So, what is it I did at long last? I picked up a Dell 840 Server to replace a perfectly good Dell sc420 Server that has been running my Symantec AntiVirus Server Management Console, managed all of my Secondary Disk-To-Disk, and Disk-To-LTO3 Tape file backup processes for my entire system, and hosted several VFP databases for my Test Applications. After getting the Dell 840 all lit up and configured with the apps and data from the sc420 machine, I set about getting the sc420 ready for a new life. The Dell 840 has pretty decent specs, P4 dual core 3.0Ghz, 2Gb DDR2 667Mhz RAM, 160 SATA Boot HDD, 250Gb SATA "scratch HDD", 2 each 73Gb SCSI HDDs, 4 port PCI USB v-2.0 card, Adaptec 39160 SCSI 64 bit PCI-X card, 6 each USB external HDDs (secondary backup HDDs), and an HP LTO3 920 SCSI Tape Drive hanging off it. The 840 has more than enough punch to handle what I plan to throw at it. My production tables/files are going to remain on my Dell sc430 unit, at least for now. That has also been one sweet Server (Win2k3, 1Gb DDR2 RAM, dual 73Gb SCSI HDDs, etc...)
So, here is what "I Did"... I bumped the sc420 RAM from 768Mg to 2Gb RAM (768Mg was more than adequate for what it had been used for under Windows 2003 Server), pulled one of its 73Gb SCSI HDDs out of it (popped it and another 73Gb SCSI HDD into the 840 Server), and scrubbed the partition off the SATA Boot Drive 0. I then took a DVD I had burned Novell's SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 O/S onto, and installed that O/S onto the sc420 Server. The setup looked a bit unusual, but every newer version of Windows O/S looks a bit strange at first also. I actually got the installation done without having to strip and restart the project a few times! Of course, I may find problems later on, but by then I hope to be familiar enough with SUSE Linux to know what to do about any "alleged Installer Errors" <g>... Next I plan to install PostgreSQL onto the Linux Server, and begin to host some PostgreSQL databases via HTTPS my colleague (David Johnston) has put together for Windows Server platforms, along with his Browser Scripting and Java solutions that are replacing my pure VFP "Document GoGetter" (data archiving) application that has been running at several client locations since 2002. At some point I will be migrating my DCMS (CRM for auto dealerships) to a PostgreSQL back end also, and am seriously considering using Dabo/Python for the front end. Thus far I do not see any multiple platform Open Source solutions out there that come close to what Dabo has become. So, I guess the first really serious fissure is finally represented with my SUSE Linux move. I will always have to be working in the Windows environment for front end apps, but for scalability, built in security and thin-net reasons I finally had to take my first serious "Bite Of The Bullet" with the SUSE Linux move. It almost feels like a long, dragged out break-up in a way. I do plan to develop apps using VFP here and there, at least until I get real familiar with Dabo, Python and PostgreSQL. But the handwriting has been on the wall for some time now in my little world, and there is not much I can do if I plan to remain in the game for another few decades. Hmmm, this almost looks like a Swan Song of sorts. It is not. That will likely come many years from now at soonest - if ever. I do not think this is quite what M$ had in mind with its ISV/MSDN program <g>... Essentially, for me the ISV program became a Migration Enablement tool, with its extremely cost effective licensing for developers. Fact is, if M$ had not gotten so greedy with the Terminal Services CAL licensing with the Server 2003 (which bit me the other month), I may not have been quite so quick to jump to Linux - at least not for another year or so. It just added fuel to the smoldering fire for me. Oh well... I guess that makes me guilt of "Cut & Run", eh? Gil _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/profox/[EMAIL PROTECTED] ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
