Impressions from the HEPIX' 99 Spring meeting at RAL
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   General Observations
     * almost all talks covered Linux/NT
     * Linux is clear winner on UNIX platforms

     * new farms mostly build up using Linux boxes
     * also increase in number of Linux workstation installations
     * Linux on the desktop is coming
     * Redhat is the most widely used Distribution, notable exception
       DESY: SuSE

     NT is clear winner as desktop OS

     Sites are reducing the number of UNIX flavors
     * most often mentioned dropping AIX
     * few (no) plans to upgrade to Solaris 7, HP-UX 11
     * SunOS 4 and Ultrix already gone

     Web interfaces are being developed for an increasing number of tasks


     Batch
     * LSF established as most popular system despite of licensing
       problems
     * Codine entered list of Batch systems with AFS support

     Email
     * move towards IMAP both on server and client side
     * several sites involved in LDAP tests

     UNIX - NT Integration
     * Filesystems - interim solution AFS (JLAB also CIFS)
     * Account/Password synchronization - no general solution yet
     * NT <-> UNIX access realized using commercial products
       (PCXWare, eXcess, Wincenter, ...)
     * Services more often installed on UNIX (mail, printing, Samba)
     * LDAP becoming important directory service for both UNIX and NT

   Homework
     * Set up LDAP working group

     * initial step: create mailing list
     * installation of working group well before next meeting
     * interested persons:
       A. Taddei
       M. Jouvin
       D. Kelsey
       K. Kuenne
       who else ?

     Discuss proposal of L. Robertson/A. Silverman concerning platforms
     * what platforms to support in future
     * what service/platform combinations are indispensable
     * time frame for change in number of platforms
     * discuss with users, experiments, management

     Discuss licensing issues (site licenses) with Platform Computing
   Coordination by C. Boeheim Next Meetings
     * October 99 at SLAC (larger HEPIX/NT meeting(s))
     * Spring 2000 attached to CHEP 2000, which is held in Padova, Italy
       location is not fixed yet
     * Further offers

     * Braunschweig University (by P. Duempert)
     * KFKI Budapest (by P. Giese)
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    Last updated: Apr 21, 1999, Wolfgang Friebel, DESY