Invoking commands on a Windows box from Ubuntu

[David Abrahams]

I have some automated testing processes I need to run on windows 32-
and 64-bit (virtual) machines.  I want to launch commands, from a
shell on my linux machine, which act just as though I had invoked them
from a command shell window in windows.

I've tried running ssh daemons on the Windows boxes, both from cygwin
(32-bit binaries only but will run on XP64) and from Vandyke Software
(won't even install on XP64).  In both cases there are differences in
the environment I get in my remote shells, even if I take care to
force all my environment variables.  The problems I've been
seeing have mostly had to do with permissions and samba shares.

Anyway, this seems like it must be something people want to do
regularly.  Is there a more direct solution?

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com