We're a small business, currently running SBS2003 standard, with Backup Exec 10d and Eset antivirus on a Dell Poweredge 1800 server, basic spec as follows:
Xeon 3.2GHz/2MB 800FSB
2GB DDR2
4x 160GB SATA HDD in RAID 5
CERC SATA RAID 6 Channel
PV100T 36/72 DAT72
We generally have about 6 to 8 users, most using Dell USFF Pentium 4 3.0 GHz with 1 to 4 GB RAM and 70 to 500 GB HDDs on XP, or a couple of better spec'd laptops on Win 7.
90% of what we use is Office / browsing / email (exchange).
Other 10% is AutoCAD (mainly one machine) and basic photo editing / pdf etc. Plus Sage Accounts and Payroll.
Various phones picking up emails.
Occasional remote access when people out and about or working from home.
The file server has become unreliable. It works OK most of the time, but needs to re-boot every 3 days or so (currently using a batch file) to stop it locking up. THis following a partial reconstruction when it became corrupted when someone was trying to reconfigure partitions!
Everything (except the laptops) is about 7 years old. The desktops seem slow and communication with the server can be slow.
I think our best bet would be to start again with the server and probably go for an SBS2011 set up - but happy to hear other suggestions.
Assuming 'you' agree, can you please suggest what would be a sensible set-up, that will last for another 5-7 years, but isn't over kill. I'm not expecting the business to grow significantly in numbers of people over that time - if it does, we'll look at that then!!
We have a networked copier and 3 networked printers.
Back up nowadays is to a couple of external USB HDDs - tape got too full!
All thoughs and suggestions appreciated.
Thanks
Xeon 3.2GHz/2MB 800FSB
2GB DDR2
4x 160GB SATA HDD in RAID 5
CERC SATA RAID 6 Channel
PV100T 36/72 DAT72
We generally have about 6 to 8 users, most using Dell USFF Pentium 4 3.0 GHz with 1 to 4 GB RAM and 70 to 500 GB HDDs on XP, or a couple of better spec'd laptops on Win 7.
90% of what we use is Office / browsing / email (exchange).
Other 10% is AutoCAD (mainly one machine) and basic photo editing / pdf etc. Plus Sage Accounts and Payroll.
Various phones picking up emails.
Occasional remote access when people out and about or working from home.
The file server has become unreliable. It works OK most of the time, but needs to re-boot every 3 days or so (currently using a batch file) to stop it locking up. THis following a partial reconstruction when it became corrupted when someone was trying to reconfigure partitions!
Everything (except the laptops) is about 7 years old. The desktops seem slow and communication with the server can be slow.
I think our best bet would be to start again with the server and probably go for an SBS2011 set up - but happy to hear other suggestions.
Assuming 'you' agree, can you please suggest what would be a sensible set-up, that will last for another 5-7 years, but isn't over kill. I'm not expecting the business to grow significantly in numbers of people over that time - if it does, we'll look at that then!!
We have a networked copier and 3 networked printers.
Back up nowadays is to a couple of external USB HDDs - tape got too full!
All thoughs and suggestions appreciated.
Thanks