LISNews: Librarian Blog Since 1999

Well, the move to Active Directory is long since done. Once I got the memory in the migration was all pretty straight forward. Install Windows Server 2003, follow the wizards to join as a directory server in Active Directory, transfer FSMO roles, retired the temporary server, etc - etc - etc. In reality, after the migration, everything worked as before. Some of the services I had on OpenBSD were transfered to MS - like the Dynaic DHCP services and DNS.

Somewhere in the mix was a call to purchase a new file server. And then they let me configure it (hehehe). OK, so the hardware I got was overkill: Dual Opteron 246's, 2Gigs of RAM, 2 36gig 15k rpm SCSI hard drives in a mirror config via MS, Dual Layer DVD burner, Seagate DAT72 backup tape. Slipped that hardware into a cool tri-powersupplied 3U rack box for the light price of around $6,500cdn. The software, A second set of Windows Server 2003 with 75 CALs need to be added to it - but with MS Volume License Educational Pricing, came in less than you might think. Of course I got the system custom built, it is near impossible to find "Tier One" like HP, Compaq, or IBM selling something near that config - let alone with a Dual Layer DVD burner!

So, originally I was going to retire the old Pentium 3 600 file server, but once I got into researching some of the new features of Server 2003, I had a different plan. I discovered Dynamic File System, or DFS. DFS is an awesome idea. A central place to organize and publish shares from. In this way, you share from the domain and not the server. But not only that, you can setup mirroring between two distinct shares on two or more different machines. Instant on the fly backups! If one machine goes down - ie hard disk failure, or power supply, or mainboard, your staff and their workflow are not down or even interupted! Unless of course, the other machine(s) go down but that is in a whole different category. How can there be a downside you ask? Oh there is, believe me. DFS is not all sweet and juicy cherries. I'll cover what I learned in my next journal entry.

Oh, and our migration from Dynix to Horizon is long since passed. I have some beefs about it too, but I figure I'm quite lucky cause I don't have to deal with it everyday. One suprising note is that Dynix has moved the HIP backend database from Interbase 6 to Firebird - at least that is what they installed for our HIP installation. For this Dynix, I applaude you.

Am I somewhat sorry for putting the library through this pain without actual training? To be honest, I highly doubt that I would have done much better even with proper training. Now, <knock on much wood> as long as this Acer Motherboard will last, everything should be just dandy! I've ordered more memory for it, going fill up all banks in the box for a whopping 1Gb. I guess that is not so whopping anymore, eh?