Centeris rolls out Management Suite for Windows/Linux environments -- ADTmag

Centeris rolls out Management Suite for Windows/Linux environments

By ADT Staff
January 18, 2006

Startup Centeris is launching Likewise Management Suite 1.0, a Windows-based Linux manager designed to allow users to manage Linux servers in Windows environments. The beta product has been downloaded by 800 companies, at least half of which are in Europe, since October, when the company came out of stealth mode.

The management suite includes two components--the Likewise Console and Likewise Advanced Agent. The console is a Windows-based app that allows users to configure and manage server roles, join Linux servers to Microsoft Active Directory and manage Apache Web services. The advanced agent runs on Linux servers, supporting management from either the console or from the Microsoft Management Console. The Likewise Open Agent, which is also available, is an open-source version of the technology.

A Yankee Group survey shows almost two-thirds of businesses using Windows as their primary servers have Linux servers installed in their networks. "Mainstream Linux deployments are on a steep upward trajectory. Although they will not replace Windows, co-existence will be the order of the day," says Laura DiDio, Yankee Group analyst.

Likewise Management Suite is available for download on the company's Web site, www.centeris.com . The retail price is $349 per license, and volume discounts are available.

Former Microsoft Windows architect Krishna Ganugapati, who worked on Active Directory, is the director of development. Gerald Carter, who works with open-source filing sharing protocol Samba, is also onboard the development team.