Setting up a Corporate Network

[Mr.Si]

Hi there,

I'm completely new here, so Hi everyone!

I work for an Acoustics and Noise Control Consultancy and we're just about to move office (to one about 3 times as big). We have 4 full-time workers and about 4 others who are in the office on a part time basis.
When every one is in the office it's kinda manic at the moment!
The office was bult for about 3 people and a few file cabinets!

hmmm...

Anyway, to the query:

I'm trying to get our network to become a corporate network when we get to our new offices.

Currently all PC's (Dell, mainly) run XP Home annoyingly.
We currently have a DLink Modem-Router with 4 port switch, to which I've also connected a Netgear FS108 8 port switch.

What I'd like to do is have a Dedicated File/Mail/Print Server, so all my colleagues can retrieve their own emails and retrieve all their office info from one place etc.

How is the best way to do this?

The software that I think would be best, while remaining Windows Based, is:
1. XP Pro on all client machines running MS Outlook for email and internal mail

2. Server 2003 or latest edition on the server

Do I need to create a Domain style network rather than just using IP and Subnet?

How do I do all this?!

My Computer Science degree never went into it, just Linux/Unix based instead, which is useless to me.

Thank you all so much in advance,

Si

 

[x0r515t]

Yes, if you want to have a always up server for centralized file storage etc you should setup a domain. If you have to run windows, I would suggest either windows server 2003 or 2000. As far as a mail server is concerned you could setup a exchange server. Once you have the server setup with the domain, you will have to tell each client PC the name of the domain to join. Heres a how to from microsoft:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q295017/
Did you say that the clent PC's run XP home? If thats the case you may find this interesting

Note Windows XP Home Edition is not designed to join domains, only workgroups. To join domains, use a Professional version of Windows XP.

I don't have much experience with windows servers just so you know, I mainly deal with Linux servers. But it looks to me that you won't be able to set a domain up with XP home.

Well after some searching I found these links about XP home and domains, hopefully these will be usefull:

http://www.staffkit.com/resources/join_domain_windows_xp_home.htm
http://lists.samba.org/archive/samba/2003-April/066197.html

 

[Mr.Si]

Thanks

That looks rather interesting!

I have just installed Server 2003 on a disused PC @ home, and have also got a copy of MS Xchange Server too (Both 180 day trials from Microsoft).
So I have a bit of a learning curve to take on board!

In Computerised Layman's terms, what are the advantages of a DOMAIN'd network over a normal WORKGROUP network?

Cheers, Si

 

[x0r515t]

Work groups use Peer to Peer networking. A domain uses a File/Server network.

A file Server network requires a dedicated server, a server OS like Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2003. It is more expensive and requires more skill and knowledge to set up, but it is more secure and there is more control over who can do what on the network.

A peer to Peer Network is easier to set up, does not require a dedicated server and can be run with any version of Windows. However it is not as secure.

 

[Mr.Si]

ok that's cool.

Now...

... to create that plea to my boss.

what do you use? Linux/Unix?

 

[x0r515t]

At home I use slackware Linux for my own server. At work we use Redhat Enterprise Linux.

 

[Mr.Si]

When Learning about Nets & Comms and Distributed systems, our lecturers first introduced us to Linux, in this case it was slackware also.

but for people like me who'd never used the OS before, learning a new o/s and also how to network using that rather than a more familiar interface was really annoying! (esp when the lecturer favoured those that were getting on well with it all)!

Anyway, Thanks for your help, it is really appreciated.

May I also ask how to setup a gateway? - I've tried before using a normal workgroup network at home, but I didn't get it working.
I have 2 NIC's in one machine, one connected to the DSL Modem, the other connected to the Switch, along with all the other PC's connected to the switch with static IP's.

How do I tell the other PC's to connect to the internet via the gateway?

Also, is it best for one machine to act as all: File/Mail/Gateway/Print? or would it be better for one machine to do file sharing and another to be the internet gateway?

Best,

Si

 

[x0r515t]

You can could create a gateway with a linux based machine like this:
http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/LinuxTutorialIptablesNetworkGateway.html

Maybe these links will help as well:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d.../html/cghowhowtocreatearesidentialgateway.asp
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...-us/wcedsn40/html/cgconCustomizingGateway.asp
http://www.samag.com/documents/s=1164/sam0006j/0006j.htm

Go here to find out how to set the default gateway on the client PC's:
http://www.networklab.co.uk/cmodem/winxpics.html

One machine handling all services such as File/Mail/Gateway/Print would be more cost efficient. This setup would be fine, depending on how many users you are administrating. But if you have say hundreds or thousands of clients then you may want to have multiple servers so one doesn't get overloaded.

 

[Mr.Si]

Ok, don't be shocked, but There'll only be about 8 - 10 machines, Max, for now!

I've decided to try and resurrect my old Gateway 2000 PIII 450MHz machine, It's got 384 SDRAM (PC100) and whichever HDD I choose to put in it - Either a 40Gb, or a 120Gb, but I'll probably put in both.

I'd also like to know about backing up - I'm guessing Raid would be the best option, but I have also known of backing up to DAT.
I'd like Backuping to be an automatic process if that's at all possible, as we usually forget!

I'll post a diagram of what I intend to do, shortly.

Edit: Here's that diagram (good old powerpoint )

 

[x0r515t]

Raid based backup would be fine, you might consider tape backups as well:
http://www.hp.com/sbso/productivity/howto/tape_backup/