windows domain...or not ?
 

As a small business with 20 users, is there really any need to use a domain controller, in this case windows 2003 ?

I really don't see what we're getting extra from the use of a domain, that we couldn't do with a stand-alone win2k3 server ?

All we really use the server for is DHCP , DNS and filesharring.

The only thing I'd like to know is , is it possible on a stand-alone win2k3 server to prevent certain users from accessing certain folders on the "public" folder we use. Basically a folder that contains lots of sub-folders like engineering, sales, accounts, etc... Eg. a member of engineering doesn't need to be given access to the accounts folder, and so on....

I think most companies wouldn't for 20 or so users but I may be wrong there as I don't do private work for small compaines.

However in my Uni we did support a remote site of 10 PC's and as the Uni paid for a HP server for them we did domain it as then we could centrally manage user accounts, delegate people in AD to make user accounts, WSUS, file share security groups and so on. More work initially but less in the long term

As for file sharing non domain wise, tighten up the shares using NTFS perms. sometimes people make identical accounts on the server as the end users (make sure passwords are the same) so then they could access the relevant shares (never tested that on 2k3 but done it on xp>xp with simple file sharing disabled). I guess you'd also want to make local security groups and add the users into those groups as that would make permissions a lot easier. Or make generic accounts on the server .... "engineer" "account" etc and show users how to map a drive as those user accounts.

Initial folder everyone would need to access, folders below everyone would need list folder contents to view all the sub folders, then you tighten up the perms on each folder only allowing relevant groups modify access. Then relicate those permissions down to all the sub folders.

I'm guessing to domain a network after people are using it may be an arse (setting up all users profiles on the local machines etc) however the file sharing would be easier once it's done.

I would say a domain becomes worth the small setup head-ache once you've got to 5 users or more. Life is so much easier for organising share / file permissions with AD.

as always great comments - thanks chaps

will have a think about it and maybe's create a test server as standalone and see how I get on with it, while the DC runs normally on the LAN

I think the initital involvement to setup everything will easily be worth it in the long term.
A domain this small is such a easy thing to administer compared to 20 standalone PC's.

Darren