SBS 2003 and remote access

[jcmuse]

hi,

i just got my sbs 2003 premium setup today. I'm at home now, and when i type the WAN IP of where the server is located, i get an error saying:

"The Web server you are attempting to reach has a list of IP addresses that are not allowed to access the Web site, and the IP address of your browsing computer is on this list."

What is normally shown here? When i do ip/remote, i get a login prompt. i put my admin acct info in and i get access to everything. When i type in the info of someone on the domain, i get access to just that computer.

OK so here are my questions:

Isn't it insecure to give access to everything by just a username and password. Of course my password is very long and complex, but still, this seems insecure to me. Anyone can just type my ip in and see the login prompt. Is it advisable to use a VPN solution (with long encryption keys / complex authentication methods) instead?

How do i disable certain users on the domain from logging in through RWW. I don't remember giving anyone access. The users were created using the "user" template.

Is it possible to backup client computers on the domain? I was under the impression that i could, but the backup wizard only let me configure for the server. Also, during the wizard it asked me how many backups i'd like to create. Why the hell would i want more than one backup in the same location?

There are computers on the network of which i have no control over (laptops mostly). Wouldn't it be more of a security risk if i allow them to join the domain? If i don't let them join the domain, will they still be able to access email on the sbs exchange? Will they be able to access the company intranet website? While it would be nice if they could, all they really need is internet+email.

I am using ISA. I read somewhere that i should install client firewall software on each computer. Where do i find this software and do i really need to install it? Also, is ISA known to be a good firewall?

Is there anywhere where i can find out possible uses of sbs 2003 and stuff like the intranet site. I don't actually work in the business so i am having a hard time figuring out how i can exploit some of sbs 2003's resources/features. I was thinking of something like being able to add memos/messages to particular clients computer's rather than sticking a sticky note on their monitor. That was all i could come up with. Also, there is a spreadsheet that is kept by an employee that contains status info. Is it possible for that spreadsheet to be published somewhere for people on the domain to view? It is constantly being updated/edited so i'd need something that could sync (or something to that effect).

That is it for now. Now all i need is for some SBS expert to answer all these questions. THANKS A LOT FOR THE PERSON/PEOPLE THAT DOES/DO!

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: jcmuse
i just got my sbs 2003 premium setup today. I'm at home now, and when i type the WAN IP of where the server is located, i get an error saying:

"The Web server you are attempting to reach has a list of IP addresses that are not allowed to access the Web site, and the IP address of your browsing computer is on this list."

During setup, you probably told SBS to not expose that web site to the Internet, so it's only allowing PCs on your LAN to access the site, not PCs on the Internet. If the problem is with CompanyWeb, you need to go into IIS and change the IP addresses it accepts requests from.

When i do ip/remote, i get a login prompt. i put my admin acct info in and i get access to everything. When i type in the info of someone on the domain, i get access to just that computer.

Normal SBS RWW behavior

Isn't it insecure to give access to everything by just a username and password. Of course my password is very long and complex, but still, this seems insecure to me.

That's why you use a long and complex password.

How do i disable certain users on the domain from logging in through RWW. I don't remember giving anyone access. The users were created using the "user" template.

Remove them from the Remote Web Workplace Users Security Group in Server Management.

Is it possible to backup client computers on the domain?

That's not built into NTBackup. The normal practice is to redirect client's "My Documents" folders to the Server, where it's backed up. And other shares on the Server are, of course, backed up with NTBackup.

Also, during the wizard it asked me how many backups i'd like to create. Why the hell would i want more than one backup in the same location?

You'll find out why the first time your backup fails and your one GOOD backup has just been overwritten by the new, failed backup.

If i don't let them join the domain, will they still be able to access email on the sbs exchange? Will they be able to access the company intranet website? While it would be nice if they could, all they really need is internet+email.

Basically, anybody can access email, etc. as long as they have a user name and password and are allowed onto RWW. There's no requirement for their computer to be joined to the Domain. You may want to have the laptops on the Domain so you can set Security Policies on them.

I am using ISA. I read somewhere that i should install client firewall software on each computer. Where do i find this software and do i really need to install it?

The ISA Firewall Client is automatically made available on a network share on the SBS Server. MOST people don't use the Firewall client. It depends what you are trying to do. There are three different types of ISA clients: SecureNAT, Web Proxy, and FWC. Each has its own characteristics. Computers can be clients of more than one type if you wish. The FWC will only work on Windows PCs, not on Macs or Linux boxes.

Also, is ISA known to be a good firewall?

ISA 2004 is a very good firewall and has some powerful, unique, features not available elsewhere.

Is it possible for that spreadsheet to be published somewhere for people on the domain to view? It is constantly being updated/edited so i'd need something that could sync (or something to that effect).

That's what SharePoint (CompanyWeb) was designed for.

 

[jcmuse]

Thanks that helped a lot.

What about Exchange? I am still using my old e-mail setup but plan to move to exchange soon. When i run connectcomputer sbs adds a mailbox to my outlook. Where do i run the wizard for configuring exchange? I configured some things when i ran the Internet To Do, but what about the rest? I would play with it more but i can't really afford to mess anything up as the system is up and running. I'll have to wait till this weekend to dig around but maybe someone can point me in the right direction in the meantime? Rebatemonger, you already gave me the rundown on what to setup on the webhost/domain provider side (mx records etc).

 

[jcmuse]

Ah.. i think i understand how exchange works now. If i plan on using the default configuration, the Internet and Email "TODO" wizard should have done everything, correct?

So when i create a user, it creates an exchange e-mail acount for it, right? So all i really need to do is change the MX record for my domain so that it points to my ip. From there, the mail will be fowarded to the reciepient user on the domain.

Now, when i send out an email to a user on the domain, it doesn't leave the server, it just goes straight to the mailbox of that user.

this is really brilliant stuff. i was thinking i had to create email accounts with passwords and configure them in outlook for every user.