Peer to Peer vs. Client - Server

[Mojonba]

My engineering firm currently has about 20 pcs running win3.11, win95, win98, and win2k. They are networked together via a Intel 410T switch and sharing internet via software (WinProxy). Email is hosted outside but in a near future I would like to host it myself now that I have DSL. How do you recomend DSL to be shared using a hardware router or software like WinProxy??

Do you think it is appropiate to migrate to a Client-Server environment in this situation? What are some of the advantages? What are some limitations of the peer to peer environment?

 

[Shadow07]

Well. I would not recommend bringing your Email in-house, unless you want to leverage the tools to Groupware programs like Exchange or Notes. As far as xDSL, I wouldn't use it in the office unless you are going to just be browsing the Internet and sending/recieving email. If you are going to host Email or a website internally, I would go with a dedicated leased line, like a Frac-T1 512Kb port.

As far as just using peer-to-peer, I WOULD GET RID OF WINDOWS 3.x unless you need it. You get so many more security features with a Client-Server environment, you should implement it.

Also, get rid of WinProxy. I have had so many issues with it. I would get Windows 2000 Small Business Server. That comes with Windows 2000 Server, Exchange 2000 Server, SQL 2000 Server, and IAS (Internet Authentication Server, a very good Proxy/Firewall product from Microsoft.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

 

[spidey07]

generally 20 people is where you would want to do some kind of client/server environment.

you get these goodies:
backup!!!!
backup!
backup!
central management of access.

oh did I mention backup? A wise man once told me that the single most important thing the IT or an IT person does for his peers or company is backup data. how true.

 

[MJT2k]

As Shadow07 mentioned xDSL is not the greatest solution for an office if you want to host email and a web site. If you go with a Frac-T1 you usually get a range of Internet IP addresses so a hardware route would be approprate in this case. Also 20 pcs is a good number for a client/server network. The client server network with Win2k SBS will also allow you to run a seperate firewall/proxey to cache web sites etc.

 

[Mojonba]

DP

 

[Mojonba]

Frac T1's are way to expensive here where I live. I've been living with dual modems (aprox 90kbps) for over a year. Dsl is much more cost-effective than a Frac T1. I might as well forget about hosting email onsite. What kind of sharing for Dsl would you recommend. Hardware of Softare. I can also use the IAS that comes with Win2k SBS and ditch Winproxy.

What are the difference between Win2k server and Win2k SBS. I know there are some programs already built in like IAS and Exchange but what about user limitations. If I don't need Exchange It would be cheaper to buy Win2k Server and buy/add the programs separetely.

What books or websites can you recommend on this subject?

Thanks for the info.

 

[Mojonba]

Bump

 

[igiveup]

E-mail is do-able if you use Exchange or some other program. What do you really have to do with email that is so bandwidth intensive? It sends and receives and that is it. Especially for a 20 person office. Our office has 20 users, Exchange 5.5, a Windows 2000 Terminal Server for remote demo's, and internet activity. It works great and as long as you put into place a good internet policy you should be able to keep your bandwidth. Go with a hardware router (Netgear RT314 or something). Most of these let you do NAT. Our office is on 1.5mb down/128k up. Like I said, works great and at $49 its a steal.

There are better solutions, but not for the price. BTW, Shadow07's recommendation on the SBS2000 is right on. Its an absolute steal. For just SQL you pay almost the same as the entire package.