Installing Linux and windows on the same system ?

[vrcatherine]

Hi,

I am completely new to the UNIX/Linux stuff,
coming from windows environment.

Basically fed up with the windows patching system
and wanted to move to LINUX.

I am getting a new server with 2 hard drives.

I want to built this server( with some red hat linux)
and install all my database and applications on it.


my only concern is moving the applications.


1. Can i have a drive in Linux server which is shared
by all the system in my network.
Like what we do in windows, we have a D:\ drive
on windows 2000 server and this drive is shared.
So everyone can put files on to it .

Can this be done even in Linux Server(windows clients)?



2. Do i have install some windows operating system before
installing linux, i heard someone saying that its good
to have windows operating system first and free space
on hard drive and install the Linux O/S on that .

Is it ?


--Thanks
Cathy

 

[sleipnir214]

A1. Yes, you can. There is a product called Samba which allows non-Win32 filesystem spaces to be accessed from Win32 clients.

A2. Yes. Linux can use a multitude of filesystems, including FAT, but it works by far and away better using filesystems that better support Unix-like OSes, such as ext3, ext3, ReiserFS, etc. I recommend that you put Linux in its own partitions, which means you'd be best served to free some room on the server.

Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[zeland]

1. Yes, you can share a mount point to all your windows machines using a package called SAMBA. If you have problems with SAMBA, there is a whole forum dedicated to it (find forum: SAMBA).

2. Some people want to sit on the fence because Linux is a great un-known for them. Dual-booting might be the thing for them but I would recommend a full Linux system (can't keet booting between Win2k and RH while users are using it right).

 

[thedaver]

You should only build a server as one OS. "zeland" is right, once you build it, users will come, and you won't want to reboot it to do anything.
Samba can share files and printers just like any Windoze box, at ever better performance levels that Win.

Linux boxes will stay up for weeks/months/years with the proper maintenance and attention. Your users will be stunned and how infrequently their servers a "down" under linux. Tke it to the bank!

"Surfinbox Shares" - A fundraising program that builds revenue from dialup Internet users.

http://www.surfinbox.com/shares/

 

[tarn]

Sorry to put a dampner on proceedings but if your main reason is because you are fed-up with patching, be warned!!

You will still have to ensure that your server is kept secure and that means patching (and in some cases re-compiling applications with security patches {you could probably be lucky and let someone else do the patching and then take advantage of their binary packages).

But I do admit that it should not be as regular an occurance as Microsoft.

I would also recommend (if you'r looking at samba shares) you invest a small amount of time looking at some form of virus scanning, while there is a almost nill chance of Unix/Linux being infected your samba clients can still be passing viruses back and forth infecting each other.

I hope that's not put you off but I'm just trying to clarify that just because its a Unix/Linux server you cannot afford to ignore the need for good security, maintanance and regular patching.

I'm sure as you become famillar with Linux you will begin enjoying your job +100%, I always do!

Good Luck,
Laurie.

 

[vrcatherine]

Thanks everyone for there replies.

Few more quick questions.

1) Is it good if i put the server dedicated to Red hat linux,without any other O/S ?

2) What is this samba ? Is it part of the linux or do
i have install it seperately ?


3) Do i have to still keep applying some patches and
relinking stuff in Linux as well ? I am ready to do
that if it doesn't become a pain like windows.


4) What is the file system type for linux ?
Like in windows we have fat/32/ntfs ?

 

[farley99]

1) Is it good if i put the server dedicated to Red hat linux,without any other O/S ?
Yes

2) What is this samba ? Is it part of the linux or do
i have install it seperately ?
It comes on the redhat cd, you can install it when installing redhat


3) Do i have to still keep applying some patches and
relinking stuff in Linux as well ? I am ready to do
that if it doesn't become a pain like windows.
Subscribe to bug traq and you will be fine, you might have to do like 1 patch every 2 months


4) What is the file system type for linux ?
Like in windows we have fat/32/ntfs ?
It uses an ext3 journalize file system, very different from Fat and ntfs

 

[vrcatherine]

Thanks.

Can i do this ?

I will have 2 Network cards on the server

1st NIC ==> will connect to some Router directly

2nd NIC ==> will be connected to my existing network.

The server will have an external IP address thru that
Router.

And with the 2nd NIC it will be connected to our
network (so that everyone can browse the server)