[Samba] Newbie looking to move from Netware to Linux/Samba

[jmailand at lane.k12.or.us]

> I'm looking to move my companies server from an old Netware 5.0 file
> server to a Linux/Samba server on new hardware.
>
> Since my companies' systems are not mission critical (I can afford to be
> down for a few hours at a time after a switch-over) I feel I have the
> tolerance for some problems in getting it installed.
>
> Is this something I should be able to handle on my own (I installed the
> NW 5.0 box on my own) and can I depend on support from the community in
> doing so?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Boaz
>

Hi Boaz:

I moved our file server from NW5.1 to Samba on Linux, we're about the same size shop
as you.  I build the samba box on some newer hardware, installed rsync on both
machines (there's a netware rsync package, I think I got it on the developer's
network), and used that to transfer files for the migration.

I had to write a script to change ownership and permissions after the file xfer,
that information didn't come across in a usable way after the file sync.  Someone
else may know a more elegant way of getting the files over.

After a few gotcha's, it's all been very stable.  I learned not to restart the samba
process during the middle of the day when everyone's got files open ;-).  I had some
legacy printing issues (dos app printing to Netware LPT1: port mapping, worked in
Netware) which I could never get to print just so using Linux CUPS, so I just have
them print direct.  Gotta love that legacy stuff that never, ever goes away...

Hope your migration goes well!

- Joe

-- 
Joe Mailander
jmailand at lane.k12.or.us