Next stage of my first business customer, getting a server set-up (storage, sage etc)

[Knubje]

I've never used the above software, I always use hardware RAID. Not sure how the above works but you will need to create a RAID set from your physical disks and then provision logical disks to the system from that.

This thread interests me as you clearly under sell your value OP. Which annoys me somewhat because non-IT people expect the world in terms of what they want but then will scoff if you tell them it will cost £500 to build a server for their needs (which quite frankly is F ALL).

People just don't understand technology enough I guess, I use the analogy of a mechanic often as people understand that a bit more. They tend to understand then that parts can cost a lot of money and then the skills that are required to understand/make it work are also needed.

Sorry to take it off topic. Good luck with it all.

 

[DJMK4]

Went to test out sage today at site after testing on a lab setup

Seemed to go smoothly backing up the company.000 directory, took several backups of it and backed up th company file for any rollback

Moved the company.000 directory over to to server, edited the company file to point to the new location on the server.

All appeared to be ok the local sage installs could see the data , but it wouldn't let the same sage login account to be used which they have been using called MANAGER I guess a new account is required for each person? Need to do some checking when I'm back in the office

 

[Yamahahahahaha]

You need a different login for each user.

MANAGER is reserved for the System Management console where you can add new users and set up access etc.

 

[DJMK4]

Ok i will get some new users created so they can use them accounts access the data

Ta

 

[anything I don't mind]

Depending on how much they want to spend. But I would definitely suggest getting a small ups and probably use mozy online backup. See what sort of internet security they have in place, maybe suggest a cheap firewall. If they going to expand and need more servers it might be worth getting esxi on the physical server from the start.

 

[DJMK4]

Thanks, I cant see any need for ESXi at the moment, but will concider it if they need in the future but I highly doubt it, I think the max this place will ever see is 5 workstations maybe, I cant see them running too many applications and needing multiple servers.

I am due to create some additional accounts within sage for them so will see how that goes, UPS I will mention to them, I have a spare 250GB HDD here at the moment which came with the micro server, I am thinking about buying a USB caddy for the time being and getting some stuff backed up and will also look at online backups.

What firewall would you go for that doesnt need licensing, not expensive, we manage and resell SonicWall's at work, good units but their licensed and quite pricey for later models

 

[brendy]

Perhaps I am too late to offer advice (only just seen the thread)
1. If it is a business, use business grade servers, microservers will not cut it and a minimum 3 disk raid 5 is a must, dont just jump at terabyte drives as that users will fill it with ****e and remember that you will be backing it up so your backup devices may quickly become insufficient.
2. Redundancy redundancy redundancy, when it goes **** up you MUST have this as you will be the one having to support it. This means raid solurion (as above) but also 2 means of backup, be it cloud, tape, usb, nas... pick two and automate them leaving as little user assistance as possible.
3. Use the domain functionality, it will save you the headaches later with file shares etc.
4. UPS, get one. One powerout could screw you over.
I have probably left a few bit out (typing on my note2), you must do it properly or else it will come back and bite you, especially when it was a part favour that you are doing it.
If the guy humms and haas over cost, remind him that it is a necessary bit of kit and will last years.
One other thing to remember is business continuity, you might be annoyed having to spend a day rebuilding if you dont make the necessary purchases, imagine how ****ed off the owner will be when it takes a day plus to get his staff back and working.

 

[DJMK4]

Had another go at centralising their sage again today. Moving data to network share and pointing sage to it works no probs. they have created multiple users. But still issues with it not being able to log more than one user at a time!

Can't get my head around it.

I'm thinking i might just see if they can outsource the support for the sage side. I don't think i want to support that part as I don't have any exepetience in it

Everything else on their server setup is running fine though

 

[edscdk]

Had another go at centralising their sage again today. Moving data to network share and pointing sage to it works no probs. they have created multiple users. But still issues with it not being able to log more than one user at a time!

Can't get my head around it.

I'm thinking i might just see if they can outsource the support for the sage side. I don't think i want to support that part as I don't have any exepetience in it

Everything else on their server setup is running fine though

they have a multi user sage licence?

moved sage loads of times and never had any issues at all... (other than wen they try and log more than 1 user in and have only 1 licence)

does it give an error messagE.?

 

[DJMK4]

He says it should have the ability for concurrent users with that key, is there anyway of finding out if this is true if i have the details?

Well when I edited the company file on the first workstation to point to the share, open sage, it could see the data, open up company, asks for creds, then says something like this user is already logged on, the user that was using that account had logged off. Ill try and get a screeny

Iv had to revert them back to using local sage for now

 

[nightmare99]

He says it should have the ability for concurrent users with that key, is there anyway of finding out if this is true if i have the details?

Help > About

Look under licence information for "Users"

 

[tribz]

Ring up Sage support, they're incredibly helpful. They'll even remote in and help set everything up.

 

[DJMK4]

Guess the support is included in licence fee then, may do ta

 

[nightmare99]

Guess the support is included in licence fee then, may do ta

I believe it is for the first year then you need sage cover or sage cover extra each year to retain support (cover extra gives you access to the latest version which they release every year but is expensive)

Do you have the delivery note that came with the discs this will show the serial code and activation key and a description of how many users it is licenced for.