Hello,
Sigh. I have been trying to figure out the basics of LTSP and for the life of me I just can't figure it out. I'm finding the documentation very frustrating because it assumes that I already know something about LTSP.
I am a fairly knowledgeable Unix user, and a grad-student member of the computer comitee at UMD. We have a network of about 20 Sun workstations in the computer lab, plus another 40 or so in faculty offices. Due to budget cuts, and the high cost of Sun, we are looking into moving to Linux. I am a big fan of Linux and I like the idea of the move.
First question: Is LTSP a distribution? Or is it an add-on package?
I'll try answering your questions from my experience with LTSP. LTSP is an add-on package from the server perspective. On your LTSP server, you still run your favorite distribution of Linux (i.e., Mandrake, Redhat, Debian, etc.) From the client perspective, the client machine is an OS image that is sent to the client to run. LTSP basically makes the client an X terminal with no internal hard drive. In default configuration, the server runs applications for the client and sends the data/results of the application to the client machine .
I have only used Linux running on x86 machines. However, since Linux runs on Sparc hardware, you should be able to run LTSP on Sparc. I am not aware if there exist pre-built binaries for a Sparc version of the LTSP client software. Most of the server software comes with the server Linux distribution. You may have to build the Sparc version of the LTSP client software.
Knowing this will put everything in your documentation into perspective.
Second question: Does LTSP only work on x86 machines? It would be great if we could keep our current SPARC hardware if we can.
I am looking at alternatives for Linux migration. What do you recommend?This question is a little too vague. Alternative applications to your pay-for licensed applications ? What type of applications do you use? Word processing ? Graphic/Image manipulation ? Computational software ? Accounting software?
Or are you referring to alternatives to buying an OS for each workstation that you have? Linux can provide that regardless of LTSP configuration or standard fat client desktop configuration.
Your dream is within reach. You can pick your favorite distribution for your server, assuming you can get a server version for your hardware. Build Sparc LTSP binaries for your client/workstations. Configure the application software you need to run on the server and send the output to the LTSP client (which is the default mode for LTSP).
In my ideal world, we would standarize on Mandrake, we'd keep the old hardware, we'd save lots of money and it would all be really easy.
Am I dreaming or is this actually possible?
Ken Cobler
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