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    Centeris Helps Windows, Linux Systems Get Along

    By
    Cameron Sturdevant
    -
    August 21, 2006
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      Centeris Likewise Management Suite makes it easy for Windows network administrators to configure and monitor most Linux systems, including integrating Linux systems into Microsoft Active Directory.

      Click here to read the full review of Likewise Management Suite.

      2


      Centeris Likewise Management Suite makes it easy for Windows network administrators to configure and monitor most Linux systems, including integrating Linux systems into Microsoft Active Directory.

      Version 2.0 of the Likewise Management Suite, which was released on Aug. 8 for $349 per managed server, provides tools for managing firewalls, SSH (Secure Shell) console connections, a dashboard with system status information, a new interface for managing users and groups, and support for direct editing of network settings.

      IT administrators at small to medium-sized organizations who want to integrate Linux-based servers into an existing Windows network will probably benefit the most from Likewise.

      The previous version of Likewise often required the use of MMC (Microsoft Management Console) to perform tasks. Likewise 2.0, in contrast, uses simple, integrated user interface components that resemble Windows tools for managing users and groups and viewing events and services.

      Getting Likewise installed in eWEEK Labs network was quite easy, and even inexperienced IT managers should have no trouble installing the product. We installed Likewise on a Hewlett-Packard ProLiant DL360 running Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition.

      /zimages/2/144522.jpg

      Once the Likewise 2.0 software was installed, we started the console and followed the products simple directions for deploying Likewise agents to our Linux systems.

      Our network included systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES 4, CentOS 4.2 and Ubuntu 6.0. We were able to easily install the Likewise agent on the Red Hat ES and CentOS systems, but not on the Ubuntu system (currently not a supported operating system). Likewise 2.0 supports various flavors of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Fedora Core, CentOS and SUSE. Wed like to see Centeris add support for Debian-based distros, including Ubuntu.

      /zimages/2/28571.gifClick here to read more about Centrify DirectControl Suite 3.

      The biggest pain point during testing was agent installation: Likewise 2.0 takes a one-at-a-time approach, and it took between 5 and 10 minutes to install the agent on each of our systems. However, the agent installation process did a good job of keeping us informed of installation status, and no agent failed to install on any of the supported operating systems.

      Reaching out

      After adding the agents to our systems, we set about performing management tasks. First, we added local users to Linux systems using a familiar, Windows-like graphical interface. We could set and reset passwords and delete, rename and set properties that governed password usage.

      Likewise really shone when we added user groups to our Red Hat Enterprise Linux system from our Windows AD setup. We used the AD groups interface to create new groups, add users to existing groups and modify the properties of existing groups.

      Direct competitors to Likewise are scare, but there are some similar products available.

      Centrifys DirectControl Suite 3, for example, focuses on extending AD capabilities over many flavors of Linux, Unix and Mac OS systems, and its AD and identity tools go beyond Likewises offerings.

      Also related—somewhat—to Likewise is OpenCountrys OCM 3.0 Universal Systems Management Suite, which unifies management over various Linux distributions. OpenCountry focuses on a broad array of system administration functions—including operating system provisioning, asset tracking and updates—but it does not support Windows systems.

      Next page: Evaluation Shortlist: Related Products.

      Page 3

      Evaluation Shortlist

      BMCs IT Systems Management Express

      An all-in-one heterogeneous management package for SMBs that covers identity, storage and server management (www.bmc.com)

      Centrifys DirectControl

      Focuses on extending Active Directory identity to non-Windows systems (www.centrify.com)

      OpenCountrys OCM Universal Systems Management Suite

      For system administrators who have graduated from managing a few Linux systems to managing a lot of Linux systems (www.opencountry.com)

      Quest Softwares Vintela Authentication Services

      Tightly focused on identity management (www.vintela.com)

      Source: F-Secure

      Technical Director Cameron Sturdevant can be reached at [email protected]

      Check out eWEEK.coms for the latest open-source news, reviews and analysis.

      Avatar
      Cameron Sturdevant
      Cameron Sturdevant is the executive editor of Enterprise Networking Planet. Prior to ENP, Cameron was technical analyst at PCWeek Labs, starting in 1997. Cameron finished up as the eWEEK Labs Technical Director in 2012. Before his extensive labs tenure Cameron paid his IT dues working in technical support and sales engineering at a software publishing firm . Cameron also spent two years with a database development firm, integrating applications with mainframe legacy programs. Cameron's areas of expertise include virtual and physical IT infrastructure, cloud computing, enterprise networking and mobility. In addition to reviews, Cameron has covered monolithic enterprise management systems throughout their lifecycles, providing the eWEEK reader with all-important history and context. Cameron takes special care in cultivating his IT manager contacts, to ensure that his analysis is grounded in real-world concern. Follow Cameron on Twitter at csturdevant, or reach him by email at [email protected]

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