Co-location vs. In house
Co-location vs. 1 man IT in house:
Here's my question...What you guys suggest that we do?
Currently we have 2 own Servers (Application server, internet/web server) and outlook & TS are handle by an outsource company....There are about 55 active users (ADs) and 40 Remote (TS) users...They host our servers and we have backup w/ them as well...And they charge us monthly one BIG fee...W/ about 20 users located off site and the office is connected w/ static IPS addresses via T1 line....
Looking to bring it in house (w/ a 1 MAN crew)?-- Add 1 robust server w/ small business MS server standard (Print/file/ts/exchange server) and bring the 2 own servers back in house...Is this enough or too much on one machine? Any suggested would be appreciated...Looking to add domain controller server as well or use one of the older one as the domain controller...Maybe add 3 servers and split out the services on 3 different ones? How about backup and firewall (have a cisco router and firewall now)...Looking at tape backup right now it's a SCAN w/ the hosting company...
Thanks again for you advice and looking for support during this transition...
plam125
Here's my question...What you guys suggest that we do?
Currently we have 2 own Servers (Application server, internet/web server) and outlook & TS are handle by an outsource company....There are about 55 active users (ADs) and 40 Remote (TS) users...They host our servers and we have backup w/ them as well...And they charge us monthly one BIG fee...W/ about 20 users located off site and the office is connected w/ static IPS addresses via T1 line....
Looking to bring it in house (w/ a 1 MAN crew)?-- Add 1 robust server w/ small business MS server standard (Print/file/ts/exchange server) and bring the 2 own servers back in house...Is this enough or too much on one machine? Any suggested would be appreciated...Looking to add domain controller server as well or use one of the older one as the domain controller...Maybe add 3 servers and split out the services on 3 different ones? How about backup and firewall (have a cisco router and firewall now)...Looking at tape backup right now it's a SCAN w/ the hosting company...
Thanks again for you advice and looking for support during this transition...
plam125
I believe that you can only have 1 server as a dc with small business. Therefore you can't have a backup DC. You could still use this, just put the web on 1 server, exchange/ts/dc/on one server, and use the 3rd server as a file server. If you do this in your big server I would put a tape drive with enough storage, and use veritas with remote agents to do data backups of that other 2 servers. Run a full nightly rotation. As for your firewall, I don't like cisco firewalls, to much money for the features. i like watchguard, but it is what you like. I would use a Watchguard 750X with fireware pro, and gateway av/ips. This way you can do ingress/egress filtering in a GUI :) as well as set port level rules.
ASKER
chrisandersoon: thanks for your advice...Ths helps...I didn't know that Small business can't have a backup DC...Do you think a T1 is enough bandwidth for traffic coming in to TS and VOIP phones and domain???
well it is tough to say on how much VOIP traffic goes outbound. I would try and split the T1 or look into QOS. That is where you can tag packets to take precedence. The problem is that VOIP can get pretty choppy if it doesnt' have the bandwidth it needs. A T1 could be enough, but it really depends on how much traffic there is. TS is rather small on bandwidth requirements. Is the VOIP relayed from inhouse to all 40 remote users? or to another remote site, or just inhouse?
You can talk to the ISP and see if you can get multiple public IPS and see if the can split the T1..that way you can always dedicate half of the T1 for voice and half for data, and then upgrade from there if the data or voice is too sloooooow.
You can talk to the ISP and see if you can get multiple public IPS and see if the can split the T1..that way you can always dedicate half of the T1 for voice and half for data, and then upgrade from there if the data or voice is too sloooooow.
ASKER
VOIP is about 85kps per line and we have about 9 lines in office and the rest is off site...It hasn't been a problem w/the current environment but having 20 - 40 users coming in to remote desktop into our servers might encounter a problem...Not sure...Better save then sorry so I will request for another t1 line...How much work is it to maintain 3-5 servers? I know that this is a loaded question but not sure to dedicated my time to it...Right now I'm more of an user IT manager...
Not much work as long as you set it up and montor/maintaine it. I am a consultant and there is three of us at my samll company and we monitor 50 servers and 900 workstations.
It is when you decide to change and upgrade things every three days.
Just remember when you go to make a change, always draw it out and then brainstorm for a day or two on what it may impact.
It is when you decide to change and upgrade things every three days.
Just remember when you go to make a change, always draw it out and then brainstorm for a day or two on what it may impact.
chrisanderson's comment about not being able to have a backup DC is totally incorrect. You can most certainly have additional DC's on an SBS network!
