[NTLUG:Discuss] Can Linux & win2k co-exist on the same switch ?

[Ward Networks]

 This is my first post to the North Texas Linux user Group - - thanks
for any information that is provided me and i would be more than happy
to respond with any resources that i might be able to provide.  I run an
enterprise class Active Directory network with production servers
incorporating DNS, mail & web servers, internal subnets, seperate SNMP
sub-layer UPS networks for each subnet and statefull packet inspection
services for all throughput.
 
Question:
 
Can a linux server network with DNS, webs server and mail server
co-exist on the same high-speed ethernet switch behind a sonicwall pro
firewall without interfering with 3 domain controllers on the Win2k
Active Directory network structure - I would expect that since the
domains are different and the IP's are dedicated in either network ,
that both systems could operate happily and co-exist on the same switch
with TCP/IP or UDP traffic but i literally know nothing about Linux at
this point.  We have $45,000 in network systems running happily right
now on Win2k Advanced server - but it is too much to risk to an
experiment with Linux if it crashed our clients e-mail and web access -
not to mention ruining a week of my life !!!  If someone has good
information on this subject, it would be greatly appreciated... We would
love to get away from the MS money machine but it is an infrastructure
we know that works well and is very stable.  We have dedicated a
significant portion of our resources to obtain the necessary equipment
and we are highly motivated to build an advanced Linux Network but we
want to stay on the same switches for firewall protection ~  is this
going to cause problems with Windows DNS services ??
 
Appreciate it,
 
Kevin
Dallas, Texas
Kevin at fissionFX.com
 
 
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