Me again. SBS 2k3 q's

Faithless

Faithless

Faithless

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now, it looks like i'm hitting the SBS 2k3 route, and thanks so far to everyone who has helped.

Are there any decent online tutorials for helping with this or are the wizards really as good and simple as they say?

Remember, its for 4 clients and 2 printers plus a backup schedule and internet / network sharing.

Also, do I need a 'proper' server, or would a Dual Core 775 board and processor with raid controller and 2 HDs work out?

Thanks
 
You don't need a proper server per se and TBH you don't really have the need for one, although they are a lot better built then any desktop.

Are you going to use Windows Backup or a third party program like Backup Exec?

The internet sharing is best done via RRAS and the printers can be done with scripts ( http://support.microsoft.com/kb/189105 )

Burnsy
 
burnsy2023 said:
You don't need a proper server per se and TBH you don't really have the need for one, although they are a lot better built then any desktop.

Are you going to use Windows Backup or a third party program like Backup Exec?

The internet sharing is best done via RRAS and the printers can be done with scripts ( http://support.microsoft.com/kb/189105 )

Burnsy
Click to expand...

Thanks. I was contemplating Robocopy or using whatever SBS has installed (if anything other than RoboCopy).

I've been looking at some Poweredges which seem quite good for the money, but as you say, personally I don't think I need one.

A decent board with on board RAID and SATA2 with 2x250Gb in either RAID 1 or 5.

Are there wizards for this? lol :p

Thanks also for the link, I get the idea. In addition, I take it it is best to get the server set up and installed, then when installing XP Pro on the clients I can connect them straight to the domain?
 
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Faithless said:
Thanks also for the link, I get the idea. In addition, I take it it is best to get the server set up and installed, then when installing XP Pro on the clients I can connect them straight to the domain?
Click to expand...

Usually a good idea, but it doesn't really matter that much.

As for the RAID, it's better to do it via hardware, so there won't be any wizards.

Burnsy
 
burnsy2023 said:
Usually a good idea, but it doesn't really matter that much.

As for the RAID, it's better to do it via hardware, so there won't be any wizards.

Burnsy
Click to expand...
So setting up RAID negates the use for any backup?

Thanks for your help Burnsy. What would you recommend for a spec of a dedicated desktop/server.

EDIT: No, I see that RAID is really more of a realiability tool that should still be backup up. What do you think?
 
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Faithless said:
So setting up RAID negates the use for any backup?
Click to expand...

Most definetly not. It only provides redundancy, not a backup.

Faithless said:
Thanks for your help Burnsy. What would you recommend for a spec of a dedicated desktop/server.
Click to expand...

So, the server is just doing File/Print and RRAS? If so, a base spec PowerEdge would be fine for your needs.

Burnsy
 
burnsy2023 said:
Most definetly not. It only provides redundancy, not a backup.



So, the server is just doing File/Print and RRAS? If so, a base spec PowerEdge would be fine for your needs.

Burnsy
Click to expand...
Yup, ok. Does SBS 2k3 come with Robocopy as part of its resource kit?
 
SBS Server Spec:-

>3Ghz Intel Processor (Dual if using SQL)
1 - 2Gb RAM (2Gb or more if using SQL)
Sata RAID 5 - 3x Hard Drives + 1x Hot Spare -
I use mirror only on Client machines
2x Network Cards, One for LAN and the other for WAN
Acronis for Backup + External Hard Drive

The backup in SBS does work, but I do not like using it so I setup my own backups, it offers very little in the way of reporting. Use the wizards to set everything up otherwise you will probably break it.

I prefer to use HP Servers, load up the Server + Service Packs, run wizards, get backups, AV, Internet working, then connect client machines.
 
Cool, thaks guys.

What about this spec?

PROCESSOR Dual Core Intel® Xeon® 3040 Processor at 1.86GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 1066MHz FSB
MEMORY 1GB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz Memory (2x512MB Single Ranked DIMMs), ECC
RAID CONTROLLER SAS 5/i Integrated Controller Card for SATA and SAS Hard Drives
RAID CONNECTIVITY C5 - Ad-in SAS/SATA cabled, 2 Hard Drives connected to ad-in SAS controller, RAID1
2x160Gb SATA Drives in RAID1
1xexternal HDD for Backup

Marin - what do you use to backup? Or do you just create a batch file?

When you say you use Mirror only on Client machines, do you mean the physical clients have RAID?
 
Faithless said:
Cool, thaks guys.

What about this spec?

PROCESSOR Dual Core Intel® Xeon® 3040 Processor at 1.86GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 1066MHz FSB
MEMORY 1GB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz Memory (2x512MB Single Ranked DIMMs), ECC
RAID CONTROLLER SAS 5/i Integrated Controller Card for SATA and SAS Hard Drives
RAID CONNECTIVITY C5 - Ad-in SAS/SATA cabled, 2 Hard Drives connected to ad-in SAS controller, RAID1
2x160Gb SATA Drives in RAID1
1xexternal HDD for Backup

Marin - what do you use to backup? Or do you just create a batch file?

When you say you use Mirror only on Client machines, do you mean the physical clients have RAID?
Click to expand...

I use Acronis Server or Lockstep software for backups, sometimes both.

On high end Clients for Engineers & Scientists I use Mirror RAID 1, always hardware, never use software RAID as it is a waste of time, on other Clients I just use a single hard drive.

Spec looks OK, just add 2x Server NIC's.
 
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Thanks

Can you briefly explain this C5 - Ad-in SAS/SATA cabled, 2 Hard Drives connected to ad-in SAS controller, RAID1 stuff?

RE: NICs, I assume one is already on there as this is listed later:-

MODEMS 56K Internal Modem, Conexant, Unleaded
ADDITIONAL NETWORK CARD Broadcom 5721 Gigabit Ethernet Controller NIC card PCI-E

If its not, what would stop me from installing two identical NIC's in PCI slots?
 
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Faithless said:
Thanks

Can you briefly explain this C5 - Ad-in SAS/SATA cabled, 2 Hard Drives connected to ad-in SAS controller, RAID1 stuff?

RE: NICs, I assume one is already on there as this is listed later:-

MODEMS 56K Internal Modem, Conexant, Unleaded
ADDITIONAL NETWORK CARD Broadcom 5721 Gigabit Ethernet Controller NIC card PCI-E

If its not, what would stop me from installing two identical NIC's in PCI slots?
Click to expand...

C5 is just a Dell term I think that can use SAS or SATA type drives, go for SAS if you can afford them.

If there is an on-board NIC, just add a 2nd one in a PCI slot, such as an Intel Server NIC.

If you need a modem for fax, I usually use US Robotics external one's.
 
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