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In my last post I explained a number of serious problems with Windows Small Business Server. In short it just didn’t deliver the features small businesses actually need in an easy, reliable, and affordable manner. Those key features small businesses actually need and use are: file storage and sharing, backup, user login authentication, calendar sharing, maybe email (often they use the webhost), and firewall/remote access.
Using Windows SBS is basically a guarantee that things won’t be done right or will blow the budget, neither of which was my goal as a computer consultant. So I went looking for an alternative which “just does the right thing” - and I found Nitix. Nitix is a autonomic Linux derived server designed from the ground up for small business.
Here’s how Nitix handles the “core functionality” small businesses need:
File Storage and Sharing
Though Nitix is a form of Linux, its able to transparently network with both Macs and Windows PCs. Unlike Windows SBS, when you setup a user or group in Nitix, it automatically creates a directory, sets up proper permissions, and can setup mapping the share on login. That last bit is very important - mapping drives makes it easier for users to put their data on the server where its backed up.
Backup
Nitix comes bundled with Intelligent Disk Backup, better known as IDB. IDB automatically backs up your data to reliable and inexpensive hard drive cartridges in increments as often as 15 minutes. IDB eliminates nearly all user intervention - all that needs to be done is to hot-swap IDB cartridges once a week. But here’s the killer, IDB actually backs up everything by default - and I mean everything. If your system crashes IDB is able to restore the system to exactly the way it was in just an hour or two - instead of days or weeks with Windows SBS.
User Login Authentication
Nitix integrates smoothly with Windows desktops, so when the computers startup they are prompted for a username and password which validates with the server. This helps keep control over who can access network resources - Nitix makes this extremely quick and foolproof.
Calendar Sharing and Email
Though Nitix’s calendaring and email isn’t quite as advanced as Windows SBS, it does a great job. The nice thing is Nitix doesn’t have the history of security problems like Exchange and comes integrated with Vircom Antispam and Kaspersky Antivirus (optional, but we always include it). Windows SBS’s Exchange is so complex careers and magazines are dedicated to just this topic - Nitix’s email and calendars just works right out of the box.
Firewall/Remote Access
Nitix actually started out as a firewall product which grew into being a full fledged small business server. Without question its a secure product - the firewall self configures, is ICSA compliant, self defends, and its built on a hardened Linux core. By self configuring and self defending it eliminates the concern of technician error and need for constant oversight.
Nitix’s remote access is a cinch to setup, enabling the a remote user VPN is just two clicks. Easy, secure, reliable - no question Nitix wins here hands down.
No Integration Problem
One of the other joys of a Nitix Server is it comes from the box complete, tested, and ready to go - no need to install a tape drive, antispam, etc because its all integrated. Furthermore one company tests the whole package - meaning no concerns that an update to one component will interfere with another. Best of all Nitix supports the whole package - no blame game where vendors start pointing fingers - the rare problems with Nitix are easily solved.
Nitix also gives us more power when solving problems. Sometimes to solve problems efficiently we need to get the vendors involved - Nitix actually gives us personal attention from a dedicated support team included with your server. Small businesses simply couldn’t afford that kind of attention from Microsoft.
The Real World
Superiority really means nothing if normal companies can’t use this system effectively. In the last three years we’ve installed Nitix in a variety of firms - consultants, lawyers, mortgage, real estate, contractors, non-profits - and its worked great. Not only has it been able to fulfill their needs, the Nitix systems have required nearly no maintenance - meaning a low total cost of ownership and happy customers.
The Author: Kevin Selkowitz
About: Kevin Selkowitz is the founder and lead consultant for Selkowitz Technology, a Seattle-area small business systems consulting company. We focus on the four major technology needs of small businesses - phone systems, phone and internet service, servers/network infrastructure, and business applications.
This entry was posted by Kevin Selkowitz, on Monday, October 30th, 2006 at 11:15 pm and is filed under Phone Systems. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response on the right, or trackback from your own site.
