LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Adrian Butterworth <adrian@econ-outlook.com.au>
  To  : linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au
  Date: Thu, 13 May 1999 17:11:12 +0930

Re: linux and schools

Alister
Linux is very good in schools for a full range of services.
For schools I install them for three roles.
- "in house ISP" services (with telstra permanent connection)
  dialer management: diald/pppd
  transparent caching (very important for schools): squid + a site blocker
  firewalling / masquerading: kernel
  domain name admin: named
  web serving:  apache
  email: sendmail
- network support
  network config: dhcpd
  basic file & print services: SAMBA
- Workstation management (NT Server type services)
  NT domains/roving desktops/profiles : SAMBA + scripts
  The Workstation management stuff works well but is not for the inexperienced
  or faint hearted mainly due to the cludginess of the microsoft model. This is
  not part of a basic requirement.

For remote maintenance we use SSH

The stability is great, they scale wonderfully (the smallest school has aprox
20 connected w/s the largest over 200.). There are no per user license fees,
and with a properly configured squid the smaller sites usually download less
than 100mb per month ($20-) viz:

[root@plato /root]# ./scripts/countK 
237014K $47.4028
from :$Thu Feb  4 10:01:01 CST 1999:-
to:Fri May 14 12:14:50 CST 1999

[root@socrates /root]# ./scripts/countK 
966261K $193.252
from :$Wed Aug 12 22:01:01 CST 1998:-
to:Fri May 14 12:22:01 CST 1999

Are they reliable?
[root@socrates /root]# uptime
 12:23pm  up 195 days, 23:37,  1 user,  load average: 0.03, 0.02, 0.00

At the very least even hard core NT based schools should have a system for
squid, dhcpd and mail

Although building a linux server only takes less than an hour for someone
experienced, we find it takes us about 4 weeks elapsed and 40 hours of work to
coordinate build & bed-in a production system.

What takes the time is:
.. discussions with the (to explain the design, meet key players,
  and design & plan a system to meet the schools particular needs).
.. ordering/coordinating services from third parties such as telstra &
  domain name authorities and resolving hitches
.. design & customising the configuation
.. integrating it into the the existing network
.. Training the "IT Coordinator" how to add/delete users & setup
  workstations and initial phone support.
.. Encouraging the schools to really use the systems once they are in! There is
  usually an unfounded concern that it must cost a lot to actually use the
  systems.

The first time though expect it to take many times that and a few teething
problems. So I suggest you try and get someone on the list who's actually set
such a system up before to volunteer to help.

If your still unsure or can't find someone - there are a number of
people/companies's around who could manage the project on a fee basis.
Our company for example installs & supports these in schools at a heavily
reduced rate as part of our community service policy, and to expose the schools
& students to the intellectually and educationally rich linux/unix environment.
For less than the cost of a NT server you would be up and running a full
site including hardware, telstra connection fees and professionally
managed installation.

Regards
Adrian

On Wed, 12 May 1999, Alister Davies Adrienne Paley wrote:
> >%_I work in a state secondary school and find Linux a fresh breathe of air.
> I am about to install Linux Red Hat 5.2 as a first time user on a server on a ten user network. The ten machines will have either win 95 or 98 loaded and will be using a range of music, graphics and video editing software.
> Question. Am I doing the right thing? ( or should I use NT 4?) 
> Will it provide adequate security etc for all users  etc?
> I ask this as I have not found a simple adequate answer so far.
> Any sound advice would be appreciated
> 
> Thanks
> Alister Davies

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