[mdlug] Novell server replacement

[Carl T. Miller]

merc wrote:
> I'm trying to stay away from Novell for now because our current
> systems administrator has everything tied into the novell server
> currently, and is the only one who knows how to work with and repair
> these ancient databases.

Yeah, databases work that way.  However, your user base
and the permissions on your filesystems might be worth
keeping.  I think your issues with the databases will be
identical whether you go with Novell or something else
for a new file server.

> Moving away from novell would (i think) be better so we can migrate
> these databases to something that in case of hardware failure, isnt
> totally inaccessible.(somehow the licenses for these databases are
> tied to the hardware, from what im told)

Again, the real issue is migrating the databases.  You'll
have the same problems whether you're on Novell or something
else.

> The idea has been tossed around a bit, and im sure the current sys
> admin would love to keep it that way. I'm trying to look to the future
> when, oh, say he moves to mexico without notice and the company has to
> bring in an outside company at $800/hr to migrate all this stuff.

Yeah.  I would find out exactly what resources are being used
and how.  And I would treat the migration of the databases
as a separate project that the migration to a new file server,
although both could happen at the same time.

c