Server for a Small Business - tips

cdr_74_premium

cdr_74_premium

[H]ard|Gawd
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Hi guys, I want some tips on that one. I don't know if this is the right place for it, if it is not, please move it mods. Thanks.

A small business, with approx. 7 computers plus 2-6 roaming notebooks. Right now, one of the computers have a shared folder that serve others. Problem is, this machine is failing like crazy. Plus the fact that it doesn't have much in the way of access restrictions, and it is not reliable... Win7 doesn't like share access outside of "HomeGroup", and it's easier to put roaming computers (like some lappys some people bring) to access a share than to join the Home Group all the time.

(edit: all desktop computers run Windows 7 64-bit, most lappys too. Only 2 of the laptops runs XP).

I want to implement some kind of a server structure, with all the files and printers on one machine. It would be nice to have some kind of access control for the files and printers, nothing too fancy, just two or three group of users, folders that are shared for each group member's only, folders for each user individually, etc. Something like roaming profiles would be nice, but not urgent.

Any tips on getting this running? I got a WinServer 2008 R2 trial, but I haven't get to it yet. Can I do this using Linux reliably and easily? Or is WinServer a better way?

I don't work there, it's for my mother. I have my regular job, so I don't have much time to maintain this - but I like to tinker with it, I would try all kinds of crazy stuff if I had the time. As I do not, I want to ask you guys if anyone has experienced a situation like this and can point me a way.

Thanks!
 
It's pretty hard to go wrong with Windows Small Business Server. Easy to manage, great features and much cheaper than buying all of the licenses separately.
 
You haven't mentioned a word about your budget, and you have a ton of options from free to $$$.

At the cheaper end you could just buy a basic NAS with a couple of drives in RAID10 (remember, RAID is redundancy, not backup) and share the files out using CIFS.

If you move up a level and want to put in a proper server that will serve (pardon the pun) the business well and offer some expansion potential but without breaking the bank, take a look at a HP or Dell with on-site warranty and Windows 2008 R2 Foundation Server.

joblo37pam is quite right that you can't go wrong with SBS, but if budget is a concern Foundations is cheaper and you don't need CALs, and if the business grows you can upgrade to the full Windows OS.

Of course you could do it all using some flavour of Linux or other free solution. All I'd say there is be sure balance the cost of doing it using "free" software with the fact that you're doing it in a business environment and that business may incur a cost if they can't access their files and documents (of course you still have this issue with a Windows box but generally more people can deal with basic Windows issues).
 
Are they all running Windows 7? Since you have around fifteen users you'll probably want to look into setting up a domain which you can do with SBS or R2 Foundation. Workgroups/homegroups only support 10 simultaneous users of a resource in XP and only 20 in Windows 7.

Going with a flavor of Windows Server will allow the company to get support through someone besides you. They may be surprised by the sticker price you give them but make sure they understand that support matters.

Without going that route, NAS products from QNAP and others support acting as a print server along with user-based file sharing, etc, etc. I have not used them myself but often hear them recommended. What you buy will also depend on what you're looking to do in the future. You don't want to buy something that only meets your needs for a year.
 
The last server I bought for a small customer was an HP ML110 G7.

It's a standard PC sized server, 4 hot swap SATA or SAS drives, ILO3, optional hot swap PS. The ML110 G7 is the first 100 series from HP that works with their smartstart CD, which makes setup very easy. It installs all your drivers for windows automatically.
 
If you don't need to deal with email, there are some SBS foundation boxes to be had cheap. You have to search entry-level, single cpu servers. I just looked at one on Dell with a 3.2G Xeon Quad-core, 4gb memory, hardware raid 1 with dual 250gb drives for $1000.

Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Foundation allows 15 users without dealing with any cals.
 
Your company almost sounds like one of my super small customers.
He went from 8x WinXP computers in a workgroup, with 3 LPT connected printers, no security/patching/remote access/failing computers, all connected with HUBS
to a Dell T110 with 2008R2 foundation (was under $400 from the Dell outlet) and 7 Optiplex 380 PC's running W7 64bit, 2 new networked printers, proper file shares, WSUS (updates for the computers), remote access, new GB switches, etc.
Swapped everything (including wiring) in 5 hrs.
If you could find a Dell server in the outlet section, you might get lucky and find one with an OS for fairly cheap, its easy to setup the file shares and printer shares, and if you want a domain setup, you *could* enable the auto logon so the users dont have to type in passwords when the PC starts up (my customer wanted the new PC's to act like the old PC's, which just started up and went to the desktop...he didnt want them to have to type in passwords and such)
Remember youll need 2 hard drives in the server, preferebly an addon raid card, but for under 10 users you could probably get away with Sata drives and the onboard raid if you had to (ie if cost is an issue).
Sounds like the single drive PC is currently serving files without problem...just that the machine is failing?
Dont forget AV and an external drive for backup storage (MSE is OK for business under 10 PC's too)
 
You should check DFS in the future too, if you ever need workstations/laptops/desktops. They are factory refurb off-leases with 100 day warranties. I've gotten some good hardware there.
 
If this was Facebook I would click "Like"

dbwillis said:
Your company almost sounds like one of my super small customers.
He went from 8x WinXP computers in a workgroup, with 3 LPT connected printers, no security/patching/remote access/failing computers, all connected with HUBS
to a Dell T110 with 2008R2 foundation (was under $400 from the Dell outlet) and 7 Optiplex 380 PC's running W7 64bit, 2 new networked printers, proper file shares, WSUS (updates for the computers), remote access, new GB switches, etc.
Swapped everything (including wiring) in 5 hrs.
If you could find a Dell server in the outlet section, you might get lucky and find one with an OS for fairly cheap, its easy to setup the file shares and printer shares, and if you want a domain setup, you *could* enable the auto logon so the users dont have to type in passwords when the PC starts up (my customer wanted the new PC's to act like the old PC's, which just started up and went to the desktop...he didnt want them to have to type in passwords and such)
Remember youll need 2 hard drives in the server, preferebly an addon raid card, but for under 10 users you could probably get away with Sata drives and the onboard raid if you had to (ie if cost is an issue).
Sounds like the single drive PC is currently serving files without problem...just that the machine is failing?
Dont forget AV and an external drive for backup storage (MSE is OK for business under 10 PC's too)
Click to expand...
 
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