Once Again Adm. Gettin me in to DEEP!!!!

[popotech]

hello,
I have a major problem, as the webmaster at my job I have been given the job of networking the entire building of about 80 nodes. we will be using a windows 2000 professional as our OS.

Let me start here with what they want:
- they want an email set up so the officers can check their email i was just going to use outlook, I hear about a thing called logon scripts but unfortunately I have no idea on how to use them I don't even know if it needs to be on the 2000 server. hell I don't even know if I need to 2000 server to run the network.

- they want it so that anybody can get on any computer and login and see their personalized desktop, I have done some research on this and found something called "roaming profiles" is that right?????

- they want all the users to be able to access the internet, I have purchased a firebox firewall to be installed at a later date, and also purchased a DSL line to run into the building. I only got a DSL into the building because out all the nodes only about 6 of us will actually be on the internet

Those are the only real pains in the back side that I can believe I will encounter, I believe I will have to assign all the pcs a static ip so I won't be needing a DHCP but I believe I will need to run the DNS on the Server......?

Any guidance will be much appreciated, once again I know your a busy person so if you could, throw some of that knowledge my way or even give me something to go I.E. site, webrings or forums anything would be great thanks in advance.

 

[jrjuiliano]

hello,
I have a major problem, as the webmaster at my job I have been given the job of networking the entire building of about 80 nodes. we will be using a windows 2000 professional as our OS.

Good! You're not using either XP or Win 98!

Let me start here with what they want:
- they want an email set up so the officers can check their email i was just going to use outlook, I hear about a thing called logon scripts but unfortunately I have no idea on how to use them I don't even know if it needs to be on the 2000 server. hell I don't even know if I need to 2000 server to run the network.

Login scripts really have nothing to do with either Outlook or mail. A login script is simply a script that performs a function you prescribe. If someone is telling you about login scripts they need to be WAY more specific.

Question is: Do you plan on hosting your own mail server or do you plan on getting mail from an outside source? Like your ISP? THAT's where you need to do your planning.

- they want it so that anybody can get on any computer and login and see their personalized desktop, I have done some research on this and found something called "roaming profiles" is that right?????

Yes, this is Roaming Profiles. You can also do a search on Microsoft.com for "Intellimirror". Roaming profiles keep the profiles for all clients in a central location (like the server) and then when a client connects using a network-connected computer, it will synchronize all the client's data between the computer they just logged on and the server. There's also an option to have all files for the client kept on the server. You really need to invest in some books and search MS'es Techical site to get an idea of what you can do.

- they want all the users to be able to access the internet, I have purchased a firebox firewall to be installed at a later date, and also purchased a DSL line to run into the building. I only got a DSL into the building because out all the nodes only about 6 of us will actually be on the internet

Good move, personally. As long as you understand how to set up the firewall and make sure you tried as hard as possible to secure your site. Remember that the firewall is not the end-all for security; rather it is a very large part of the whole process.

Those are the only real pains in the back side that I can believe I will encounter, I believe I will have to assign all the pcs a static ip so I won't be needing a DHCP but I believe I will need to run the DNS on the Server......?

Are you planning on having a Windows 2000 server as well as the clients? If you are dealing with 80 + clients I would consider using DHCP. It just makes it easier to get changes made over a broad scale. Statically assigning IP's is time-consuming and a pain for that many clients, but it is really the preference of the Adminstrator (you!). The beauty with DNS and DHCP in Windows 2000 server is that they are designed to work together, for smoother operation (note: as long as you're using Windows products, solely, that is.)

I would really consider all that you have tasked before and read like crazy to get up to speed on what you need to do. Everyone has something different that they need and you will have to decide for yourself what that is for your network.

Check out:

http://microsoft.com/technet/

http://www.labmice.net

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/

and this site, of course!

Hope that helps you out. J.R. Juiliano
Information Systems Specialist
Tri-City Emergency Medical Group

 

[jrjuiliano]

hello,
I have a major problem, as the webmaster at my job I have been given the job of networking the entire building of about 80 nodes. we will be using a windows 2000 professional as our OS.


Good! You're not using either XP or Win 98!

Let me start here with what they want:
- they want an email set up so the officers can check their email i was just going to use outlook, I hear about a thing called logon scripts but unfortunately I have no idea on how to use them I don't even know if it needs to be on the 2000 server. hell I don't even know if I need to 2000 server to run the network.


