I need some feedback/help.

Here is our setup: My organization has a headquarters, some regional offices and at least two local offices in each state. Each office has two networks: a linux only network that actually does the work of the organization and must be up 24/7 -- the other is a windows network that is used as the main desktop for surfing the internet, writing documents, powerpoints, etc.

Headquarters wants to clean up our IT infrastructure. Their proposal is to set up a central microsoft active directory to manage all the windows desktops and laptops (security patches, updates, software licenses, user admin, mail admin, etc.). Sounds like an OK plan.

What I would like to offer is another option that was not talked about at all. I'd like to see those windows desktops booted out and a linux desktop to take it's place. The linux desktop would be at the same OS level as our linux workstations (RedHat Enterprise 3) ... the desktop could probably even be a Novell Linux, Debian Linux, etc as the desktops would be managed seperately from a single location (that has a backup location as well).

So ... for those of you that know anything about Active Directory and managing a large enterprise using it, what would be a linux alternative? I've heard of ZENworks and I know also of IBM's Tivoli ... but I'm not sure how to go about making an argument for either of those products over microsoft Active Directory management.

Please help!

OK ... just found out another option: Redhat Satellite Server and Redhat Directory.

Both of these RedHat products together do what Novell's ZENworks Suite does and what IBM's Tivoli does. The only drawback to using RedHat's products is that it cannot interface with and manage some of those rogue windows boxes that will most likely plague the network because of some sort of justifiable business case. If you're a (RedHat) Linux only shop, then this would be the option.

ZENworks and Tivoli can manage both OS's ... so I see these two products as the more Enterprise Ready so far.

-- Tony

Sun has a (now free I believe) product that can do that for RHEL and Solaris (but not Windows)