intigrating new server into XP Peer-to-Peer Network

[moviejunkie]

Hi, I was asked to install a Win 2003 Standerd server into my church's network. Right now it is just a bunch of XP machines connected to a Switch, I have never installed a new server in a lan that was already set up so I have a few questions:

1. When each machine is authenticated to the domain is the data already on the machine for that user still accessible or will we have to back up and put it on the server before authenticating?

2. Our web site is of course hosted off site, when I set up the PDC will this screw up access to our site from inside the network, and if so can I fix this for putting a forward in the DNS?

I guess that is all I can think of right now. well talk w/ you later.

Jason

 

[mrdenny]

1. When the user logs on with there domain account for the first time a new profile will be created. You've got two options.

a. Setup roaming profiles and copy there local profile to the roaming profile location. Then the first time they log in there new "old" profile will be downloaded.

b. Have them log in, then help they copy the old profile into the new profile.

2. Make sure that the domain name is different from the public name. If they are the same, you'll have problems getting to the web site. If the public is company.com then make the active directory domain company.local.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000) / MCTS (SQL 2005) / MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

 

[fhvac]

With roaming profiles, what exactly is transfered? Icons, desktop background and files?

If it is files, do the files get transfered to the computer the user is on or do they stay on the network drive?

Won't it take a while if one user has many pictures and music files to txf over the network, wouldn't that choke the network?

 

[mrdenny]

With roaming profiles everything within the users profile folder is transfered. That's everything on the desktop, my documents, etc.

Once it's transfered for the first time windows only updates the changes. You can use folder redirection on the My documents folder to point it to a seperate network share so that it doesn't have to download those docs. They are all kept on the network share for easier backup and recovery.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000) / MCTS (SQL 2005) / MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

 

[moviejunkie]

thanks for the info, ok if I setup my domain as company.local and in the future I want to host the site on my server, can I rename the domain? Will I have to?

 

[mrdenny]

You won't have to rename the AD domain. The Active directory name doesn't have anything to do with the internet DNS names of any web sites hosted on the servers.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000) / MCTS (SQL 2005) / MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

 

[TechCarnivore]

Also if this is your first server, and you're the one doing the installation and presumably the ongoing support, try Small Business Server 2003, as opposed to Windows Server 2003.

SBS is made for your type of situation where you're going from peer-to-peer to your first server. Most everything is integrated right out of the box.

I believe with Server 2003 (Not Small Business Server) it's more modular, and you have to install DNS, File and Print services, active directory, independantly depending on what the servers function will be.

 

[moviejunkie]

We looked into that but it was going to cost us more to go that route.