Windows services for Unix?

Comments

  • gtghmgtghm New
    edited November 2003
    Anybody know if this is liget?
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    Allowing Unix to run .NET. Essentially, Microsoft XML colloboration on Unix servers.

    .NET is all about taking heavy databases, and letting the info be available to everyone on a Intranet with security in place to keep only high level managers from seeing the info they need to keep management info security in place.

    What has happened is this-- as Microsoft has had to shift to a "fix the holes" strategy they ran into TWO bugaboos:

    1. Many viruses run on Windows but NOT on Unix or BSD or Linux. Windows servers need to run 22\7 to 24\7 and that is why the Enterprise admins do not like security patching-- servers have to update while not under load, and for most servers this means they are offline for the duration of the patching. IF NOT UPDATED, they tend to get compromised. Moreover, with .NET, anything on an Intranet can in theory be an info source and thus an information corruption can spread throughout the Intranet. Fixing THIS is a mess, a BIG one. Unix is not vulnerable in these ways, so admins are demanding the ability to hook DBs on Unix servers to workstations that run other O\Ss-- otherwise, they will stick with what they are moving toward and use other than Windows and other than .NET.

    2. Security patches themselves mean downtime (restated for emphasis), and Unix over the years has needed fewer patches to be stable and reasonably secure. Servers should ideally have zero downtime, as they are doing DB work when not under heavy data load adn shifting that to allow for pathc time means night shifts and overtime in IT depts and also not having the data available during part of the workday as many patches have corrolary problem imposition effects that means they need to be maintained afterward or in some cases RECOVERED to run right, or the DBs maintained heavily afterward.

    Short form\ Cliff's Notes-- Unix (and derivative O\Ss like BSD and Linux) has better and more stable servers usually, and admins are demanding that more and more as budgets get tight for new hardware expenses as software costs go through the roof with Microsoft licensing changes. So, admins are demanding reliability and Microsoft is having to meet that demand or folks will be running something not .NET, and doing it more and more. The US national research labs do not run .NET for the most part, nor does the US government, which is more and more security concious these days and wants MORE invulnerability and fewer exploits to stop hackers from getting into things like DOD and Darpa servers and putting websites and P2P music share areas up on National Lab clusters, and cleaning viruses off their SERVER FARMS.

    John.
  • AranyicAranyic Casstown, OH Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    You can also go here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=019139c0-16ff-4de5-bba3-7e2515f0f7a9&DisplayLang=en and download it.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    It's very legit. Services for Unix has been around for years. This is a good deal if you have a lot of unix servers and you want to integrate them with windows.

    Doesn't really apply to end-users though. It's for system admins.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited November 2003
    True, but the best enthusiasts who leanr how to sysadmin early become the best sysadmins. And starting with a balanced approach helps. Point is, learn more than one O\S and how to interconnect data flow.

    Microsoft is having to go to Unix some to get security balancing, and one use for this would be on perimiter web servers that are Unix based for security also. Periimeter security, done right, can let folks get more out of workstations and run less intense security and AV stuff on each workstation to keep the LAN and the WAN cleaner.

    Know ing this for an end user would also mean to NOT rely on the ISP to toally protect you, unless you want to pay 1.5 times what you pay now so the ISPs can gear up with security boxes. Some are having to, and increasing costs, especially on the email front. AND, ISPs are running mnore and more allowance for non-Windows end node connections if ports are specified and are standard ports.

    I think this weekend I will stick FreeBSD on one of the boxes, see if 5.1 runs on either the P4 or the Barton, or both. The Barton will be mostly a business box, but would be nice to see wassup. I also have SuSE 9.0 in house now, and will be looking at that as RedHat is discontinuing consumer Linux support in June of 2004 and selling only Enterprise and Enterprise workstation versions. Lesson for a hyper-enthusiatic end user now-- learn more than one way to "skin a cat" (peel the symptoms back and look at the real issues, and apply solutions more situationally), as different ways will work best in unique different places..
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