But you cannot split out services when using an SBS (ie, Exchange)... although you wouldn't want to if you're trying to achieve simplicity here.
I don't have time right now to answer further... but needed to at least correct Chris' comment.
Jeff
TechSoEasy
But you cannot split out services when using an SBS (ie, Exchange)... although you wouldn't want to if you're trying to achieve simplicity here.
I don't have time right now to answer further... but needed to at least correct Chris' comment.
Jeff
TechSoEasy
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ASKER
Thanks Jeff...We have 55 ADs, but only 40 TS users...I don't see us having room to grow...What's your opinion on Domain Controll or just usig TS to get email/apps prog/etc vs. having it installed on the each computer?
Thanks
Phu
Thanks
Phu
You'll have to clarify this... are you saying that you have a total of 95 users or 55 users (40 of which are remote)?
Any user that logs in to a domain must have a CAL. This includes those that log in via Terminal Services... so there's no difference.
Jeff
TechSoEasy
Any user that logs in to a domain must have a CAL. This includes those that log in via Terminal Services... so there's no difference.
Jeff
TechSoEasy
ASKER
55 users
So, 40 of those 55 are remote users?
I think you need to understand that there is no such thing as TS vs Domain Control. Any user that logs into a Terminal Server is authenticating against your domain, so what are you trying to accomplish here? Do you not have 55 workstations?
Jeff
TechSoEasy
I think you need to understand that there is no such thing as TS vs Domain Control. Any user that logs into a Terminal Server is authenticating against your domain, so what are you trying to accomplish here? Do you not have 55 workstations?
Jeff
TechSoEasy
ASKER
We have 40 work stations...w/ about 15 email addresses that don't belong to a work station...Ex. hr@domain.com, etc...Sorry for the confusion...
THanks
Plam125
THanks
Plam125
Okay... we're getting closer... and I'm sorry for being a stickler on this, but so far the information hasn't been that clear, and I'm trying to look at your situation and provide you with the best possible recommendation. I can only do that if I have all of the facts.
Because SBS has two different licensing models for Client Access Licenses (USER CALs and DEVICE CALs), it's important for me to fully understand what's what.
Since you've been describing things as "active users", "remote (ts) users", workstations, email addresses, etc... let me tell you the important things that I would need to know and then we can be using the same terminology and not getting confused. So, if you wouldn't mind, please answer these questions:
How many total PEOPLE are there that log into your network?
How many COMPUTERS that are not SERVERS are there in your network?
Thanks!
Jeff
TechSoEasy
Because SBS has two different licensing models for Client Access Licenses (USER CALs and DEVICE CALs), it's important for me to fully understand what's what.
Since you've been describing things as "active users", "remote (ts) users", workstations, email addresses, etc... let me tell you the important things that I would need to know and then we can be using the same terminology and not getting confused. So, if you wouldn't mind, please answer these questions:
How many total PEOPLE are there that log into your network?
How many COMPUTERS that are not SERVERS are there in your network?
Thanks!
Jeff
TechSoEasy
ASKER
Sorry for the confusions...I'm new to all of these...
There are around 35-40 PEOPLE that logs into the network...
There are a 55-60 or so computers...
Here are my options:
Option 1 = go w/ MS small business 2003 server = on 1 robust server (file/print/msoutlook/ts);
Option 2 = go w/ MS small business 2003 server = on 2 servers (one for TS, one for exchange/file/etc) & along w/ my 2 servers now (appl, Web-DNS,etc)
Option 3 = go w/ MS small business 2003 server = on 3 servers (one for TS, one for exchange/file/etc, file/print/domain controller server) & along w/ my 2 servers now (appl, Web-DNS,etc)
Thanks fo your help...
There are around 35-40 PEOPLE that logs into the network...
There are a 55-60 or so computers...
Here are my options:
Option 1 = go w/ MS small business 2003 server = on 1 robust server (file/print/msoutlook/ts);
Option 2 = go w/ MS small business 2003 server = on 2 servers (one for TS, one for exchange/file/etc) & along w/ my 2 servers now (appl, Web-DNS,etc)
Option 3 = go w/ MS small business 2003 server = on 3 servers (one for TS, one for exchange/file/etc, file/print/domain controller server) & along w/ my 2 servers now (appl, Web-DNS,etc)
Thanks fo your help...
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