pushing linux into the M$ Windows Environment

[Maaz]

Dear Experts

There is a network running MS Windows 2003 Server, Active Directory, DotNet Applications(client side) etc.

I have some questions:

1, is it possible to run .net-apps(.exe files) on linux(fc5, suse desktp 10, rhel ws 4)... any solution.. even either COMMERCIAL ?

2, If user can logon to the Active Directory domain ? if yes.. Group Policies will implement ?.. any sol even either COMMERCIAL ?

3, As in MS Outlook we configure the pst(es) to store the mails locally in a file(pst file)... any similiar feature in evolution available ?

4, Currently users are using windows XP, and obviously MS Outlook as a messeging client, now if we move to linux(esp suse desktop 10) and replace MS Outlook with evolution... is it possible to Migrate the pst(es) into the evolution. Any sol even COMMERCIAL ?


Plz help
Regards
Maaz

[Andrew Cowan · Accepted solution]

Maaz,

Samba (www.samba.org) provides most features of Active Directory support, except group-policy.

The best replacement for Outlook/Exchange is Ximian's Red Carpet software: ftp://ftp.ximian.com/pub/ximian-gnome/

Linux uses SOAP and various other open-source API's rather than .NET, however you could try some of the cros development tools such as: http://dev.mainsoft.com/Default.aspx?tabid=45
or
http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page

Here is a solution for transferring email messages: http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/moving-outlook-email-data-to-linux-evolution-mail-client.html

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom Maaz,

1.) Yes vmware http://www.vmware.com

2.) Linuix system-config-authentication even in a vmware

3.) evolution mail client will work with exchange server. I am not totally satisfied with the functionality but have been tasked to look into it for my office. I am using evolution full time and do most of my emailing and work on Linux now but if I don't know the users name, I have to switch to windows to do a lookup based on partial name knowledge stuck in my pea brain molecules.

4.) The web based MSN client will work, and the gaim client will also work with the MSN network. gaim works with yahoo and other message formats as well.

Note, I have flipped my home Toshiba laptop into total Linux mode. I have not booted windows for two weeks now. I have yet to remove the windows partition because its full of useful bookmarks and documents. I have downloaded and installed the kernel module that lets me mount ntfs partitions read only to begin the migration process.

At work, I've committed to creating a document explaining how to go to a Microsoft free desktop environment. There is no deadline but I believe I will be able to produce a version that can be released outside the company.

You may wish to contact me via my contact webpage in my itrc profile to keep up on this project.

SEP

[dirk dierickx]

1. yes/no, you can use wine or codeweavers for some limited apps. otherwise you should use vmware, win4lin, qemu or any other system emulator.

2. can be done, you should investigate samba client

3. linux uses standard protocols, pst files are an horrible MS invention, not compatible with anything except their own tools. linux uses mbox or maildir formats to store the mail on the local disk. as a bonus, this can be read by any mail program invented (even outlook).

4. depends, there are 2 different outlook versions. check libpst http://alioth.debian.org/projects/libpst/ and try out if it works for the outlook you are using. if not, there is nothing i know of that can help (even outlook can convert its own **** to a readable format).