next IT step for small business?

[Fat Tone]

Hi

A business I help out sometimes has a fairly simple network of ~5 PCs, sharing a 2MB ADSL line via a Smoothwall box. Email is all pop3 accounts from an external server. Sadly they use the same login on all PCs, presumably as a quick fix to sharing issues they had in the past.

Their requirements are now increasing rapidly, and they need more staff and PCs and the ability to log on and see only their own email, have a PA manage diarys, VPN connections in, controlled file-sharing etc etc, all confused slightly by it being two businesses (so two domains for email) that overlap staff and premises.

I think MS SBS 2003 Std. Ed. is probably the way to go, but I'm open to suggestions, please

TIA.

Edit: I should add that I doubt they'll take on an admin for this...not even really sure I have the time to take it on myself, although maybe I could manage it (time wise) with RD?

[Taz]

I think MS SBS 2003 Std. Ed. is probably the way to go, but I'm open to suggestions, please

Normally I'd advise Novell Small Business Server but I guess as there's not going to be a in-house support person MS might be the safer route as they will be more familiar with a Windows desktop.

[Fat Tone]

As little new as possible for all concerned is definitely the order of the day!

[BarryS]

SBS2k3 is your friend, I currently support 5 such installations (but without the extra domain issues, although I suspect that here are ways to configure this), ranging from 4 to 10 users, I have nothing to do, it all just works.

Worth bearing in mind that SBS2k3 only does full backups (ie not incremental or differential) and it doesn't support writing to dvd out of the box. Over a year or so it's better just to stump up for a tape drive and do it properly.

Check out www.smallbizserver.net and ask questions on the forum, they're generally very helpful, although the 'Magical M&Ms" are not native English speakers and sometimes the replies can seem a little short.

If you need some more help, pm me and I'll find someone who can answer your questions

Barry

[Fat Tone]

Thanks Barry. I've done the 2273 course, and run a couple of 2k3 machines as simple web servers but haven't actually implemented a domain myself. I'm waiting to hear what they think to being told that's the route they have to take...

[Fluff]

Lol i'm in the same boat. They all want to use the same e-mail address in my case....

There is this guide btw for 2 e-mail domaind on sbs

http://seanda.blogspot.com/2004/10/hosting-multiple-domains-on-sbs-2003.html

[Fat Tone]

Thanks Fluff, v. useful as it looks like we are going down this road.

[Technoid]

My experience with sbs2k3 is that the bundled backup app is crapp.....

[Fat Tone]

OK, so some obvious questions before we go ahead and order a server from Dell:

1) Presumably it is ok to continue to use Smoothwall as our firewall?

2) Presumably VPN is ok through smoothwall to SBS?

3) Presumably setting file shares isn't an issue? I need essentially 2 main shares with overlapping user access.

4) The machine currently holding all the business data will become just another member of the Domain. Presumably moving all this to the SBS server is easy?

5) Do these specs look reasonable for ~7 users:

P4 630 (3GHz)
1GB DDR2
3off 160GB SATA on hardware raid 5 controller
External 36/72 Dat72 SCSI TBU


TIA

T.

[BarryS]

1) Not sure, never used Smoothwall. Check out smallbizserver.net to see different network configurations. If you use SBS2K3 Premium, you get ISA Server firewall which works well and gives you decent reports of who's been to what sites etc. (also get SQL Server!)

2) Never done this, SBS has three things that help greatly, Remote Web Workplace (RWW) which allows users to access their desktop machines across the internet, Outlook Web Access which does the same for Email and Outlook Mobile Access which shows cut-down outlook on PDAs etc, all via https.

3) Correct

4) SBS is happy as long as it's the PDC, you can also copy the data to the new machine

5) yes, with one proviso. Given that SBS only does complete backups, and you are having 320GB disk storage, you are only going to be able to back up 72 GB on one tape.

One other thing, if you are buying new kit look out for the OEM version, it's a lot cheaper. It may, in fact, be cheaper to buy your Dell server with w2k3 server, and then install OEM SBS2K3 having bought it elsewhere.

Barry

[Fat Tone]

Thanks Barry.

1) I guess the main question is is it ok to let Smoothwall handle DHCP? I think this should be ok. If SBS can be a DHCP client I think I'm happy

2) Thanks - I'll look into this.

3)

4)

5) Good point. Everything fits on a 80Gig HDD atm (including apps). None of the tape drives on offer will do the whole system on one tape. I chose Symantec Backup Exec SBS protection suite. Whats the best scenario, as presumably they will fairly quickly exceed one tape (and 72Gig is the compressed capacity anyway, so is not precise).

6) OEM - thanks for the tip - I'll check that out. Don't I need to buy some server h/w with it?

Thanks again,

T.

[Byock]

Yes, SBS could be dhcp, but you would want to have the DHCP entry so it always get the same address.

not sure but VPN should work through the shorewall, just forward the appropriate ports and GRE protocol.

[Whirl-Secret]

If you're going to get a SBS, I would highly recommend getting a book to guide you through some of the stuff that's in it, ujst goto amazon and get the one with the highest rating.

I remember setting up my first SBS and i was really clueless. If you're not comfortable with the networking, ntfs permissions, active directory / domain issues, then its better to really have a good reference book or two. Now of course I am a badass network admin but on my first day with a SBS ever, I accidentally disabled the administrator account through local security policy :P

Setting up a domain is surely the way to go, it has so many advantages over a workgroup (you control the whole network as opposed to individual computers at a time) and makes a lot of sense if your company is growing. Yes it's a little more inconvenient for your end users but don't be afraid to tell them 'tough titties' when they whine about not being able to access each others' documents by default.

Also try to make sure the company managers / directors take IT very seriously from the start. You don't want them going 'wtf?!' when you recommend a tape backup system instead of burning cds, and don't let them take you for granted if you are going to be the sole admin for this system. Maybe get them to send you on a MCP training course so you get some benefit out of it (they will too, with your knowledge).

Best of luck. Oh and Dells aren't the be-all and end-all of servers.

[BarryS]

1) Yes

5) Don't know about BackupExec, used to be a good product, but I only ever used it on NT 3.51 and NT 4 ! Is any of the data effectively an archive and doesn't change often? Could this data be backed up once and then only backed up separately at large intervals. On the other hand, check out www.span.com for dlt stuff, give them a call, they've been very helpful whenever I've called.

6) OEM Licence used to mean that you could only buy it if you also bought a 'non-peripheral' bit of hardware. This could be a hdd or even a mouse

+1 for Whirl-Secret's advice. I was fortunate enough to be able to practise on my own network at home, it took me three attempts to get SBS into a semblance of how I wanted it.

One other piece of advice, use the built-in wizards, they are really very good.

[Fat Tone]

Thanks for all the advice.

What's a reasonable number of hours to charge for a job of this size?

I've been guestimating 10-hours to 2 days (to keep their costs to a minimum) but now they want a fixed quote I'll have to say the max numbers in this quote and if it is less then that will be their loss I guess.

TIA

T.