March 2000

TIPS & TRAPS

By Lowell Rapaport

Should You Migrate To Windows 2000?

At long last, Microsoft's Windows 2000 operating system should be out by the time you read this. But just because Microsoft is satisfied with Windows 2000's reliability and features, should you be? Here are some things to watch out for:

1. Windows 2000 requires unprecedented hardware upgrades. To run it you will need a 300 MHz processor and 128 megabytes of memory. Only last year this was a high-end server, so unless all the computers in your enterprise are less than six months old, Windows 2000 could make the majority of them obsolete.

2. You will need to reserve a domain name and set up a domain name server (DNS). Active Directory, a key Windows 2000 feature, depends on having a domain name and a DNS server to function. And Active Directory is not universally compatible with all DNS server software. If you use Unix domain name servers, you may have to switch to a Windows 2000 domain name server.

3. There will be bug fixes. It took three service packs before Windows NT was stable enough for everyday use as a server — and Microsoft is still making additional service packs. This alone would suggest that you should delay WIndows 2000 deployment at least until its first service pack comes out.

4. It's not the only game in town. For the first time in many years, there may actually be a viable alternative to Windows. If application developers embrace Linux, it may be unnecessary to invest in an expensive new operating system, at least for servers. Buying into Windows 2000 will lock you in to a proprietary technology with no way out, just as businesses that bought mainframes in the '70s were locked into expensive hardware and software.

On the other hand ...

Beneficial effects of installing Windows 2000 include:

1. It automates the software upgrade process. If you have a large number of NT workstations in your organization, upgrading them individually can be time consuming. Windows 2000 will allow automatic upgrades of software without user input or scripts.

2. Active directory eases enterprise resource management. Active directory replaces and extends the Network Neighborhood. All network resources will appear under a single, better-organized and more predictable interface.

3. It offers improved security. Windows NT security has always been kind of spotty. Windows 2000 adds Windows IP security. This is Microsoft's implementation of IPsec, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) design for IP security. It incorporates user authentication and encryption at the lowest levels of the Internet protocol.

4. Compatibility with new and updated applications. Although application developers will maintain compatibility with Windows NT for some time, odds are that the new applications will be developed specifically for Windows 2000. Your IT staff will need to deploy Windows 2000 and become familiar with it before they can begin installing and using Windows 2000-only apps.

Postscript: Microsoft's Windows 95 and NT 4.0 operating systems took a relatively long time to be adopted. Apparently, existing Windows releases are "good enough" for many users. Many are likely to upgrade only when buying new hardware.

With Y2K concerns finally falling by the wayside, this is a good time to take stock of the new operating systems available.

Windows 2000. Microsoft's new product line should be out by the time you read this. This time, Microsoft hopes to use the same operating system for both servers and desktop machines (a strategy that hasn't quite worked out in the past). Windows 2000 is bigger, badder and uncut. Possibly the biggest OS in memory usage, with many lines of code and heavy demand for system resources. Caution: Lots of untried new technology.

Linux. The new kid on the block has actually been around for some time. It is a Unix variant that is freely distributed and full open source; great for companies who like to customize their systems. Caution: Risk of a fork in the code, few drivers or document management applications.

Solaris. The grandaddy of all enterprise operating systems — or at least the highest-end OS that has a growing user base. Solaris is hard-core Unix with applications. It has an established user base and a proven track record. It will also run on Pentiums and Athlons as well as Sun's own Sparq processors. Caution: Expensive.

Mac OS X. What? Macintosh as an enterprise OS? But Mac OS X is based on NextStep, an OS that has a loyal following. OS X has a number of worthwhile enterprise features like its Unix underpinnings, net bootable workstations, even an established application base carried over from NextStep. Caution: Enterprise development has been on hold for some time.