Cent OS migration

[Rodgers Hemer]

On May 9, 2011, at 8:46 AM, scooter6 at gmail.com wrote:

> Okay - the time is approaching where we're going to switch from SCO
> OpenServer to CentOS.
> I have a few questions.
> 
> 1.  Is there a migration tool that will take all my existing users and
> 'import' them as users on CentOS?
> 2.  Does anyone have suggestions on specific hardware to use? We are a Dell
> shop if that matters.....
>     i.e.  How much RAM are people using on CentOS? (we have approx 60-75
> users on during peak hours during the day, lots of processes running, etc
> and we have
>            several larger files that we run re-indexing on over weekends -
> currently, this takes about 18 hrs on our current system)
> 3.  Is setting up printers/drivers pretty simple on CentOS?
> 4.  What RAID configuration is best for speed and failover, etc?  We are a
> busy place and can't afford downtime.
> 5.  Can you run a backup to a USB drive using CentOS? If not, what backup
> solution is best?
> 6.  Does CentOS support dual processors?
> 7.  Is there a specific version of CentOS that seems to be more stable, etc
> than others?
> 8.  Other than exchanging our current licensing with filePro, is there
> anything else that needs to be done to the filePro files so they run on
> CentOS?
> 9.  For my many scripts that I have running, is there a big directory
> hierarchy difference on CentOS vs. SCO?
>     i.e. are user profiles still in /usr directory? Does the PATH variable
> need to change on my scripts? i.e. /usr/bin, /usr/local/bin, /etc, etc
> 

Scott:

We have done this with two clients and will do a third one as soon as they are ready to purchase.  I'm sure that Bill Campbell will chime in with specifics on Linux configuration that are outside of my skill set but here are some of the basics of the new systems.

We used a server from Silicon Mechanics that contains a SuperMicro board, 8GB of memory, 8 hot-swapable hard drive bays, redundant power supplies, and multiple hot-swapable fans.  In both cases, a pair of 500GB drives are installed in a RAID 1 mirror configuration for the OS and the data base.  In one of the servers, two 2TB drives have been added to store scanned data from another server.  The basic units cost about $3000 and can be installed in a rack or as a free standing unit.  LaCie USB external drives are used for backups by Micolite BackupEDGE.  CentOS was installed and configured by Bill Campbell.

Moving filepro directories was simple but some adjustments were necessary in the menu items that referred to non-filePro files and apps.  A piece of cake compared to the migrations from Windows to SCO or Linux that I have done in the past.  In both cases, the data base runs faster with far more stability than in Windows.  All users have Windows work stations that access filePro with Anzio.  The server also has FacetTerm installed for development support.

Rodgers Hemer
206.523.2329