Front cover Linux Client Migrationration Cookbook A Practical Planning and Implementation Guide for Migrating to Desktop Linux For anyone who is exploring or planning for a Linux desktop migration Provides in-depth detail on the technical and organizational challenges Includes methods for planning and implementation Chris Almond Art Cannon Jeroen van Hoof Oliver Mark Christian Patsch Thomas Schwaller Sekhar Vaddadi ibm.com/redbooks International Technical Support Organization Linux Client Migration Cookbook - A Practical Planning and Implementation Guide for Migrating to Desktop Linux December 2004 SG24-6380-00 Note: Before using this information and the product it supports, read the information in “Notices” on page xv. First Edition (December 2004) © Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2004. All rights reserved. Note to U.S. Government Users Restricted Rights -- Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp. Contents Figures . ix Tables . xiii Notices . xv Trademarks . xvi Preface . xix The team that wrote this redbook. xix Acknowledgements . xxi Become a published author . xxi Comments welcome. xxii Part 1. Choosing Linux. 1 Chapter 1. Introduction. 1 1.1 The migration landscape today . 2 1.2 Identifying suitable environments . 3 1.3 Strategic context . 3 1.4 Client environments. 5 1.5 Why Linux . 5 1.6 Linux overview and distribution choices . 6 1.6.1 Licensing . 7 1.7 The rest of this book . 8 Chapter 2. The case for migration . 11 2.1 Why migrate . 12 2.1.1 Desktop security . 12 2.1.2 Costs related to Linux client . 14 2.1.3 Manageability of the Linux client . 16 2.1.4 Client customization . 18 2.1.5 OSS philosophy . 19 2.1.6 Ease of use of the client . 19 2.2 When to migrate - Or not to migrate . 20 2.2.1 Client roles fit thin/slim client model . 20 2.2.2 High number of migratable applications . 21 2.2.3 Organizational readiness . 21 2.3 Migration goals . 21 2.3.1 Pilot migration . 22 © Copyright IBM Corp. 2004. All rights reserved. iii 2.3.2 Full migration. 22 Part 2. Planning the pilot migration . 25 Chapter 3. Organizational and human factors planning . 27 3.1 Assessing usage patterns . 28 3.1.1 Role-based client segmentation . 28 3.1.2 Surveying user data . 29 3.1.3 End-user survey . 30 3.2 Establishing functional continuity . 30 3.2.1 Bridging applications . 30 3.2.2 Functionally equivalent utility applications . 31 3.2.3 Web applications. 32 3.2.4 Building bridges to the server . 32 3.3 Human factors . 33 3.4 Retraining considerations . 34 3.4.1 Bridging applications can separate retraining from migration . 35 3.4.2 Learning a new look and feel . 35 3.4.3 Familiar actions . 35 3.4.4 File systems: Everything has been moved . 35 3.4.5 Hands on Linux prior to migration . 36 Chapter 4. Technical planning . 37 4.1 Assessing the client IT environment . 39 4.1.1 Assessing the context . 39 4.1.2 Assessing the client hardware . 39 4.1.3 Assessing the client software configuration . 41 4.1.4 Assessing data dependencies . 42 4.1.5 Assessing the infrastructure . 44 4.1.6 Assessing the user . 45 4.2 Integrating with existing network services . 45 4.2.1 Setting the environment . 46 4.2.2 Authenticating with a Windows domain. 47 4.2.3 File sharing using domain shares . 48 4.2.4 Printing services in the domain . 49 4.2.5 DHCP and DNS configuration. 50 4.2.6 Web proxy interface . 51 4.3 Standardizing the desktop. 51 4.3.1 Linux standards. 51 4.3.2 Linux desktop environments . 53 4.3.3 Standardization issues . 56 4.4 Migrating applications . 63 4.4.1 Moving back to client/server computing . 64 4.4.2 Logical segmentation - Thin, slim, or fat . 64 iv Linux Client Migration Cookbook - A Practical Planning and Implementation Guide for Migrating to Desktop Linux 4.4.3 Functional segmentation - Fixed function to general office. 65 4.4.4 Software solutions for Linux . 67 4.5 Client administration planning . 68 4.5.1 Operating system and vendor distribution updates. 68 4.5.2 Application updates. 69 4.5.3 Remote administration . 70 4.5.4 Roll-out of additional or replacement clients . 70 4.5.5 Backup of clients . 71 4.5.6 Virus mitigation . 72 4.5.7 Example of administration of enterprise distributions . 72 4.6 Desktop vs. notebook considerations . 76 4.6.1 Hardware considerations . 76 4.6.2 Peripheral extensions . ..