Setup New Server - How long it takes?

[Regulluz]

Hello!

My supervisor is questioning the time it has taken to set up a server. I would like to have a response from the community instead of my own.

So please, can you answer how long does it takes to set up a server from scratch, that will be used primarily as a file server and gateway, where you have no information of the users, network resources, etc... and there are mostly Mac OS X machines involved; and will run a Windows 2003 Domain?

Thank you all for your time.

 

[TweakMYbox]

Yuck...

Depending on the hardware specs of the servers - should take about an hour per server.

Mike Fegan
tweakmybox.com

Get a free iPod at tweakmybox.com!

 

[dberg35]

My rule of thumb is a total of a week. Once I receive the server then I get ti configured for what I need. After that I get all updates needed and keep an eye on the event logs. If all is well I bring it to production.

 

[Regulluz]

So without scripting, it takes you an hour to unpack, set the place, plug everything, promote the DC, setup users, exchange, policies and then bind every computer on the network?

 

[dberg35]

If you need to do all that then a lot longer than an hour. Just to DCPROMO alone mightn be 30 min depending on the speed of your server. As for users and OU's if you are joining it to an AD domain already, that will just follow over. If I were you give yourself at least 2 days minimum for everything.

 

[Regulluz]

That sounds better. I meant, how long it takes to set up a server from scratch. No previous server involved, in a network where every PC and MAC is on its own. The system in question is a Dell PowerEdge 1900 with a 2.1GHz Xeon.

Can anyone tell me in what kind of enviroment does it take only a couple of hours to set up the server?

Million thanks!!

 

[dberg35]

To set it up in only 2 hours, you are looking at removing from box and forgoing any windows updates. You would most likely do DCPROMO and set up any OU's and maybe a hand full of users. You might also get enough time to configure groups. Not knowing what your intentions are for the server is is hard to tell. There is still is DNS, DHCP, Winns and any software you might need.

 

[w33mhz]

It could take 2-4 hours to setup depending on what all you want it to do. It does take about an 30min - 1hr depending on your connection just to install all the Windows updates, if you are setting up with windows. Now I do say that you should let the server run for about 3-5 days straight before putting into production, even servers can come with bad hardware right from the box. Besides that should give you enough time to test your configuration of your server and make sure you did forget anything.

 

[NickFerrar]

Yeah usually 2-4 hours for me depending on what's getting installed and how many reboots are involved. In reality it usually takes a day as I can't dedicate 2-4 hours straight to build a server so I usually kick on an install and check it an hour later when I get a free minute etc.

 

[DrLar]

Don't forget like 30mins of patching also..

 

[AndrewTait]

I would normally put half a day (3-4 hours) to set up a new server. That is from taking it out of the box, installing any additional hardware, disks, redundant PSU's, rack mount kits, etc, gaining network connectivity and getting the basic OS installed and patched.

This is assuming the server does not come with OS already installed, but even if it did, then you would only be reducing the time by about an hour on a reasonable server. Even brand new pre-configured OS's need patching.

I would normally do this first thing in a morning, as you are not then having to rush, because it is time to go home.

I would then let the machine run for a further day, in order to let it "bed in", worm out any dodgy hardware, misconfig of the OS etc. This would then be left running overnight.

The following morning, start setting up DNS, WINS, file shares, users, groups, any applications such as sharepoint, sql, oracle, exchange, DC components etc (Not necessarily in this order)

The time this takes is dependant on exactly what your server is required for.

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[LawnBoy]

I can put up a Netware file server in about 3 hours... into an existing directory, that is.

 

[LWComputingMVP]

Who knows. There are a lot of factors involved:
1. How much you know?
2. How you are deploying it - through an image or from scratch or with an answer file?
3. Are you using a slipstreamed version with patches mostly up-to-date (especially with SP2)? Or are your using original media with no SP or SP1?
4. How fast is the hardware?
5. Are you multi-tasking? IF you are, you're overall being more productive most likely because an install COULD have you just sitting there waiting for 30 minutes or longer doing nothing (which would be time better spent doing something else, of course, you end up with minutes or longer that you might be "away" from the server while it's waiting for input from you).
6. You say "and will run a Windows 2003 Domain" - I assume you mean it will be a Domain Controller. In which case, setting up DNS, DHCP, and AD itself could add considerably more time, depending on exactly what your environment already has and/or requires.
7. Your internet connection and it's utilization. This can greatly affect how long it takes to download updates.

I would say using NEW hardware with an appropriate configuration, it would be appropriate to allow 4 hours to fully setup a system that was NOT based on an image and NOT using media with SP2 with a lightly utilized T1 for internet connection.