I need to choose between windows server 2003 standard and sbs 2003 standard. The problem/dilemma is the application that needs to be used, Quickbooks Enterprise. We may need to allow remote access to this program(the accountant) and under windows server 2003 can run it in Terminal Services application sharing mode. without additional software/hardware purchase(except for TS cals).There is 2 additional users on local lan. If we set this up with SBS 2003, can we get the same remote access effect by installing QB in clent/server mode and have accountant access through RWW and logon to addtional (3rd)pc and run QB from there? The other problem is lack of broadband internet, other than satellite, and I realize the issues that come with that.
Otherwise, SBS requires seperate box to run TS in application sharing mode, and is an additional expense.
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IF you need the things SBS brings to the table, you'll need two servers anyway. SBS would be great for the budget as long as you can handle the restrictions for the time being (most companies can easily). If you don't need a domain, exchange, sharepoint, etc, then you just need one 2003 Server and TS licenses.
Given what SBS offers you, I think you're better off with SBS. For the Terminal Server solution, you can cheat, so-to-speak. Buy another copy of Windows XP/Vista and run it in a virtual machine on the server (setup Virtual Server). You could even run a virtual install of Server 2003 standard and make THAT the terminal server. But I'd only do that if you were thinking you might need multiple connections to the network.
I think I may rephrase my question. After reviewing the answers so far, I want to know if connecting remotely to a pc on the SBS network, through the Remote Web Workplace feature of SBS, will allow the remote user to run Quickbooks in a similar fashion to having it setup on a Terminal Server? Can we setup QB Enterprise in client/server mode (back end on SBS), have 2 users running QB on their pc, and then have the third user connect remotely to a third pc, run QB as if at that desktop, without affecting the other 2 users?
Thanks much!
QB run in that fashion using remote work place is like using terminal services. In this fashion you will need to load QB on that SBS machine not in client/server mode unless the users are local not remoting in. If thery are using remote workplace feature you will need to load quickbooks like any other application. I forget the terminology for this setup but when you go through the options its this machine will host and run the company file.
Then your users remote in and run the application directly on the server.
Loading the client on a laptop wanting it to connect to the server presents 2 issues -
1. You will need a VPN
2. If you had a VPN quickbooks run so slow over a vpn its worthless. We have a ds1 connection and its still so slow the application was not meant to run like this so we just loaded it on our terminal server and our users run the application by remoting in as I suggest to you.
If I read your question right, yes you can do that.
RWW let's you connect to server machines and client machines. If you have three PC's and only three users, then your peachy, people out of the office just use RWW to connect the the unused machine.
If you wan't to install the Quickbooks client application on the server, you can do that as well, though almost certainly not recommended. It may be fudging the EULA a little, but you could connect up to two users and one administrator to an SBS box (admins can connect to the console session via a checkbox in RWW or Run --> mstsc /console for remote desktop). Make sure users logout when finished, since it's real easy to hit the two user limit.
Just remember, especially if you only have one server, BACKUP DAILY and STORE SOME FULL SYSTEM BACKUPS OFF SITE.
Thank you all for the input. It is a difficult choice due to the lack of true broadband....I would definitely choose SBS over WinServer alone, but we may be forced to do winserver w/TS enabled. Also, the additional cost of satellite w/static ips is very expensive...approx $120.00 + p/month!
I hope the allocaton of points is acceptable...it's my first usage of the service in this way. Again, thanks to all for the help.
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by: ryansotoPosted on 2007-12-18 at 11:37:40ID: 20494733
Initially we had the exact same setup including Quickbooks.
An SBS machine and a terminal server. We since upgraded the SBS to a full windows 2003 R2 box for limitation reasons.
Is this box going to be a DC as well? Dont run TS on a DC, bad!
What we have is
1 TS
2 DC's
on one of the DC we loaded quickbooks 'server mode'
On the terminal server we loaded quickbooks 'client mode' so when the user remotes in from home they can start quickbooks on the TS without doing anything else.
At worst you can just load QB on the TS (which I would use wind2k3 not SBS) and away you go.