Introducing Linux File Services into a Windows NT Network

This paper is a report on a pilot program to implement Linux and Samba as a file server in a telecommunications company of about 5,000 people. The intent of the pilot program was to demonstrate the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of using Linux servers in the enterprise, as well as to illustrate the seamless integration with Windows NT desktop clients that Samba can provide. We will review the computing environment, the reasons for certain choices in hardware and software, as well as the steps in the implementation process.