Cent OS migration

[Boaz Bezborodko]

> Date: Mon, 9 May 2011 11:46:50 -0400
> From:"scooter6 at gmail.com"  <scooter6 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Cent OS migration
> To:filepro-list at lists.celestial.com
> Message-ID:<BANLkTik1WygPYn3eGaBSBG-TaLBCaS5Q_g at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> 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
>
> I'm sure I'll have more questions, but this is a good start.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions and/or input.
>
> Scott
> PDM

We use a CentOS server, but running Samba to act as a fileserver for the 
Windows version of Filepro...So I can't help with all your questions.  
We are using v.4, but are looking to upgrade to version 5 this summer.

First, we use an HP Proliant system and will be upgrading to another 
Proliant when we upgrade to v.5.  They are certified for RHEL and HP's 
software is set up to run well on them.

3.  For printing we use Cups which makes things pretty simple, but all 
data is passed as raw to and from Windows print drivers.

4.  I don't know which is best, but we set up ours as RAID 0+1 for the 
combination of speed and reliability.  I don't know if the speed of 
newer hardware means that RAID 5 can now run without the speed penalty 
it used to have.

5.  We use a separate small (off site) server to pull changes off the 
server using rsync and creating snapshots of previous days/weeks/months 
using 'rsnapshot'.

6. Yes.

7.  I have never heard of stability problems with CentOS.  It is 
basically RHEL.  CentOS 5 is the most recent version.  Mark (Fairlight) 
speaks well of their stability which (to me, at least) is high praise.

HTH,
Boaz