Re: [TCLUG:22829] Re: [TCLUG] Re: [TCLUG:22826] NT vs Linux (Price Comparision for database backend Web Server)

[^chewie <chewie@wookimus.net>]

Those are very useful comparisons, especially for smaller businesses
with tight budgets.  I think to convince the larger companies or
companies with a love affair with Microsoft, you'll need more data to
convince them that Linux is the right solution.  There are a number of
things to consider when building a database-driven website.  Security,
as in firewalls, administration costs (remote admin of Linux as
opposed to physical access needed for NT, or hacky and insecure
software), scalability (purchase of additional servers), high
availability services, service integration, such as LDAP services,
IMAP services, etc.

Has anyone here tried to replace hardware on an NT box?  I know Zibby
understands the difficulty I'm going to elude to.  Whereas replacing
hardware on Linux can as simple as powering off the machine, swapping
the hardware, and powering up, NT has never been as simple.  NT's
Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) is largely inflexible.  In order to
replace a motherboard on an NT box, you must back the system up to
tape.  Shutdown the box.  Replace the motherboard.  Reinstall the
operating system, and then restore from tape EXCEPT the device drivers
(*.sys files).  Frankly, I'd rather have to compile a new driver than
have to reinstall an entire OS (which, with NT may take an excess of 8
hours).

The difference in administration costs alone make the $7k+ difference
in software cost seem like child's play.

-- 
  Chad "^chewie, gunnarr" Walstrom <chewie@wookimus.net>
              http://www.wookimus.net/

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