Setting up New Network at home for New Business

[TMB Tech]

Hello all,
I am a new to the site adn I have a few questions about setting up a network at my house for a new business.
Here is the situation:
I will have a windows 2003 small business server with 2 500GB hard drives. I will be having data coming into the server through the internet. I want to build a network through a Patch panel>Switch>router>modem. I will have a business DSL line coming into the house through the garage. I will be running Cat5 cable through out the room(in the garage) to have 5 to 7 wall connections.

There will be the business server, a printer, laptop an one other desktop on the network. I will be having data coming into the house through the DSL line into the business server and at times it could be 10 to 15 differnet clients simultaneously.

I guess my question/s would be: To set up the network it goes DSL line into the modem>to router>to switch>then to Patch panel and then from the switch the various hookups throughout the room??

Thanks for your help!!

Terry

[DimaYasny]

the scheme you described is quite right - dsl line>modem>router>switch>pcs.

I just wonder what kind of data will you be receiving? maybe an SBS server isn't right for you...

[TMB Tech]

It is going to be customer files, the OS files etc. The files will compressed to about 90% of it original size, enscripted and then sent through the internet into my server.
The server is a Dell... Small Business one with 4GB of Ram 3.1 GHz and 2 500GB hard drives.

What would you suggest on the server and of it??

Thanks for your help!!!

Regards,
Terry

[DimaYasny]

so the delivery will be by what? email/ftp/http/vpn/rdp? what is the size of the files?

thing is, I've had too many SBS servers, and I really do NOT like that product. 2003std costs the same, but isn't crippled like SBS, so SBS is needed only if you really need exchange, sql, sharepoint and all the other crippled goodies SBS offers. if it's a simple file server, running standard services like ftp, activedir and suchlike, I say take the 2003std version instead of SBS.

even more so - take linux. doesn't cost anything, and all the services are installable.

[TMB Tech]

OK I see... No I will not (at this time) have exchange or SQL, etc. So I will just stick with the standard Windows server 2003. Yes I would like to do Linux but I don't know much about the software. I have some Unix knowledge but I don't think I have enough to be able to maintain the Linux system.

Thanks for your help!!

Regards,

Terry

[DimaYasny]

well, linux these days is very easy to set up. get a simple server distro, like cent-os, yum install ftp (vsftpd/proftpd/wu-ftp) and you've got an ftp server.
instead of exchange I really love zimbra

[akus1]

I've installed lots of SBS systems for clients. SBS 2003 is a great product - it includes Exchange, SharePoint, a firewall, backup-restore wizards, and a sweet Remote Web Workplace - none of which are included with Server 2003. But it takes some experience to set it up right. At least get a book such as Windows Small Business Server 2003 Best Practices. We typically set it up with two NICs, one for inside and one for outside with a static IP address from the ISP. If you do that you don't need a router or firewall. Net > Dsl Modem > SBS outside NIC > SBS Firewall > SBS Inside NIC > Siwtch > PCs. Also see the Yahooo group named SBS2K. If you're in the Baltimore area, lemme know :) -Ray

[TMB Tech]

Thanks Ray for you information, it is greatly appricated. See right now I am in the process of setting up this new business and want to have a smart and cost effective network set up. For right now it will be just me starting and running the business. I would like to however have some sort of remote access to the server for when I am not in the office. As far as exchange I don't think i need it right now (may in the future). I was looking at registering a domain name and using the E-Mail boxes provided by the DSL provider (Verizon).

Thanks,

Terry

[DimaYasny]

you can set up your own email server, if you're getting a domain and a static IP. also, I don;t think any ISP provides you with an email box as large as gmail's

[TMB Tech]

Thanks everyone for all your help on this topic.

I have one more question and it is about installing Widows server 2003? Is it a hard install to do?? I mean I have installe XP Pro, XPHome etc. Thanks.

[DimaYasny]

just the install is as simple as XP install

[akus1]

Hi TMB - Setting up a server is more complicated than setting up XP. But do you really need a real server like Server 2003?

A real server is good if you need to keep track of users and their logins or if you want to handle specific tasks like email or web hosting or some line-of-business-specific software. From what I'm reading, you just want access to files from the road. You could have a nice XP machine to be your "server" and a www.LogMeIn.com remote access account to do that from a laptop.

You mention you "will be having data coming into the server through the internet". What kind of data? Sounds like you're going to need a firewall and that can be tricky too.

If you really need a server, there are hosted options as well. Then you never have to buy or setup the server software - you pay by the month and all your backups are included too.

Another option - Windows Home Server is coming out soon. It's supposed ot be easier than the typical server - but it's not out yet so who knows ;)

-Ray

[TMB Tech]

Hi Ray,
Here is what is going on... I will be having anywere from 25 to as many as 50/60 clients coming into the server to have there Data backed up. I am pretty sure XP Pro will only handle (at the most) 30 - 40 clients. This is why I was looking at server 2003.

Any suggestions??

Thanks!

Terry

[akus1]

If the clients will depend on that server for their data then you need to have a system with redundancy. If you're not and I.T. pro, then I'd look at a good hosted server company. That way you'll have a server setup correctly, constantly backed up, and located safely in a protected environment.

Ray

Hi Ray,
Here is what is going on... I will be having anywere from 25 to as many as 50/60 clients coming into the server to have there Data backed up. I am pretty sure XP Pro will only handle (at the most) 30 - 40 clients. This is why I was looking at server 2003.

Any suggestions??

Thanks!

Terry

[DimaYasny]

and if you still want to keep the server at home, there is more to it than just the install. BTW if you're about to go beyond 50 users do not even look at SBS.
I'd really use linux for such a server, unless you must run some kind of windows-specific software

[TMB Tech]

Yes it is windows specific software. Current the release for Unix/linux is being worked on. Thank you all for your help!!

[bobbyraw]

server 2003 pretty much easy to install. when you finish install it will walk you through steps to set up diff servers and services. by default it disable some non essential services.

[TMB Tech]

Hello all,

This is what it is going to look like:
I am going to be running network (cat5) cable through the walls to set up 5 to 8 ports in the room. These cables will go into a 12 - 24 port patch panel, then from there to a switch, to a router, then to dsl modem.
The server (that will be running Win Serv 2003) will be hooked up to one of the network ports, another port may have a printer, and another port used by a laptop (running XP Pro). I believe what I am looking at is setting it up as a work group. I am going to purchase a domain name for .com, .net.

The amount of customers/clients could be 50+ meaning that their (customers) servers will be sending their data into the server. These client will only have access to their backup files on the server. I was thinking instead of going with 2 500GB hard drive to going with 4 500GB hard drives. I was going to partition one of the drives for just the OS.

Thanks for your help.
Terry

[DimaYasny]

how much space do you need?

[TMB Tech]

Would you think 5GB for the OS is ok? The rest will be set up for each customer based on the amount of space they would need.

[DimaYasny]

actually, this is nothing like XP, and you really need redundancy. you can build raid1 (mirror) with 2 hard drives, or raid5 with 3 or more.
also, separating the OS from the rest of the system is alright, but not as important as with a home system. and in any case 5gb is not enough. I'd say go for 20gb, or don't partition at all - you might have growing user profiles that will need space, and those, unless you specifically change it, are located on C: