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LISA 1998 Abstract
Providing Reliable NT Desktop Services by Avoiding NT Server
Thomas A Limoncelli, Robert Fulmer, Thomas Reingold, Alex Levine, and Ralph Loura
Lucent Technologies, Bell Labs
Abstract
We have developed a reliable, stable NT Desktop environment for our
customers. The services we provide include: Standard desktop
applications (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.), access to UNIX
compute servers, file storage and backups, e-mail, printing, calendar,
netnews, web, and Internet access. We founded our architecture by
selecting open, standard protocols rather than specific applications.
This decoupled our client application selection process from our server
platform selection process. We could then choose the server based on
our needs for reliability, scalability, and manageability and let
customers independently choose their clients based on their needs of
platform (NT or UNIX), features, and preferences. We can now choose
between competing server products rather than be locked into the
(potentially difficult to manage) server required for a particular
client application. This created a ``no compromises'' environment on
the desktop as well as in our server room. Our customers are happy
because the ``tail'' doesn't ``wag the dog''. Our ability to manage this
infrastructure is superior because the dog doesn't wag the tail either.
The resulting system gives us a strong base to build new services.
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