Centeris Corp. said its Likewise 1.0 software is targeted at IT managers in midsize and large companies struggling to manage combinations of Windows and Linux servers. "The two platforms don't work well together," said Barry Crist, Centeris' chairman and CEO. "We allow Linux servers to have a specific role in a Windows network."

Using Likewise, system administrators can join Linux servers to Microsoft's Active Directory, enabling them to manage and monitor the Linux servers through either Likewise or Microsoft Management Console.

Centeris has been beta-testing Likewise with about 20 users. One is Steve Berg, IT manager for broadcast TV equipment vendor, Omneon Video Networks Inc., who said Likewise was "super easy to use" and install.

"I had my Windows system administrator (who was not Linux savvy) play with [Likewise], and he was amazed at how he has this wealth of information at his fingertips," Berg said in an e-mail. "I was configuring Apache and file-sharing as if I was on a Windows server."

Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Omneon has 18 Windows servers and six Linux servers. "I think absolutely this type of product would encourage me to deploy more Linux servers," he said. "Giving these companies the ability to deploy a lower cost/lower risk type solution such as Linux without the additional cost of hiring Unix/Linux expertise is an amazing benefit."