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How much would you charge for a WinNT to Win2k server replacement/migration?

C

CoolTech

Platinum Member
I have a client who has an NT4 computer, this computer is his domain controller, it also runs exchange and a software called traverse. I need to migrate the traverse and exchange information to a new much faster win2k small business server box. The network consists of computers ranging from 100mhz and windows 95 to 1.8ghz winxp. There are 16 accounts which need to be configured. Five network printers also need to be configured with permissions. I will also be installing a NAT router and allowing only 6 out of the 16 users using mac addresses, to access the internet. How much would you charge for such a job?
 
Hrmmm.

A better idea: add up how many hours you think it's going to take if everything goes as it should. Now double that, and multiply by your hourly rate.

Should get you a fair price that's in-line with both your market and skills.

🙂

 
First, go get a lawyer. Have him write up a legal waiver of liability for yourself before touching any server, and don't touch anything without the place signing that. Then, if they do sign it, figure out hours, rate, etc..
 
Build him a Small Business Server 2003....

Can do everything you want, plus it's sweet....has built in firewall, wizard full sets up your firewall, dns, dhcp, network, exchange, everything.

It's a wonderful product and only about $500....

Supports 5 or 10 users outta the box, but you can buy 10 more clients easily.
 
What is your LEVEL of EXPERTISE?

Have you ever done any DOMAIN migrations/upgrades before?
They definitely are not for the faint of heart.

While not a major project, you need to cover yourself as others have suggested.
All it takes is one innocent mistake to put yourself in the hot seat.

 
I would tell them your hourly rate and they can accept or refuse your services based on that. It would be difficult to give them an estimate of your total charge because you just don't know what types of issues you might run into.

Make sure you have several verified good backups of the data before you begin the migration. I'd also look into making a Ghost image of the current domain controller just in case something goes wrong.
 
I don't know what to charge, but Southerner sounds right. The price is going to vary widely from area to area.

As far as the actual migration, don't listen to these guys.

If you want to be safe, get a entirely new harddrive. keep the old system HD with the NT stuff intact. Then with the new HD put the new w2k server on that.

Of course that doesn't work if they use a expensive scsi or raid setup.

Then the first thing YOU do is make a COMPLETE backup.

Then make sure it works and is intact!

First thing ANYBODY should do when working on another persons computer proffesionally. If you don't your asking for it.

Hell you should do it even if you run a repair shop and are just going to install a ethernet card.
 
listen to southerner... if you think it'll take you 15 hours, then estimate 30 and give them the hourly rate... tell them its just an estimate. U might consider giving them a maximum as well...
 
Back up their old system, then install from scratch, and build your network from scratch again. That's how I would approach it. If they don't have one, talk them into a RAID array.
 
Originally posted by: Abzstrak
listen to southerner... if you think it'll take you 15 hours, then estimate 30 and give them the hourly rate... tell them its just an estimate. U might consider giving them a maximum as well...
Click to expand...

If it takes 15 hours, charge him for 15 hours. If you fvck up you're going to have to eat the difference. It's called being a professional. 🙂 If you're good it won't happen.
 
Sounds like they've ran their environment in a rather sloppy way, considdering they've got systems ranging from 95 to XP.
If that's a hint of how their servers might look like, you may be in for a world of hurt trying to upgrade that.

Or are you familiar with how their network/environment is setup?
 
Originally posted by: Smilin
Originally posted by: Abzstrak
listen to southerner... if you think it'll take you 15 hours, then estimate 30 and give them the hourly rate... tell them its just an estimate. U might consider giving them a maximum as well...
Click to expand...

If it takes 15 hours, charge him for 15 hours. If you fvck up you're going to have to eat the difference. It's called being a professional. 🙂 If you're good it won't happen.
Click to expand...

I didn't ever say to charge for more then it takes, I just said that you should say your estimating 30 hours in that case.... if it take 10 hours, then great, but if you think it will take 15 hours and you tell them you estimate 15 hours and then you run into a whole slew of problems and it ends up taking 25 hours, they'll be pissed... On the other hand if you estimated 30hours and it took 25 they'll be happy its less than the estimate.

 
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