Hello ASG Folks.
I finally got through the installation/setup/foibles.
Please understand that I ventured into this new realm as a relatively inexperienced Linux user - but at the same time as an experienced windows and internet user.
Please do not trivialize my concerns or beat me up for my open-ness and honesty; I represent one of the segments of the general population which it appears is Astaro's desired audience=> the simple home user with mostly windows PCs in his house and no on-site 'IT Guy' waiting to help out.
I have started to make the pilgrimage to Linux with the desire for it to eventually become my 'daily driver' OS - but that transition and learning will take time, so for the present I remain a windows user who wishes to have a well-protected home network MINUS any need to try (and likely fail) at becoming some sort of 'security guru'.
Specifically regarding this experience:
Had I known of some things from the start - then this experience could have actually resembled what I was inclined to expect of it based upon the friendly-sounding descriptions I read on the Astaro site - which impressed me very greatly.
(The actual experience in starting out was not so impressive, I am sad to say.)
For anyone not possessed of in-depth and pre-existing knowledge of this system and what it wants/needs, too much of the info (or lack thereof) is downright confusing=> like the need for a FQDN in the hostname field...
I've gotten through this cute little obstacle course - but had I been possessed of less patience I'd have just junked the idea sometime back.
Here were my biggest concerns:
- Being as it is Linux, it ID's the NICs in mumbo-jumbo which does not help someone like myself to know which is which; it took trial & error to get the cables where they needed to be - and even now I could not match the nomenclature to each NIC if I tried to.
I knew of no simple method to go from (whatever) to just know which was the SMC card.
This, in my opinion, is very unhelpful - and in fact - a real nuisance.
- The business with having to omit the license file when asked for it in the wizard.
This is a HORRIBLE bug !!!
A warning should be posted for new users - VERY PROMINENTLY.
- Lacking for some kind of advanced education in IP addressing was a personal hurdle for me - and left me uncertain of how to get the new ASG onto the home network without taking away the existing firewall's IP address.
I managed - but it was confusing as well as time-consuming for a man whose time at home is severely limited these days.
- And lastly, the notion itself of somehow simply moving forward into greater usage of this amazing system.
Ill explain what I mean:
In the desire to move forward I now find myself uncertain of what to do and how to do it.
Some of the nifty things an ASG PC should be able to do would be great to have - as long as I am able to configure them without some extensive and time-consuming re-education.
Here's my list=>
- I'd love to have the ASG manage/control the wireless router that we have.
- Being able to access files stored here via internet (while I'm at work).
- Further securing the email from viruses and so forth.
That last item stems from seeing choices for it in the set-up wizard which I'd no idea how to configure or use.
And finally - now that I am easily reaching the web admin, it is looks quite intimidating to me - to the point where I can see I'll be afraid to try things for fear of screwing up what I do not understand.
I very strongly believe in letting those with the pertinent skills do what they are best at - and in being just a user of the work from such skills.
That is what I'd like to end up with here - a modest time commitment on my part to attain better protection and some useful additional services.
Thanks.
mark
I finally got through the installation/setup/foibles.
Please understand that I ventured into this new realm as a relatively inexperienced Linux user - but at the same time as an experienced windows and internet user.
Please do not trivialize my concerns or beat me up for my open-ness and honesty; I represent one of the segments of the general population which it appears is Astaro's desired audience=> the simple home user with mostly windows PCs in his house and no on-site 'IT Guy' waiting to help out.
I have started to make the pilgrimage to Linux with the desire for it to eventually become my 'daily driver' OS - but that transition and learning will take time, so for the present I remain a windows user who wishes to have a well-protected home network MINUS any need to try (and likely fail) at becoming some sort of 'security guru'.
Specifically regarding this experience:
Had I known of some things from the start - then this experience could have actually resembled what I was inclined to expect of it based upon the friendly-sounding descriptions I read on the Astaro site - which impressed me very greatly.
(The actual experience in starting out was not so impressive, I am sad to say.)
For anyone not possessed of in-depth and pre-existing knowledge of this system and what it wants/needs, too much of the info (or lack thereof) is downright confusing=> like the need for a FQDN in the hostname field...
I've gotten through this cute little obstacle course - but had I been possessed of less patience I'd have just junked the idea sometime back.
Here were my biggest concerns:
- Being as it is Linux, it ID's the NICs in mumbo-jumbo which does not help someone like myself to know which is which; it took trial & error to get the cables where they needed to be - and even now I could not match the nomenclature to each NIC if I tried to.
I knew of no simple method to go from (whatever) to just know which was the SMC card.
This, in my opinion, is very unhelpful - and in fact - a real nuisance.
- The business with having to omit the license file when asked for it in the wizard.
This is a HORRIBLE bug !!!
A warning should be posted for new users - VERY PROMINENTLY.
- Lacking for some kind of advanced education in IP addressing was a personal hurdle for me - and left me uncertain of how to get the new ASG onto the home network without taking away the existing firewall's IP address.
I managed - but it was confusing as well as time-consuming for a man whose time at home is severely limited these days.
- And lastly, the notion itself of somehow simply moving forward into greater usage of this amazing system.
Ill explain what I mean:
In the desire to move forward I now find myself uncertain of what to do and how to do it.
Some of the nifty things an ASG PC should be able to do would be great to have - as long as I am able to configure them without some extensive and time-consuming re-education.
Here's my list=>
- I'd love to have the ASG manage/control the wireless router that we have.
- Being able to access files stored here via internet (while I'm at work).
- Further securing the email from viruses and so forth.
That last item stems from seeing choices for it in the set-up wizard which I'd no idea how to configure or use.
And finally - now that I am easily reaching the web admin, it is looks quite intimidating to me - to the point where I can see I'll be afraid to try things for fear of screwing up what I do not understand.
I very strongly believe in letting those with the pertinent skills do what they are best at - and in being just a user of the work from such skills.
That is what I'd like to end up with here - a modest time commitment on my part to attain better protection and some useful additional services.
Thanks.
mark