Small office networking advice needed

[Cfour]

Hey all, I'm helping a friend's business get their network setup. He just recently ordered 3 new computers that will be running Vista premium. My question is: how should I setup the server? The main goal of the server is so that each user can access the main database where client records are stored/entered. It will be running a raid 1 setup for data backup purposes.

My question is: what is the best way to setup this software-wise? Can WinXP Pro (already have licensed copy) sufficiently do this? Should I setup a domain to log into? Or would investing in Windows Server 2003 or similar be the route to take.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[JackMDS]

http://www.sbstestdrive.com/

You can get a trail version here, http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/bb738394.aspx

 

[Cfour]

What I guess I'm trying to get at: is SBS2003 something I absolutely need for this setup? Budget IS a concern.

Does WinXP have primary domain server capability? Do you think it is necessary for this setup?

Thanks for the links, though. Pretty informative.

Tony

 

[RebateMonger]

XP is designed as a desktop operating system, not as a server. If you want Active Directory (Domain) capabilities, then SBS 2003 is the most user-friendly, cheapest, and easiest-to-manage way.

Whatever you decide on, be sure that regular backups of important data are made and some copies are stored off-site.

 

[JackMDS]

Quote: "Budget is a concern".

Yap it is every body concern. You might save few hundred $$$ staying with XP.

After the first "Sc**w Up" you probably would be few hundreds (or thousands) behind.

 

[Dravic]

Originally posted by: Cfour
Hey all, I'm helping a friend's business get their network setup. He just recently ordered 3 new computers that will be running Vista premium. My question is: how should I setup the server? The main goal of the server is so that each user can access the main database where client records are stored/entered. It will be running a raid 1 setup for data backup purposes.

My question is: what is the best way to setup this software-wise? Can WinXP Pro (already have licensed copy) sufficiently do this? Should I setup a domain to log into? Or would investing in Windows Server 2003 or similar be the route to take.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

raid is NOT a backup solution, it is a safe guard for hardware failure. Its for high availablity not backup.

if you delete a file on a raid 1 is gone
if you corrupt a file on a raid 1 its gone
garbage in garbage out...

make sure you have a serious backup solution in place. if its for a buisiness and the business is going to rely on this data .. get a real backup solution, including storing some archives off site.

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: Dravic

Originally posted by: Cfour
Hey all, I'm helping a friend's business get their network setup. He just recently ordered 3 new computers that will be running Vista premium. My question is: how should I setup the server? The main goal of the server is so that each user can access the main database where client records are stored/entered. It will be running a raid 1 setup for data backup purposes.

My question is: what is the best way to setup this software-wise? Can WinXP Pro (already have licensed copy) sufficiently do this? Should I setup a domain to log into? Or would investing in Windows Server 2003 or similar be the route to take.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

raid is NOT a backup solution, it is a safe guard for hardware failure. Its for high availablity not backup.

if you delete a file on a raid 1 is gone
if you corrupt a file on a raid 1 its gone
garbage in garbage out...

make sure you have a serious backup solution in place. if its for a buisiness and the business is going to rely on this data .. get a real backup solution, including storing some archives off site.

Came here to post ^ that, thanks for saving me the typing🙂