Best Practices Tip?

[bracph]

hi guys,

best thing about starting from scratch is we can avoid doing mistakes or being trapped in the pitfalls..

for the experts out there.. what are the best practices in starting a network..

we just got our very first server which acts as our DC/ADS.. and we are planning of putting our own mail server and web server...

is it ok to host our mail server from our first server?

 

[iolair]

How many users will access this server? If it's more than 20, I'd opt for an additional mail server.

Iolair MacWalter
Director of IT

 

[pagy]

If you have less than 75 users and you won't be going over that number then consider Small Business Server, it includes exchange....

Best practice is to not put Exchange ( I'm assuming that when you say e-mail you are talking about Exchange??) on a domain controller.

Paul
MCSE


If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?
Scott Adams

 

[Knackster]

I agree with Paul,

SBS for a small environment is fine. If you don't go with SBS then get a seperate server for your dc and a seperate server for your email server.

Chris
IT Manager
Houston, Texas

 

[GrimR]

would it then not have been better to wait for Cougar or Centro, instead of SBS?

 

[pagy]

Maybe, I'm not sure when those products are out. Q4 this year is it??

I just assumed bracph was looking at starting now

Paul
MCSE


If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?
Scott Adams

 

[bracph]

really really thanks for all the inputs...

yep.. we're thinking of putting it in the next couple of weeks...

@paul.. is there a difference if I use exchange rather than the built in email services of windows 2003 server?

right now... we are looking at about 20.. not sure though, how many will be added in the course of time...

and guys, there is also this issue with regards to CLAs, our windows 2003 server r2 comes with 5 CLAs and we are planning of buying additional 20 more CLAs.. then of course if we are to start an email server. we will have to get another Windows 2003 server R2 and the Exchange server..

the question is this, do we need to buy additional CLAs for the next Windows 2003 server and another for the Exchange server?

Because, the distributor here for MS, says yes we do need to. So if we have 25 users, that is 25 CLAs for the 1st windows 2003 server, and another for the EMail OS, and another 25 for the exchange. Is this right?

 

[GrimR]

You will purchase at least 2 servers I would go so far to say 3, [some people will say use Virtual Server, I dont like it as in the case of hardware failure there is not backup so to speak.]

1 x server as a file/print Global Gatalog DNS DHCP etc and the other as redundancy for AD / file server etc in the case that server 1 fails.
1 x x64 Server and x64 Windows R2 for Exchange 2007.
25 x Windows 2003 R2 Users CAL's [(not CLA) Client Access License]Read up on per seat and per server licensing.

25 x Exchange CALs Read up on user and device cals.
You might want to look at SBS with SA[Software Assurance] as Cougar and Centro will be released supposedly this year.

25 x Windows CAls ONLY
25 x Exchange CAls

BTW Do not purchase Windows 2003 R2 Purchase Windows Server 2008 and use downgrade rights, as far as I know this should still apply.

 

[pagy]

is there a difference if I use exchange rather than the built in email services of windows 2003 server?

The built in e-mail services is limited to using POP3 which can get difficualt to manage as you have no central way of managing your mail infrastructure.

do we need to buy additional CLAs for the next Windows 2003 server and another for the Exchange server?

You would need a server license for the other windows 2003 box but not another 25 Windows CALs, and yes you would need 25 CALs for Exchange.

When you have more than 1 Windows server your licensing mode should be set to per seat as opposed to per server;

Read about the different licensing modes here;

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/sam/lic_cal.mspx

Paul
MCSE


If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?
Scott Adams

 

[bracph]

@paul, thanks for the clarification...

now I am being told that due to the current number of users, management is having 2nd thoughts of buying additional servers and an exchange.

Is it possible that for the meantime, I use the email services of the DC/ADS and later on, once the pool of users has grown, acquire the server and the exchange. Is there any possible problem that would arise from this setup?

 

[pagy]

Have you considered small business server?? For 20 users this would be fine and as I said you get Exchange, Sharepoint and if you get the premium edition SQL and ISA;

Have a read about it here;

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/default.mspx

If you get up to the 75 user limit you can then migrate away from SBS using a transition pack.

However to answer your question, if money is tight then yes you can have your e-mail services on your DC, although as I said it is not recommended. Here are some reasons why;

http://hellomate.typepad.com/exchange/2004/02/exchange_on_a_d.html

Also remember that you don't have to use Exchange, there are other mail servers available.

Paul
MCSE


If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?
Scott Adams

 

[bracph]

@Paul, thanks for the clarifications... with regards to the SBS, i have not taken that into consideration. What we have is a Windows 2003 Server R2 x64.

Reason I asked about the Email service of Windows server, is because i dont think we will be acquiring any hardware and an exchange in the near future. And best bet would be enabling the Email service in the DC. If this will be the case, is there a big issue when the time comes that I have a server and an Exchange server, will it be hard to shift from the email service to the Exchange server with a new machine?