software on a production lan as a
"learning
experience." That is what a test lab is for.

2) If they can't explain why the clock on several desktops (probably W2K
Pro) had their time reset then they shouldn't be installing W2K servers.
Time is an integral component in the Kerberos security protocol. W2K
servers
act as NTP servers to W2K clients resetting the clock to match the
controlling NTP server, which itself probably looks to an external NTP
server such as tick.usno.navy.mil.

3) A change in the network OS won't make viruses happen more often --
unless
your virus checking software doesn't work on that OS. And you should know
that by testing before deploying.

4) Installing W2K has increased the upkeep on your list server? Why? More
people subscribing and unsubscribing now that you are on W2K

5) I've never seen uninstalling an OS as an option. Did I miss a screen on
the GO LICPGM screen that says "Uninstall V5R1 and return to V4R5"????

6) NOW they have hired a firm specializing in windows? Um, does the horse
and the cart ring a bell? Or perhaps the barn door and the cow?

7) Does this client understand that Windows servers are servers first and
windows second. W2K is NOT NOT NOT a big version of windows 9x/ME. It's a
server operating system and it's as damn complex as any other.

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