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Linux Customization and Develope Linux Live CD
Need
- As a fast growing organization working on LAMP technology we required system with various environments to simulate real world scenario.
- Rapid growth in company that reached a team size of 80+ from just 20 in less than year, the network management; company MIS management on hardware and software resources was increasingly burdened.
- Streamline development environment, hassle free setup, centralized management was key requirement.
- Protection from typical virus problems.
- Reduce delay of projects, because of non functioning of system.
- Integration with Domain Controller for unified authentication.
- Computers with dual OS installed had increased load on the memory and was attributing to the reduced performance of the processors, thus warranting higher RAM power for better operations.
Solution
- Linux based "Live CD" was the obvious options available for the technical departments, the proposed solution read as "Opt for network accessed medium that is of low memory, easy to access and upgrade and furthermore disposable, reusable and transferable without hassles of licensing".
- We work on LAMP configuration for development, the Linux Live CD provided us with the much need SDK that served all its needs well.
- The SDK configuration also includes, Eclipse IDE with PHP Plug-in, Open Office, Apache, Subversion and is also integrated with the domain controller.
- The Linux Live CD was customized and developed using the "Linux Live Scripts", the technique used was UnionFS, the customized solution boots from any removable devices such as CD/DVD Drives, USB Drives etc...
- The hardware detection of peripherals such as network cards, video/audio and graphics cards are done automatically.
Observed Benefits
- Network based booting of various multiple users has been achieved.
- Though the storage is done locally in to the hard drive, the use of Live CD provides option for diskless functioning; future network security management plan includes recommendation of removing any local storage devices for developers.
- Routine efforts needed at both developers and networking, hardware management staff has reduced, providing a psychological ease.
- Secure, anti virus enabled and capable of auto upgrading.
Conclusion
Creation of standardized low cost development environment for our web development division which is easy to mange & implement is thus achieved.