Networking and Printing with Linux,
Case Project --
Three offices, of varying staff size centrally located, are planning to upgrade their information technology infrastructure.
1. a) Would you consider relying on an /etc/host file instead of a DNS server for the firm?
Probably not, I think the firm is too large and it needs a DNS server to resolve addresses that are not internal.
b) Would you consider relying on an /etc/host file for just one office?
I think a good course of action would be to have all the local hosts in the host file and have the nonlocal requests resolved by a DNS server. A law firm that size with government clients do not need to save money using a host file. They can afford their own DNS server, or they can link to the DNS server at their ISP.
c) What are the costs of relying on an /etc/host file?
The main downfall of using the host file is that it has to be updated manually. A DNS server updates addresses dynamically, without the input of a person. According to the text book, dynamic routing is better and faster. Routers can exchange information and reroute traffic without much delay.
d) What are the benefits relying on an /etc/host file?
The host file can be faster for resolving local addresses. If you were to lose your Internet connection, the host file would allow you to work offline to connect to your own internetwork. Each workstation could be configured to resolve addresses in a certain way. If the researcher in the home office used nonlocal addresses more, that machine could be configured to check a DNS server first. However, if the accounting office accessed local addresses frequently, that machine could be configured to read the host file first, then a DNS server.
2. a) Would you consider using DHCP instead of assigning static IP addresses?
The only hosts that require static IP addresses are web, email, file, and ftp servers. If the company had any servers that needed to be accessed by most of the employees or people outside the business, those servers would also need static IP’s. Assigning IP addresses with a DHCP server is easier than manually configuring all the hosts in the company. It is easier to move computers, change users, and manage permissions when IP addresses are assigned dynamically.
b) Would you do this throughout the firm?
Yes, only the servers would have static IP’s.
c) If you used DHCP, would you have a server in every office?
No, I believe one server in the main office would be sufficient, it can run DNS and DHCP.
d) What are the trade-offs you must consider in deciding this?
I would have to consider how many computers there are to manage, how many employees there are who need network access, and the amount to traffic to the servers.
3. a) Find a color printer that has good Linux support. What features make you select one over another?
There are hundreds of Linux compatible printers on the market. The companies with the most printers are HP, Epson, Gestetner, Ricoh, Brother, Canon, Lexmark, Kyocera, Lanier, Infotech, and NRG just to name the top companies. Since I am doing a business case for a lawyer’s office, I till choose a high speed black and white by HP. Maybe the LaserJet P3005dn because it prints 35 pages a minute, has expandable ram, two-sided printing, and is network ready. HP seems to be the company who is taking Linux seriously and professes to be a business partner ready to support Linux all the way.
b) What level of Linux support can you find for high-end color printers? Hewlett Packard has been onboard with Linux drivers for several years that I know of. From the information I have gathered, it looks as if HP is still the industry leader in writing Linux drivers, and offering Linux printer support, black and white as well as color.
References:
DNS Software
http://www.dns.net/dnsrd/servers/
Hewlett Packard Open Source
http://h71028.www7.hp.com/enterprise/cache/309906-0-0-0-121.html
Hewlett Packard HPLIP Software (1686 HP printers supported on Linux!!)
http://hplipopensource.com/hplip-web/index.html
HP Linux Support Contact page
http://hp-linux.cern.ch/support/feedb.php3
Interactive List of Printers from Open Printing Foundation
http://www.openprinting.org/printer_list.cgi
http://www.openprinting.org/printer_list.cgi?make=Anyone
Linux Drivers.org – Extensive List of Drivers
http://www.linux-drivers.org/
Open Printing Foundation
http://www.linuxfoundation.org/en/OpenPrinting
SUSE on Linux Printer Support
http://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Information_for_Printer_Manufacturers_Regarding_Linux_Support
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