[GRLUG] Using Ubuntu instead of windows at work.

[Michael Glaske]

Hello all, I have been a 'lurker' for a while, gone to a couple meetings,
 would like to go to more, but family/kids/work/dogs/house/life...

In any case, since 90% of my job at my work is about supporting systems that
are run largely on Ubuntu, Oracle EL, RedHat, it would be feasible to run
Ubuntu on my desktop.  Although, I have been out of the 'Linux desktop'
space for probably 6-8 years, and I don't really know what's out there.  I
have Ubuntu 11.10 loaded dual-boot on my work laptop, and have
begun acquiring tools, but I would like to ask the group what software they
use, hopefully saving me MANY hours of installing, testing, and removing
software that doesn't fit my needs.

So.  What I need to do my work is this:

1. Connectivity to Exchange 2007, so I can use email, contact, calendars,
meeting scheduling, etc.
 - I have found a couple options, Evolution w/ Exchange MAPI add on, which
seem very buggy.  IMAP which is not really acceptable, or using actual
Outlook itself through Crossover.

2. Connectivity to Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 OCS
 - Look like empathy is supposed to do this with a SIPE plugin, but I have
installed it, and it's not connecting.  I do have the sipe plugin working on
my windows box through pidgin however, so I know it's possible.

3. SecureCRT or something like it for SSH/SFTP connectivity.  Needs to have
a nice directory tree where I can sort our 300-400 servers into folders for
easy use.
 - Installed SecureCRT from Vandyke on Ubuntu, but it locks up parts of X
when run, so maybe it's not ideal.

4. RDP Client like RoyalTS, where I can sort our 100 or so windows servers
into groups, and each RDP session is contained within the window so I don't
wind up with 20 windows open (too hard to manage)

5. Office, word processing, spreadsheet.
 - Libre office seems quite nice, so I think I'm all set here.

6. Visio and Project :(

7. VMWare Virtual Infrastructure Client.

8. NetAPP Storage Manager

9. Windows Domain tools (ADUC, DNS, DHCP, DFS, GPMC,
Exchange Management Console)
 - (ugh. probably have to be in a VM of some type, looking
for recommendations.  I like Oracle's Virtual Box, but haven't looked for
a Linux version)

10. Connectivity for Cisco VPN on ASA.
 - Standard IPSEC VPN tools will probably work, but I haven't looked for
any.

11. Good LDAP Manager.  Is there Apache Directory Studio for linux?

12. Cisco IP Communicator (soft-phone) - probably not. :(

13. A nice multi-time-zone clock that stays on the desktop.  I use Qlock on
windows, and it's perfect.

14. A nice on-desktop task reminder list.  I use 'rainlendar' on windows,
which I just found, and is awesome!

I think that's about it.  Some of this stuff just isn't possible on linux
for licensing or other stupid reasons. So I think I will have to run a VM of
some type, so suggestions on that front would be awesome.  How far has WINE
come ?  Ideally I would like to not have to boot up a huge secondary OS if I
don't have to.

Thanks!

-- 
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://shinobu.grlug.org/pipermail/grlug/attachments/20111027/b613bb48/attachment.html>