NetGuido

Throughout the world, policy makers in informatics are faced with the question “should I use Microsoft Windows NT server or rather one of the operating systems of the Unix family? “As you may know already, Unix is not a specific operating system, and this word refers to a family of systems which includes AIX, BSDI, Digital Unix, FreeBSD, HP-UX, IRIX, Linux, Net BSD, Open SD, Pyramid, SCO, Solaris, SunOS, to name only the most famous. Microsoft Windows NT server becomes increasingly popular, but increases it as long as productivity in the departments of science? This is what you are interested in the first place as a decision-maker: you increase the margins of your business by choosing a solution Microsoft? While this is tantamount to wonder,


what costs the least? The cost of hardware, software licenses, technical assistance contracts, the price updates and kits services, the cost of updating equipment, the shortfall caused by each failure, human time lost when trying to find (or create new) data lost due to defects in the product (at the operating system and / or equipment necessary to run the operating system chosen), and the cost system administrators, represent some of the expenses that occur as a direct consequence of your decision. It must therefore not be taken lightly. Although as a policy maker, you do not want to hear that money, given the complexity of factors that I have just presented, it is possible that a technically superior combination of hardware and operating systems is more economical in the long term. Unix is a set of operating systems mature and technically superior, and testimonies and archives are not lacking who show reliability, the right level of performance, and security in an environment of servers. Almost thirty years of development tirelessly, often made from voluntary convinced of the value of their work, gave birth to a group of operating systems — and machine multi-processor servers extremely powerful , Tailor-made, the performance still unmatched by Intel equipment — who do not meet the requirements of computing today, but in many cases exceeding it. The causes of the adoption of MS-Windows NT in the corporate world would be interesting to study as part of a report by psychology or commercial activity, but they have no place in an article dealing with computer . Technically, MS-Windows NT server version 4.0 does not compare with any operating system Unix. It does not even suffers with non-commercial versions of BSD or Linux. It does not claim to a decision-maker the same technical expertise that is expected of a system administrator height of 15 years of experience. There is no shame not to have the facts, but there has to ignore them, because this ignorance cost money to your employer and, ultimately, to all your clients. This article aims to explain these facts, and you prove that there are facts that no one would discuss. The following article is based on my experience computer, which began in 1979 at Chevron Geosciences Company. It is also based on approximately 150 references to other articles, manifestos, and summaries for managers. Whether it be clear: I do not promote any particular product, and my employer has nothing to gain because you choose Unix. My goal is to make life easier for system administrators, to promote a computer more efficient and economical, and increase the diversity and free competition among software vendors.
Table of Contents
* Introduction
* OS
o The costs of products and a few remarks on licenses
o Features
o The reliability
o The hotel system
o The performance
o Security
* Some ideas received incorrect
* The views of other computer professionals
o Feedback from readers of this article (translated in French)
o Feedback from English-speaking readers (in French)
* Servers for the web
* Conclusion
* Linux and NT 4.0 server at a glance
* What are the most important use?
* To go further …
* Dementias and other information relating to the law
* Credits
Highlights of this article
* Why Microsoft uses Solaris instead of NT
* Microsoft recognizes that NT follows in the footsteps of Solaris
* Comparison in graphic form of multiple operating systems
* When only the stability, what operating system professionals choose?
* A little known aspect of windows95.com
* Unix on a single PC processor faster than a dual-processor machine under NT?
* Cisco spends Linux to MS-Windows NT?
* Linux and the postal service of the United States
* Software for the web server; what is the common point between the royal family and the FBI?
* Show me Unix, I want to see how it looks!
* What are the programs that run on this site?
* Resources for FreeBSD and Linux with answers to the following questions:
o Where can I get Linux / FreeBSD to try all this?
o Where can I buy a workstation / server with a Linux / FreeBSD pre-installed?
o Where can I find a consultant to these operating systems?
The choice of platforms for servers can be difficult for policy makers who are not especially well versed in the hotel systems and networks. In this document, I compare MS-Windows NT server, Unix, a big family of operating systems or non-commercial, which have many similarities and share a common heritage. It will focus particularly by the notions of functionality, reliability, system administration, and performance. The paper speaks of servers, no work stations. Other factors, such as product price, the quantity and quality of software included with the operating system, and a section covering ideas received (bad) about two groups of environments, are also presented to to propose an overview most comprehensive of these products. The information used in this comparison comes from several sources: obvious, case studies by others, articles from periodicals, and comments made by computer professionals who have experience on the ground in the establishment and administration of MS-Windows NT and several types of Unix. We must treat this article as a work in progress. Anyone wishing to participate in this project is invited to send me an email. Please limit your contributions to comments or constructive criticism. (Note: as regards the choice of translations, language mistakes, oversights specification National mirrors, indicate that there is a new version, or any regard to adaptation in French is the translator need to send an e-mail.)