Small Office Setup

[tpluskota]

I have been asked to setup a small office with 6 clients, I was going to install Win 2000 Server and Win 2000 pro for the workstations.
I was going to use the DC as the file and print server but I don't know if its a good idea (or even if I can) use the DC as the exchange server. Will Exchange install on a DC or should I use another Server. The problem is cost really, I don't want to blow their budget.
What do you think????

 

[robbyb]

Exchange will install on a DC.

Just my opinion, but I reckon the minimum you could get away with is TWO servers. Active Directory with just one GC, or server, is not a good idea. Get two. You'll then find that if one server is down in some way, the other server can authenticate users.

Exchange is heavily dependant on AD.

How about the cheapest server you can find acts as the first DC, your next DC could be your Exchange server.. and file, and print...

 

[tpluskota]

Thanks robbyb, I also want to install internet on this site, do you think I should install a separate proxy server or is there a cheaper option?
I can install the proxy software on the exchange server yes?

 

[KevG]

You can do all you ask from the one Server most of the systems can be set to the default values and should work first time maybe a little tweeking required, but I agree with robbyb that two would be your best bet. You'll also need to add a secound NIC to your internet access server to act as the gateway, if you are not installing a seperate router.

Good book to purchase Osborne " the complete Reference Windows 2000" approx cost £20-00

 

[GreggLester]

Sounds like you really need "Small Business Server 2000"
It is a bundle of applications made up by Microsoft with a limit of 50 concurrent users.

Windows 2000 Server
Exchange 2000 Server
SQL Server
ISA Server
IIS

I think a boxed product comes with 5CAL's already, and probably costs around $1000-1500 US.

Will do pretty much anything within a small organisation, and at considerably less than you would pay for full seperate boxed products.

It will do all your; file, Print, email, webserving, firewalling, and works really well on a DSL connection.

I do recommend that you get a static IP address from your ISP tho.

 

[robbyb]

It's all good advice!

As you can tell, I'm a fan of one box, one job. You can easily isolate any problem, one problem doesnt end up taking down other services, Active Directory is better across two (than one)...

A fixed IP, as Gregg mentions, is better than one that changes, and will help when it comes to fixing down MX records for your Exchange Server. I've worked with 'dynamic' IP addresses from my ISP and software from

http://www.dynu.com

to save money, but its another variable to worry about. I switched to fixed.

If you are going to have a router, yep - as KevG says, a good idea to get 2 NICs. I wouldn't put that on the Exchange Server though. Your Exchange Server will be finely balanced on having the right settings and a mixup with external and internal DNS will cause you no end of problems.

Going with the one box, one job, pickup an old beefy 486 or first gen pentium PC's for next to nothing. Whack Win 2K on that. Put in your NIC. Run your freebie router software on that. A router on the cheap! Hey, you could even take the monitor away and TS in...

If you haven't bought a router yet, and you're going DSL, I bought a combined DSL modem\router for about £127, and it's brilliant. You could do this instead of the cheap 486 router.

Good Luck with your choices...

RobbyB

 

[Seaspray0]

RobbyB, check the hardware requirements for the 2000. It won't run on a 486.

 

[robbyb]

Ooops! I coulda sworn I once had it up on an old 486-50. But that might have been NT. I remember it ran like treacle.

Anyway, you all know what I mean. A cheap old box...

 

[joepalm]

Hi all

I have also been asked to setup a small office, I was wondering how tpluskota got on.

I am looking at Small Business Server, users will initially be four and expanding to about 12.

The group I am setting up for are brokers and they need remote access, hardware to copy proposals, printers, ADSL connection, fixed IP

Is there any else that I need to setup a succesfull small office?

Thanks

JP

 

[Stevehewitt]

Seems fine. I have a client with this sort of setup. Be careful of any router you have infront if you are going use VPN.

SBS is fine, its just a bundle of SQL, ISA, Win2k Server, Outlook 2000, FrontPage 2000, Exchange 2000 and Fax software. Not a bad package at all for under a grand.

Good Luck


Steve Hewitt
MCP, MCSA, LEARNING! ;-)