Differences and similarities

IBM e-business architect Chris Walden is your guide through a nine-part developerWorks series on moving your operational skills from a Windows to a Linux environment. We begin our transition by examining some of the differences and similarities between Linux and Windows, and learn to stop rebooting all the time.

You have started to make the change from Windows to Linux. This may have been your decision, or may have come from "on high." In either case you are looking at the prospect of changing your procedures and tools from something very familiar to something perhaps completely unknown. Furthermore, you may need to train others on how to comfortably manage Linux. Administration is more than just following procedures. There is a creative side to successfully managing a computing environment. Making this transition can feel like changing from being an accomplished oil painter to doing welding sculpture.

The good news is that the open standards that drive Linux are the same standards that formed the foundation for your Windows administration. Some of the buzzwords are different, and the tools are a little different, but the underlying concepts are the same. The better news is that as you become accustomed to the Linux approach to doing things, you will have an even larger toolset to work with to control and maintain your environment. Linux's strength is in its stability and flexibility. As you learn to think in Linux, you'll accomplish more, automate more, and do more remotely.