LQ Community:

Overview:
I'm developing a system that I want to replace the Windows Server. Below I'm going to list out features that the Windows Server has that I need to find an alternative to as well as what I've found so far.

I need some help completing the list and to clarify some of the ideas I currently have. I'm aware of some alternatives that cost money, however, I'm trying to put together the basics with no investment other than the hardware.

Features:
Groupware (Exchange) - Would like Thunderbird/Lightning included in the client end of things.
Database (Microsoft SQL) - MySQL
Web Server (IIS) - Apache
Updates (Microsoft Automatic Updates) - apt with cron?
Client Updates (WSUS)
Backup (ntbackup) - tar?
Collaboration (Microsoft Sharepoint)
Remote Desktop (Terminal Services)

Summary:
I'm building a web application that is targeted at retail small business that will have linux infrastructure. I'd really enjoy hearing some examples of how things work as well.

If you could take the time to help me complete this list using the following format that would be great!

Feature:
[Microsoft Feature] - [Open Source Alternative]
[Link to required information / help]
Additional Information / Ideas:
[Idea]

Thank you!

Shawn

(I'll edit this post to include things I think will work from the ideas we develop. I will also add more things to it as I think of them, but I believe I have the mission critical applications / features listed out as it is now.)

If this is purely a cost saving exercise, my personal feelings would be to stick with Windows. It sounds like you are talking about SBS 2003, which, in my opinion is a very high value product for very little money, and has integration and features that are simply not available in any Linux based server configuration. Primary among these is AD/Group Policy. There is nothing in any Unix that provides the granular control provided by GP. If you are prepared to forgo this, then there are alternatives in the Linux world that will provide similar functionality to what you have listed above...

Open-Xchange or Zimbra will provide the email, calendar, groupware and collaboration features you require. OX can also appear as a real Exchange server, if you purchase the license to the connectors.

WSUS functionality will be hard to achieve without a lot of work. Basically, you are looking at mirroring the repositories of your chosen distro on your server and having the automatic update features of your clients looking there instead of at the actual distro repos. Do-able, but not straightforward, and, tbh, of questionable benefit. It's understandable in the Windows world, where an update can easily break working code, but this is less a concern in the linux world.

amanda is a fine backup suite.

There are many packages that provide the functionality of RDP. The one I hear most about these days is FreeNX

Your AD/SSO functionality will be provided by OpenLDAP