Networking Dilema

[ggupta]

I am looking to network an office. The problem is that there are 4 offices. They are dispersed throughout the city. Each one has a cable or dsl line. There are 2-3 computers at each office. The idea is to get all of the computers on some sort of intranetwork. How does one go about this? I have been thinking about VPNing it all, but i am not sure how to do this. How hard is it to set up a VPN server? What software is needed to set up a VPN server? What other options are there? Each office is internally networked on 100 base ethernet. Each office is sharing the internet connection with the other computers in that office. Help.

 

[ScottMac]

A lot of the solution is gonna be your skill & knowledge level (or whoever has to implement) and the budget.

A VPN would certainly work well, given the information you've provided.

One office should be up on (probably) a T1, and contain resources common to all offices (like a central database, Email, Intra-net web page, etc), any office that's putting out as much as it's taking in should have some kind of symmetrical Internet connection (ISDN, DSL, Frac T1 or T1).

There are hardware solutions you can implement that are a little more expensive, perhaps a bit more secure, and tend to not slow the connection down as much as pure software solutions (encryption is very processor-intensive, but there are NICs that have hardware IPSEC encrypt/decrypt).

Depending on your routers, you may be able to upgrade your code and implement VPN from router-to-router (and add access from home via VPN).

Microsoft has some VPN capability, but, it's Microsoft, what can I say? Probably good for SOHO stuff, but do you want to bet your business on those honyoks??

IMHO, the bottom line is that your best bet would be to contact a good integrator or consultant, have them look over your ENTIRE network, and make a couple recommendations that cover the budgetary scope. There's no substitute for eyeballing the network when it comes to important business issues relating to the network. Keep in mind that anyone that says "Just do this...." without seeing the network doesn't have to live with the outcome...you and your company do.

Having an external source come in for a look may look expensive at first, but if something goes FUBAR, it'll cost you lots more in the long run.

FWIW

Scott


There's lots of smart folk on the board, but throwing darts bases on (possibly) incomplete information is dangerous and fraught with potential disasters

 

[skeletal29]

i mean if you are doing a favor to someone then if say something goes wrong you can always come back and ask how!

 

[ggupta]

i am doing this for my dad. i do plan to set up one nicer computer as a main server that will be on a commerial dsl line. Hardware solutions are very difficult considering that the offices are many many miles apart. I need to know what software would be best for setting that machine up with and then having all the users log in to the server. The srver will be hosting a mail client and a website. Also probably an ftp server for documents.

 

[ScottMac]

The hardware solution I mentioned would be (basically) one or more VPN boxes (depends on the system).

The VPN boxes would terminate the tunnel within the confines of your LAN; basically the same thing you'd do in software, but the dedicated box give you a bit better throughput with a little less latency (generally speaking).

If you use a PC with some kind of software, you might want to consider dedicating the box (again, depends on the traffic flow).

What will work, and what will work WELL are not necessarily intersecting sets.

FWIW

Scott