Small Business

danny_mac · 23 Oct 2008 at 16:55

The company that i worked for recently went into liquidation ( So much for the Gov't scheme to ensure the banks wont try to lower overdrafts ). The company was divided into a number of subsidieries, both regional and specialist work area's.

Our subsidirie probably performed the best with regards to profit within the group and we have a highly regarded name within our industry and have built up loads of contacts etc etc.

With this in mind the small number of employee's within the subsidarie have bought the subsidarie from the liquidator.

There are only four of us, and me being the most computer literate i will be sorting out the computer side of things for the new business.

I would say i was a mid-level computer user, in that i build my own computer's etc and have no issues with day to day use of my computer.

There are 2 main things that need to be arranged.

1, I need to setup email address's for each of the 4 members. I have had a quick look on 123reg, and the domain name for the new company website ( which i will paying someone to do in a few months ) is availiable, and i want the email address's to be [email protected] etc. When i buy the domain, do i buy an email facility as well with 123reg? I will also need to use exchange server as i do now, as im out of the office most of the time.

2, I will need a server in the office, is RAID the best option of implementing some sort of back-up in case of HD failure, computer crashing, power failure etc etc? or maybe some sort of online sync between the server and the laptops each of us will have?

Beforehand we had a fella who used to look after all of our IT, and he was extremely knowledgable, far more so than id ever want to be really. Would i be better of just getting an IT man in to get everything up and running to avoid some serious heartache?

Any help whatsoever on the above would be appreciated.

howler · 23 Oct 2008 at 17:23

If you need exchange and somewhere to backup up files to etc then SBS sounds like the ticket for you, albeit a little overkill for 4 users

RAID will help protect you against data loss if a hard drive fails, crashes and power failures will not be saved by RAID.

You need a UPS to prevent power failures causing you to lose data etc

With regard to implementation of it, it may cause you a lot less headaches and save you a lot of time to get someone in to set it up initially for you, not sure what it would cost for that though

daz · 23 Oct 2008 at 17:46

Hosted exchange for 4 mailboxes on a shared box will probably be more cost effective than having your own server.

You'll need to buy your domain name and web hosting, and update the MX record to point at the exchange provider's server (you can also get all those things from the same company, more often than not)

howler · 23 Oct 2008 at 19:13

didn't think about hosted exchange, duh

pjansell · 23 Oct 2008 at 19:42

Get someone in, it's a relatively small job, it won't cost a bomb, you'll have a certain degree of comeback (in the form of a minimalist support contract), and it'll be done properly.

Where are you based? I work out of hours as well you know?

Also just a suggestion, don't use <firstname>@domain.co.uk as an email address, in my view for a business it's got a bit of cheese factor and doesn't exude professionalism (imho).

Go for [email protected], or alternatively the initial of your first name concatenated with your surname, like [email protected].

If your business grows at a later date, and you employ another danny, what happens then? You'll have to faff around changing email addresses or you won't have a consistent format for all staff members etc.

I'd also go the sbs route, if you anticipate steady expansion of your business over the coming years.

danny_mac · 23 Oct 2008 at 20:07

Thanks for the reply's. Im in S.E London. Ill prob just get the fella who done the company's IT to set everything up and save me much unneeded grief.

pjansell · 23 Oct 2008 at 20:27

Let us know how you get on, good luck!

LordSplodge · 23 Oct 2008 at 20:46

daz said:
Hosted exchange for 4 mailboxes on a shared box will probably be more cost effective than having your own server.

Hosting would be the way forward in my opinion and could be a simple as using your email domain from your registration company with Googles GMail (See Google Apps http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/index.html)

Sure Small Business Server would meet the requirements but needs setting up and maintaining. Never mind the initial outlay. The ROI and TCO of going alone at the start for such a small company makes little sense although at some point if it grows then hosting will become prohibitaorarly expensive.

s0ck · 23 Oct 2008 at 22:22

LordSplodge said:
Hosting would be the way forward in my opinion and could be a simple as using your email domain from your registration company with Googles GMail (See Google Apps http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/index.html)

Sure Small Business Server would meet the requirements but needs setting up and maintaining. Never mind the initial outlay. The ROI and TCO of going alone at the start for such a small company makes little sense although at some point if it grows then hosting will become prohibitaorarly expensive.

I suppose there's the argument that from day one, they will need file and print, why not go the whole hog and get SBS, I suppose...

Agree with pjansell on the name formatting, too.

atomiser · 24 Oct 2008 at 08:08

£1500-2000ish ought to see proper server hardware (quad-core CPU, 4 gigs of RAM, hard drives in a RAID array etc) with a 3 year NBD on-site warranty, SBS incl 5 CAL's, and a basic backup solution. That will take care of file/print/email incl webmail/remote access/intranet etc and if setup correctly will pretty much look after itself. If you can afford it, you may as well get yourself properly setup now.

sidethink · 24 Oct 2008 at 08:18

I would say that atomiser is on the right track - obviously your intent is to grow and you might as well plan for it.

A well setup SBS server is a serious boon in small business - it enables really slick remote working (for you busy company owners who need to spend time with the family) and takes care of the fundamentals (file, print, email and backup).

Just get someone who knows SBS to set it up right and buy a decent backup solution. You will never regret it.