WRX_Rich

iTrader: (5)

going to buy a dell server for a small business ( only 2 pc's to start with may end up with around 10 ) using small business server

going to go with broadband connection from deamon ( with static ip )

not sure which router to use - needs to have port forwarding

will go for a zywall fire wall later on for now justing using port forwarding and isa server

now the server need not be massive , main task will be back up, domain controller, email, vpn

now Im looking at a bottom level dell server, but it must be cost effectve Im thinking IDE Raid 0, but as I ve never used it I could do with some advice as in is it any good, should I just stick with no raid at all or even go with software raid ( I ve used this before and found it a bit slow )

scsi is looking a bit pricey


Im used to open cheque book and buy the best, but this is a free be to a mate who is starting his own business

give me a cisco core, 200 v lan and 2000 pcs and I know what Im doing ...2 pc's and a small budget is out of me leauge

all help welcome and this is honestly a favour for a mate that I wish I could get rid of, Im either to nice of a sucker Im not quite sure

WRX_Rich

iTrader: (5)

and for the back up Im just using a 20g ide tape... its only going to back up one folder of data using msbackup

Nick

For a router, look at the Draytek Vigor 2600V

http://www.draytek.co.uk/products/router_compare.shtml

Best practise with SBS is to use 2 nics, the internal network 192.168.16.x & internet 192.168.1.x. Attach the 2nd nic to the Vigor.

If price is an issue, rely on tape backup for the time being. Go for SCSI is you possibly can, IDE on a server with (poss) 10 users will be a nightmare.

darlodge

If it were me, I'd buy a server with SCSI disks. I know you said that you don't want them, but given the low cost difference...

Anyway. I've just bought 3 x SCSI PowerEdge 400SC servers for our 3 hotels as they are totally standalone from the rest of the company. There is no hardware raid on this servers, its all done via the Dell Openmanage software, unless you spend more on a server and then is done via RAID controllers. Do you want a picture of the Servers? They are quite small, compact, easy to work on and look quite nice

Re: Backup - Have you got a device already? Or are you looking at this PV100T IDE 20GB TR40 Internal TBU (+£237)? Is it just data its backing up? No Access database, SQL databases etc? have you allowed for a decent backup rota? You will need to cost in tapes at about £35 each. I've always used a ten disk rotation.

Re: e-mail - What you planning on using?

Re: routers - I'll let others comment, I'd only suggest something way over the top.

Re: Small Business Server - This should come with 5 cals? If not, you will need 2 at least but they only comes in packs of 5.

Re: Switches - Have you got any switches/hubs (god forbid)

Dazza

Nick

SBS comes with Exchange as standard.

darlodge

re: servers

What about the Dell PowerEdge 700 - SCSI or the IDE/SATA version

I'd drop the warranty cover down Bronze On-Site Service with Next Business Day as this takes £209 of the cost of each server, which makes them very appealing

Darren

darlodge

Cheers Nick,

I never knew Exchange came with SBS. You learn something new every day

Darren

Nick

No probs

Also the Premium version comes with ISA server & SQL.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserv...s/default.mspx

Nick

Remember you must backup Exchange with Exchange aware backup software, otherwise the Exchange logs will get HUGE!

ChrisB

I'd avoid any Travan IDE based tape drives like the plague. I reckon I'd have more chance of winning the lottery on a given night than restoring from one of those tapes. Perhaps look at the new Iomega REV drives which are 35GB native. They now come in Firewire flavour, so easy to move between home and office.

If money is tight and for a max of 10 users, I'd forget SCSI and look for a server that can do hardware IDE or Serial ATA RAID. Slap in a pair of 80 or 120GBs HDs. Ignore RAID 0 (striping), set them as a RAID 1 mirror.

SBS 2003 Standard includes Exchange but drops SQL and ISA. Have a serious think if you need SQL & ISA in the Premium version as it's much more expensive. If you want ISA for the firewalling, I'd say look at a firewall appliance from SonicWall instead. ISA can be a ball ache to configure IMO.

If you're not running ISA, I wouldn't bother dual-homing the server.

SBS 2003 is all about RAM IMHO (once you're over 2Ghz at least), so go for more RAM rather Mhz on the CPU. Even for minimal users, 1GB is essential.

That's my 2p. Night!

Nick

The Vigor router is also a firewall. Hardware firewalls can be difficult to get through if you want to use remote access with SBS. In this case, it's good to also have a software firewall (ISA).

