Hi,

I am using Red Hat distributions for samba, proxies, NTP, etc, but to configure each workstation (50+) when a network or server change occurs is pretty painful.

I am looking for an open source (or free) product that allows me to add a client or system service to the workstations that queries a linux server and applys settings like proxies, homepages, network drives etc without the end-user having to do it, or be bothered by me interrupting their work.

If it were a Windows server world I'd be all over Active Directory, but alas this isn't that.

Can someone please advise of any such products?

Thx.

flipcode

Hi,

Does anyone have any suggestions on this question?

Thanks.

What I would recommend doing, create a batch script to be executed at regular times/on boot on the workstations and simply have it execute a script stored on a Samba shared directory. The server-run script should execute any installation files (stored on network drives, obvious) using whatever flags declare not to prompt the user. This will work for some things and may end up being a little time costly (writing a new script whenever you need changes made), but it probably beats running around to 50 workstations (especially if this is something you're going to want to do often). Just make sure to do plenty of testing before you implement.

As far as a replacement for Active Directory in linux: not yet that I'm aware of.

Unfortunately I do not know of any. When the Red Hat survey guys called me I told them this and they said "very soon" and the word "exciting" regarding an AD equivilant.