Re: Justifying the move from Novell to AD

[Dexter Caldwell <Dexter.Caldwell () FURMAN EDU>]

Another way to look at the whole Novell/Microsoft issue is to also ask
what you have for NOT migrating.  I imagine there's the effort and
investment required to move, but other than that, are there any core 
business drivers that are strong impediments?  In many cases they are few
and far between and can be quickly be offset by a properly-implemented and
managed AD environment.  Anything that can't be reasonably offset is
weighted heavily against the move.  Anything reasonably easily offset by
benefits of the move is weighted in favor of it.  All of this with heavy
precedence given to the system with the greatest long-term benefit to your
institutional direction and orangizational goals and the question often
answers itself.  Timing is usually the only other question.  (If must do
it eventually, the only thing left to decide is when, how and of course,
who!.)

Regarding licensing if you're heading the virtualization way, then if you
simply by the Datacenter edition of Windows Server for your Virtual Server
Hosts (ESX, etc), then you can run an unlimited number of guest VM's on
the host for which you purchased the DC edition regardless of which
version of the Server you choose to install in the guest (Server,
Enterprise, Datacenter) etc with downgrade rights included (2008, 2003 
etc.).  It's not very expensive if you're an education instituation so I
recommend for any virtual server hosts, that you simply order a DataCenter
license and be done with worrying about it because Windows VMs tend to pop
up frequently in a virtual environment.

D/C



The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv
<SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU> writes:
> Please keep this conversation online as we are in the process of
> migrating as well and I would like to know what we are up against.
>
> Our drivers to move away from Novell: 
>
> Cost -  
>
> We are paying big bucks each year for a campus agreement with Novell.� 
> Our campus agreement with Microsoft includes the Office suite as well as
> server CALs.�  Microsoft per server licensing is basically free ($89 per
> copy for standard, something like $250 for Enterprise).
>
> Security -  
>
> This may seem contrary to common perception but we already have SUN LDAP,
> we have to have AD to manage our growing MS server farm, and Novell = too
> complex.�  The more simple a system is the easier it is to keep secure.
>
> Integration -  
>
> Ditto what others have said. 
>
> Skillset -  
>
> It is getting tougher and tougher to find staff and support that know
> Novell well. 
>
> Collaboration -  
>
> We were finding that most other colleges have made the change.�  It is
> tougher to collaborate when you are off on your own.
>
>
>
>
> Ageing Hardware -  
>
> Our Novell system is running on EOL servers.�  We need to rebuild the
> system anyway so now is a good time to change. 
>
>
>
>
> Client -  
>
> Issues with the Novell client adding another layer of complexity
> (printing via Vista Client, and issues with MACs and Novell).
>
>
>
>
>
> I think that is about it. 
>
> John Kaftan 
> Infrastructure Manager 
> Utica College  
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv [[
> mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
> ]mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] On Behalf Of Eoin Dunne 
> Sent: Wednesday, November 04, 2009 7:50 AM 
> To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU 
> Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Justifying the move from Novell to AD 
>
> Hello Tom, 
> This thread is of interest to me as our Institute is mostly AD with a few 
> pockets of Novell, the reason being difficulties in migrating Apple Macs
> to 
> AD. Examples of this would include issues with mapping shares, file
> caching 
> and errors when users moved between Mac and Windows desktops. 
> If anyone has overcome issues such as these I would appreciate a
> follow-up 
> discussion�  (off-line if appropriate) 
> Many thanks, 
> Eoin. 
> �  
> -- 
> Eoin Dunne 
> IT Support Manager,�   
> Information Services Department, 
> Dublin Institute of Technology,  
> Kevin Street, Dublin 8, Ireland. 
>
> Tel: +353-1-4024604 (direct line)  
> Email: eoin.dunne () dit ie  
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Tom Jackson [[ mailto:tom.jackson () UNCP EDU
> ]mailto:tom.jackson () UNCP EDU]  
> Sent: 04 November 2009 03:17 
> Subject: Re: Justifying the move from Novell to AD 
>
> We had much the same drivers and situation with Novell and just finished
> an 
> 18 month migration.�  Additional drivers where difficultly in finding 
> consultants and staff who could work with eDirectory compared to those
> who 
> could work with AD, comparative ease of implementing desktop controls via 
> group policies with AD, and the ability to sync Apple's Open Directory
> with 
> AD.�  We hope to eventually leverage Open Directory to push out desktop 
> controls for our Mac users. 
>
> We used Novell's Identity Management solution to sync eDirectory and AD 
> during our migration.�  This included bi-directional password 
> synchronization.�  It generally worked, but it did crash from on
> occasion. 
> We did have a couple of issues with Identity Manager.�  Accounts that
> were in 
> the process of syncing into AD when Identity Manager crashed were never 
> completely set up, and events that occurred while Identity Manager was
> down 
> were never captured and sent to AD. 
>
> Cheers, 
>
> Tom Jackson 
> Associate Chief Information Officer/Chief Technology Officer 
> University of North Carolina at Pembroke 
> Pembroke, NC 28372 
> tom.jackson () uncp edu | 910 775-4355 | 910 775-4333 (fax) 
> ________________________________________ 
> From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv 
> [SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] On Behalf Of Hugh Burley
> [Hburley () TRU CA] 
> Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 4:47 PM 
> To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU 
> Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Justifying the move from Novell to AD 
>
> Hi Christopher, 
>
> We have made the decision to introduce AD here concurrently with Novell, 
> once we find a way to have E-directory update AD.�  We will probably move 
> away from Novell over the next couple/few years. The primary business
> driver 
> is the inability to easily integrate many enterprise solutions with 
> E-Directory.�  A second issue has been the continued decline in Novell's 
> customer base. This second issue is almost self fulfilling as we and
> other 
> Universities rush to not be the last Institution to have Novell. A third 
> driver for us is the move away from in-house email solutions at some
> future 
> date. 
>
> Example of problems: 
> -When we rolled out Eduroam ( 
> [ https://wiki.bc.net/atl-conf/display/CANEDUROAM/Home
> ]https://wiki.bc.net/atl-conf/display/CANEDUROAM/Home ) the Novell radius 
> service was a pain to try and get working.�  We did getting it working 
> though. 
> -Our Anti-virus solution integrates with AD by default but required
> effort 
> to sort of integrate with E-Directory.�  Reports remain less than what I
> was 
> hoping for. 
> -When reviewing other enterprise solutions vendors almost always
> integrate 
> with AD and we always have to ask if they could integrate with Novell.� 
> The 
> answer almost always is "we can use LDAP with some reduced
> functionality". 
> - VMWare View which we are evaluating for thin client access integrate
> with 
> AD. 
> -Our Windows desktop profiles are not integrated with Novell. 
> -Novell Certified Professionals are increasingly hard to find. 
>
> Some positive things to say about Novell: 
> - Novell servers are very secure. 
> - Our network shares and printing currently work very well. 
> - Novell has an excellent Identity Management suite. 
> - Novell has collaboration technologies that are stable and can be 
> effective. 
>
> Regards, 
>
>
>
>
> > > > Christopher Jones <Christopher.Jones () UFV CA> 03/11/2009 10:03 am >>> 
> We're in the process of planning a migration from Novell to AD.�  We 
> currently are building a business case for implementing AD.�  For those
> of 
> you who have recently completed a Novell to AD migration, I would
> appreciate 
> any information/documentation you may have used to support the decision, 
> particularly from a security and TCO standpoint.�  Thanks. 
>
> Christopher Jones 
> IT Security Administrator 
> University of the Fraser Valley 
>
>
>
>
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