Is a modern, robust Windows XP lab environment better than an older, simpler Windows NT4 environment?
Bert Valenzuela · 2002
As in many academic computer labs and classrooms, we face the issues of furnishing a solid MS Windows environment that provides a variety of features and services. Currently, ASU East Information Technology's (ASUE IT) Academic Computing Team is in the process of migrating from generic Windows 2000 user accounts to individual Kerberos based user accounts that work with Windows 2000 and XP. The University centrally maintains these user accounts, so this further integrates ASU East's computer labs with the other two ASU Campuses. Even though ASU East's enrollment is 2520, we have a potential of 50,000 possible users because of the other campuses. This prompted the creation of a robust XP/2000 environment.This document describes how this XP/2000 environment works. It explains the technical process from start to finish, the issues that were overcome when developing it, the experiences of the customers, and the pluses and deltas of this environment. Also, it compares the current robust environment to the older, leaner environment under Windows NT 4.The dynamics of East's Windows XP/2000 Academic Computing Site Build consists of Kerberos Authentication for individual user accounts, a Dynamic Profile, Windows 2000 Active Directory with Group Policies, VB Logon and Logoff Scripts, AFS File Space, KeyServer, and PC-Rdist. On older computers, it takes the customer about five minutes from cold boot to up and running. Under NT4, ASU East used generic accounts, but with a user specific AFS user drive mounted. Also, we used a login script, a mandatory profile, a system policy from the server, KeyServer, and PC-Rdist. It took customers up to three minutes from cold boot to up and running. Are the benefits gained by the robust nature of the XP/2000 configuration worth the increased boot and login times? Can going back and using older methods improve it.