Login scripts really have nothing to do with either Outlook or mail. A login script is simply a script that performs a function you prescribe. If someone is telling you about login scripts they need to be WAY more specific.

Question is: Do you plan on hosting your own mail server or do you plan on getting mail from an outside source? Like your ISP? THAT's where you need to do your planning.


They want it so that anybody can get on any computer and login and see their personalized desktop, I have done some research on this and found something called "roaming profiles" is that right?????


Yes, this is Roaming Profiles. You can also do a search on Microsoft.com for "Intellimirror". Roaming profiles keep the profiles for all clients in a central location (like the server) and then when a client connects using a network-connected computer, it will synchronize all the client's data between the computer they just logged on and the server. There's also an option to have all files for the client kept on the server. You really need to invest in some books and search MS'es Techical site to get an idea of what you can do.


- they want all the users to be able to access the internet, I have purchased a firebox firewall to be installed at a later date, and also purchased a DSL line to run into the building. I only got a DSL into the building because out all the nodes only about 6 of us will actually be on the internet


Good move, personally. As long as you understand how to set up the firewall and make sure you tried as hard as possible to secure your site. Remember that the firewall is not the end-all for security; rather it is a very large part of the whole process.


Those are the only real pains in the back side that I can believe I will encounter, I believe I will have to assign all the pcs a static ip so I won't be needing a DHCP but I believe I will need to run the DNS on the Server......?


Are you planning on having a Windows 2000 server as well as the clients? If you are dealing with 80 + clients I would consider using DHCP. It just makes it easier to get changes made over a broad scale. Statically assigning IP's is time-consuming and a pain for that many clients, but it is really the preference of the Adminstrator (you!). The beauty with DNS and DHCP in Windows 2000 server is that they are designed to work together, for smoother operation (note: as long as you're using Windows products, solely, that is.)

I would really consider all that you have tasked before and read like crazy to get up to speed on what you need to do. Everyone has something different that they need and you will have to decide for yourself what that is for your network.

Check out:

http://microsoft.com/technet/

http://www.labmice.net

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/

and this site, of course!

Hope that helps you out. J.R. Juiliano
Information Systems Specialist
Tri-City Emergency Medical Group

 

[jrjuiliano]

Bah, a preview feature that actually posts!?

sorry about that. J.R. Juiliano
Information Systems Specialist
Tri-City Emergency Medical Group

 

[jade1001]

This may sounds like a really phreaking dumb question, but I'm curous, what is a webmaster?

jade>:O>

 

[Eguy]

popotech;

You mentioned that you purchased a firewall "to be installed at a later date". Do yourself a big favor and do not expose your network to the internet without that firewall in place.

Ed Please let me know if the suggestion(s) I provide are helpful to you.
Sometimes you're the windshield... Sometimes you're the bug.

 

[Skark166]

Jade101

And you put yourself down as a "technical user"?

j/k

The Webmaster is the administrator of a website.
Scarecrow

 

[billieT]

Get someone in to set all this stuff up for you and show you how it works! I'm sure you could maintain it once it's done, but getting a "consultant" in for a couple of weeks ought to do it (and give you training while they set it all up).

Give me a couple of thousand and I'll do it for you... ;-)

 

[Decrypta]

In the nicest possible way, if you have to ask the questions you have then you really don't know enough to be doing the design/installations. BillieT was bang on - get yourself a consultant and organise a deployments team. 80 nodes shouldn't take long to set up and if it's done properly from the off, it'll be SO much easier to maintain afterwards.

Put the firewall in first, for certain, and then consider that running DNS on the server is good but running DNS and DHCP would be better - and less hassle to look after later on.

In your boots, I'd be asking why the webmaster was being asked to do what the sysadmin and/or tech team should be looking at. The webmaster needs to be doing web things, not LAN things.

 

[PhoneIT]

Also keep in mind that not everyone who calls themself a consultant actually knows enough to set up the LAN you're describing. Find somebody who's an MCSE - that will at least give you an idea that they know some something about TCP/IP and Windows 2000.

 

[jade1001]

If "The Webmaster is the administrator of a website" then why is this guy getting assigned the duties of System Administration and Network Administration?

Or is your company implementing the "Peter Principle"?

jade >:O>