If you need to manage a Linux server and you hate the CLI interface, check out Webmin. It really rocks for Windows savvy users. You can access Linux and all its guts without figuring out how Gnome works.
It has a generally consistent interface, with the list of components on the left and the details on the right. There is even a file manager build-in when you need to do folder management or even edit a few files.
Webmin is multi-language capable and also available for Solaris with third party plugins available.