Advice needed on setting up a 'proper' small network

[Big.Wayne]

Hi,

I would like some advice please on setting up a 'proper' network in a small office.

At the moment there are just two machines and I have set it up really nOOby style, the first machine has the USB-modem/ADSL connection and all the printers installed on it and the second machine is just connected by a single cross-over cable. Both machines access their emails via Pop 3 and the main machine is backed up via an external hard drive . . . . lol like I said basic!

Now I have a laptop (3rd machine) and have no way to connect it, I also would like to build a small server and have it do server type things!

I could almost 'fudge' it just by using built in WinXP sharing folders and ICS etc but there is some functionality that is missing at the moment.

I have some basic network knowledge and I am thinking I would like to be able to:

1) Have all the data stored on the (Raid-1) Server somehow, in one easy place to backup

2) Have a Broadband-Router thingy, and have all the machines networked through that (always on).

3) Upgrade the email system from the simple Pop3 style, we have our own domain name and stuff but atm we pay some company 0.69p/Month to store our emails and we then access them via Outlook express. Think what I'm getting at here is a mail server but I'm not sure how that works?

4) If a user deletes a file on the network I want to be able to 'undelete' them if possible (is that the backup?)

Do I need something like Small Business Server (never used it before) or can I wing it with WinXP.

Thanks for reading, sorry there is so many questions but I'm keen to know what next step I take . . thanks!

 

[Big.Wayne]

don't bother with your own mail server on a home connection, there is too much potential for problems.

Hi thanks for reply!

Sorry I forgot to mention its BT Business broadband if that makes a difference?

Is it only a leased-line thing that can have a mail server connected to it?

I only mentioned the mail server thing because my boss wanted a way to access his stuff (files, email etc) from any computer and I can't work out any other way to do that except having a proper 'central' mail server?

Lol I feel like a total nOOblet!

 

[Big.Wayne]

You don't need a specific broadband connection to host your own mail server, but you do need a static IP address to get it working properly.

Ah ok yes, I guess that something that can be had from BT for a price?

From the sounds of it you need to buy an ADSL router/modem to share out your connection and to use as a networking switch as well. You should be able to pick one of these up for around £30 for a decent one.

Yes, an ADSL router/modem is exactly what I want, I am a fan of Netgear products so will have a look. I assume you can use any brand right?

It does sound like you might be a perfect candidate for small business server, as that would be the simplist initial setup of a 'proper' network with AD, exchange and a file server to start with.

Well yes it sounds like I may. I'm not sure of the difference between Windows Server 2003 and Small Business Server are?

I did a 3 month Novel Netware course many (many) years ago so I have some basic experience. Is 'Active Directory' a rip off of Netwares 'Volumes'?

I have a rough idea of what exchange is, I think its mail server software right?

I don't know what you mean by 'File Server' software though? is that just proper Windows sharing?

The backups are a bit more tricky because ideally you don't want to back the files up to the same server as if you lose the one box you lose everything. If your not really looking for 'full' backups and just want a user to be able to undelete files if they accidentally delete them then you can enable Windows Server 2003 Volume Shadow Copy Services, which will periodically take a snapshot of the files which have changed. You can then give users access to older versions of the files through a web interface and I think if its setup right they can do it by just right clicking on the file in question and a new tab appears for it.

This is sounding interesting in a geeky way. Is this Windows Server 2003 'Volume Shadow Copy Services' available in small business server or just Windows Server 2003?

I understand what you mean by having all the information on the server, what I originally thought of was just using windows file sharing for this and mapping the users 'My Documents' to a network share on the server. However I noticed that when u delete files across the network that are 'gone!!? (not in recycle bin or anything?).

For a simple solution I was thinking of just having the users files stored locally on their computer and using the server to make daily backups of these files across the network to the servers Raid-1 array, then on top of this having an external hard disk make backups of the backups lol!

 

[Big.Wayne]

Hi guys,

thanks very much for your replies, all helpful stuff!.

Ok the way forward is looking a little clearer, its just a small setup we have but there is a little budget to 'upgrade' the Office I.T so to speak.

This all came about because the Boss has finally decided to upgrade his P4(HT) 3GHz to something a bit faster (he encodes a lot of Videos at work lol slacker!), so basically we will have a spare PC and I thought why not strip it down and rebuild it as a small server.

To Do List:

1) Find a nice ADSL Modem/Router/Switch that will work with BT-Broadband.

2) Find out how much it costs to have a static I.P address (for purposes of a mail server)

3) Work out which O/S to spec for the server? Window Server 2003 or Small Business Server? (maybe I can get away with winging it in WinXP?).

4) Find an external device that has large enough capacity to back up a 500GB Raid-1 array.

Main thing to remember is that the network is very small, just two desktops and now a laptop so that three 'Clients' max that need looking after (four machines total including the server). The laptop is 'wireless' but I don't know jack about that so I am tempted to just connect it to the network via the wire.

The 'roaming profile' feature looks very useful, the Boss wanted to be able to access his stuff from any machine (emails, data etc) so I figure that I will probably have to get a proper network O/S installed.

Anyone who knows about the above, what sorta money am I talking about with all that stuff lol!

 

[Big.Wayne]

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