For anyone who works with large networks, help setting up corporate network

[kevnich2]

If your talking a 50 user environment from the ground up, including reliable servers, client pc's, support, licensing. I can see where 2 million might come close as a total budget. For a 50 user environment though, I wouldn't necessarily user virtual servers. I would say a total of 2 servers (SBS server 2003 which will run your PDC, exchange email, sql server; a separate file server which could also double as a backup DC). I would host your website off-site with a hosting company. This will give you as little maintance as possible, server support will be minimal. I don't see a need for more than one IT support person. Yes, if the person gets sick your in a bind but that's also why there IT support companies out there. There's no way a 50 user environment needs anything more than 1 support person for the servers as well as end user support. The main cost will come from the client pc's. But this all could be had for less than 2 mill and for an MBA program, I'd say that's what your professor is looking for.

 

[DaiShan]

Originally posted by: spidey07
I'll chime in...

At that small of a shop you definately shouldn't need a full time IT person - there just isn't anywhere near a full time job for something that small.

Next....you mentioned manufacturing.

Don't forget about wireless. If you're in manufacturing you are already doing wireless for all buildings and the manufacturing floor. Budget 75K in hardware and 12K a year in maintenance/support for wireless plus 100K for installation.

And on the "that sounds like a lot of money" - it adds up quickly beyond just hardware and software (which is the smallest portion of an IT budget). And the rule of thumb is never come in under budget. If you do, your budget gets cut. Your friend could really show off and do a total cost of ownership analysis over 3 and 5 years if they want extra credit. Once you start adding in maintenance contracts for hardware/software plus the contracts for day-2-day stuff it will get up there in cost.

Spidey, I know that you work with much larger networks, but 47 end users absolutely requires an on-site tech. I've got clients as small as 18 people in an office that require that I staff 1 tech full time simply because of the number of issues they have. Like I said before, your servers may be rock solid and you may never have problems with them, but if Internet service drops out, or people start having a lot of email problems, it just isn't ok to wait a few hours for a tech who knows nothing of the network to come out and attempt to work on the problem. We're talking about hours of down time...

Additionally, the "never come in under budget" is a terrible mantra and one that gives IT a bad rep as notorious over-spenders. What you have to realize (and I believe that many techs do not realize this) your job is to SUPPORT the company. Network Administrators and Technical support do not make the company 1 dime, yet they tend to spend the lions share of non-manufacturing costs. As a business owner in the IT and telecommunications industry I tell every one of my new hires that whenever possible we use open source solutions to save money, but we are willing, if a definite need exists to deviate from this. "Never come in under budget" is also the reason taxes are so high. I was a sys admin for the state for a summer after high school, and they were in the midst of lay-offs due to budget shortfalls, yet the web department was buying top of the line PC's with dual 21" LCD's - about 10 grand per set up for everyone in the office. They spent simply because they didn't want their budget reduced, all the while taxes are going up and people are losing their jobs.

 

[kevnich2]

I will agree to an extent with DaiShan. 47 end users does require 1 full time IT person for support. I provide support for about 40 end users currently. I handle complete network & system administration. The servers I administer require minimal maintenance as I set them up to be fairly automated. I respond to all user requests for support. And with my 40 users, there are numerous ones per day. Sorry but people are scared of computers. In my company, all IT related tasks are under my pervue and I make the rules. My rule is, don't fix it yourself! This also means that even the smallest problem, my phone rings. Even with all of this, I still find time to do web development for the company when time permits and I keep and maintain the company website. Depending on what type of business it is (tech related, users may be able to fix their own problems), depends on how large your IT support staff is.

 

[spidey07]

Well I'll repeat that if 47 users require an onsite support person then you did something wrong. This screams "outsource it". The entire thing could be managed and supported remotely by a company that has the resources and talent to do it. If done properly things just don't break and everything runs smoothly, PC problems (and if setup right there should be very few) can be handled remotely and if a tech does need to get onsite then one is sent. But no way does that call for somebody to be onsite, they would be twiddling their thumbs all day long.

A circuit problem is no big deal, the outsource company dials into router and works with the telco to get it resolved all within a stated service level agreement - and they have the talent/contacts to resolve it quickly (4 hours). You won't get that with a tech onsite as he fumbles on what is actually the problem.

I digress. Maybe I'm just used to the "big picture" view of IT instead of just the technology, where it is a business function and is handled as such. And given the size of my budget I've learned what happens when you come in under - you get cut. All departments are like that, not just IT. coming in way under budget means you didn't do your job and didn't get done what you planned to do.

 

[blemoine]

i must agree with Spidey07. If setup properly then 47 users should not need someone onsite all the time. The big key though is to make sure all of your employees are trained to use the equipment and applications that they have to work with. Technology can only do so much. most calls i get are for users not knowing how to do something.

 

[kevnich2]

Well my network wasn't created by me. I inherited it and it was in a very bad dis-array when I joined the company. My support calls have gone from 10-15 per day down to about 1-2 which also means I have more time for other administrative/management tasks than just supporting things. The only way I was able to get to the point I am right now is to create alot of things from the ground up so in the OP case, he may not have as many support calls if things are in fact setup properly.