[rescue] off topic - red hat linux book

[Patrick Finnegan]

On Wednesday 21 October 2009, Lionel Peterson wrote:
> The issue boils down (for me) to the reality that you can't manage
> 1,500 desktops as easily under Linux, since the tools either don't
> exist or cost more than comprable MS/apple tools (depending on

?!?

> distribution choosen). As a educational facility, we pay under $40/
> desktop per year for OS (WinXP, Vista, or Win7) and Office Enterprise
> 2007. Server licenses are equally affordable.
> 
> Is there a comprable management suite for Linux that is closer to
>  Free than $40/desktop? The Ubuntu management package is around $400/
>  machine, but designed for servers, not really desktops...

GNU cfengine, Reductive Lab's Puppet, etc.  They're $0.

What's the difference between a Linux server and desktop as far as 
management goes?

At work we currently maintain a bit over 2000 machines using cfengine 
2.2.  Purdue's Engineering Computer Network maintains at least hundreds 
of machines using in-house software called IGOR, which they have used to 
maintain configurations on Windows, Linux, HP/UX, Solaris, and AIX (and 
possibly more).

I don't understand how Windows can be easier or cheaper to maintain huge 
numbers of machines than Linux is.

Pat
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