WRX_Rich

iTrader: (5)

how did I know scoobynet would be the place to post all you guys and your toy networks

thanks for all the help

if I go for a power edge 1600sc it does come with a scsi controller so if/when the business expands I could bang in a scsi disk... backup for now will be just .doc /.pdf files so no need for open file access and exchange won't be used for 6 months (they are a broker and have a email under the other comany but do intend and have already started there own business)

PV100T IDE 20GB TR40 Internal TBU .. god you guys are good, thats the baby

I was getting SBS through dell, I was really going to need isa as a proxy... is there any free stuff out there that is up to the job
I ve just balgged the guy that he needs a server rather than a top end Pc... he's just had to cought out for xp pro because pc world rent him pc's with xp home and told him they would go on a office network... may be a work group but I advice a domain

WRX_Rich

iTrader: (5)

must re cap on my raid ... sorry I did mean raid 1 ... mirror

yes, Im going to 2 nics, and the switch is a cheap belkin 8 port at the moment


im still thinking IDE raid... or ATA but is it worth the extra as I say it going to be doing much

Nick

I have an IDE server running SBS2000 at home with 3 users, my next server will be SCSI! IDE really is not suitable, but as long as they don't intend to run any apps apart from standard file sharing & SBS apps then it should be ok.. just.

Standard SBS 2003 has a basic firewall, the Premium version has ISA server.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserv...eneralfaq.mspx

WRX_Rich

iTrader: (5)

cheers we are cooking now

I have to be realistic with cost - have moved from 512 to 1g mem ( I thought with exchange I would need this any way but as we are not using exchange till later)

ata100 raid with 2 80 gig ide drives ( cheers Nick, I will tell the user it will be slow but at least I know it will cope) with raid 1 (doh)

any comment on deamon ( Im still on a 56k at home so unsure whats hot and not)

router - looked at the Draytek Vigor 2600V seems to push the voice over ip, how about

http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?...rtner=register
it has got a firewall but its says its vpn friendly
I ve been told to look for one with port forwarding is there another name for this as I don't see it in the descriptions.... will look for one with no fire wall

sbs - looks good , just a shame I can't get isa so come on guys the extra cost for preimium is over budget ( we blew that bridge along time ago ) what should I do

hopeing the basic firewall will allow vpn ( basic microsoft pptp,l2tp,ipsec)

and the tape drive is as good as it gets I will look at other options.. it beats burning cd's every evening

Nick

I assume you mean Demon?

I use a Demon 2mb ADSL account, very happy with it. I also setup Demon with all my customers. Their 500k account is ok if price is an issue, but the 2mb really flies! The Demon mail servers can be a little dicky, but I use a 3rd party POP3 service.

Remember that the Vigor unit has a strong integral firewall. Voice over IP is on most of their stuff now. I pass all tests at grc.com.

Both SBS versions can by configured for VPN, the premium version can be configured for remote mail. Use the SBS wizards to set everything up.

Are you getting SBS? Your last mail indicates that you are not?

WRX_Rich

iTrader: (5)

Cheers Nick you are a star

read a few reivews and yes I will go for the vigor2600v (or plus if I have to cut) it does look very good

I will use sbs std edition

1 dell server 2.4ghz 1g mem with ata ide raid 1(mirror) with 2 80 gig drives - told user that this will be fine for up to 5 users

Nick I take it I you think I should stick with the 2 cards with just using the basic firewall on sbs and no isa server

cheap basic dell 20g tape backup with8 tape and cleaning tape, using msbackup

2pcs xp pro
1 laptop going through vpn ( I take it its a better idea to use the vpn on the router rather than sbs)

with Demon, can a business use the home user broad band - £50 is allot as they do not need Internet access every day ( only one user max) and they could upgared if need be


thanks for all your help guys, I could get in to this small business work it quite rewarding starting and finishing a whole Job

GaryK

Do not even consider exchange for something of this size, its the biggest piece of $hit in software history, I used to IT consultancy (mainly software dev.) and visited lots of big sites and never found a single company that implemented it and had it working 100%, also met some so called exchange experts who f**ked up installs too, something like vpop or just let each workstation access its own internet email account via pop3.

Gary

ChrisB

I've got Exchange running on multiple customer sites from NT 4 / Exchange 5.5 (stand-alone products and SBS 4.5) up to SBS 2003. Give me and the users zero grief. Works great thanks

GaryK

arent you the lucky one then chris!

Nick

All my sites use Exchange, all work well at 100% with no probs. Sounds like you had contact with a lot of cr@p installations.

WRX_Rich

iTrader: (5)

cheers guys, I ve ordered the kit... I will not be setting up exchange streight away, but I have set it up on my home network with 4 users with no real problem but this did not go out of my network

have had the usal problems in a bigger setup but hey its much better than groupwise

darlodge

WRX_Rich,

I hear you about Groupwise

Darren