You are prob going to speen $$ on the environment that you are looking for. The biggest issue to decide: are you going to be a Microsoft house or not. By the time you are done, you will have spent a lot of $$ either way, but it is simpler (if you are going to do it your self) to pick one environment over mix environment.
If you decide to be a MS house, the next question is hte number of clients you want to have, and the you ability to manage the IT environment.
most of the Pos systems fall appart on multiple locations, and you will end up spending big bucks on the sql database that you need. Once solution is to sue SBS server as the primary server/domain at the main site ( by a dell server, with fault tolerant drivers), run MS rms at all the sites. On the remote sites, use msde ,and replicate the data to the main site. Run HQ product on the main site.
If you are running a cafe, run dinerware. The reports are crystal. You can also configure dineware to sue the sql database instead of msde. For touch screen systems use something like mintronics (just remember to clean the fans) they are pretty industrial.
Remote systems nodes, you will prob end of putting a primary server in. Does not have to be beefy, just will need to be fault tolerant, (ecc mem, h/w raid drives etc)
for wan connectivity, I would droop a 512k dsl line in each location, along with a dedicated vpn node (sonicwall tele 3). { we try to use cisco vpn 3000 series and pix firewalls) You will need to add a f/w as well, but I would not allow net browsing from the remote sites. if you do, you will prob need to drop a proxy server in there with a virus scanner.
By the time you are done., a new infrastructure will cost you around 60 - 115k depending on your requirements and how much you can do your self
three things to remember… 1) Do everything to protect the data! 2) security cost -- and there is a price when you do net connections, and the price is higher to do after the fact. 3) the new comm. laws make you liable for security breaches on your nets
There are a bunch of other things you will need to do as well. Before you do any thing, pay for an architecture spec, then have it quote. If you are a ms house, then the key things you do is pick ms sql, ms exchange, office clients, win xp on the desktop and go from there. For backbone, do switch 100, use wireless access point when your need them, but don’t build your business net on them. Close the security doors everywhere
Matt
mkatzer@kamind.com