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Users cannot access NAS shares when SBS 2003 is down

Hi there,

This is my first post in EE forums. We have a SBS 2003 which is running all the usual SBS services - in dual NIC configuration (please have a look at the Network diagram attached). As a BC perspective I attached a Buffalo NAS directly to the switch, added shares and security and a script which mirrors server's file shares to NAS on daily bases.

All worked fine until server was down. Within 15-20 mins no machines on LAN could access NAS or any shares on it. I am wondering what has happened and what do I need to do to make sure that NAS is available when server is down because thats the whole purpose of having it.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Abid
Network-Diagram-Mod.PNG

AustinComputerLabs

If the server (as SBS does) is performing DNS for the network, when the server is down they will need to connect to the NAS via IP address not through a machine name that needs DNS to resolve it.

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Matt V

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Abid

ASKER

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Yes, the server is doing DNS for the network.

I will test the suggestion of using IP address instead of 'NAS/machine name' to access folders when server is down next time.

I would really like to get some redundency by setting up a secondery server to perform DNS, DHCP and print services for the network. Do you have any step by step guide to do it on a virual machine using VMWare ESXi hypervisor?

Thanks!

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Matt V

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Abid

ASKER

Hi Matt,

Thanks. I am planning to deploy a Windows 2003 Standard server to run on VMware ESXi hypervisor on a good spec HP desktop. The main SBS 2003 server is dual NI:

Internet router =====> NIC-1 (external IP)
NIC-2 (internal IP) =====> Switch

I want people to get on internet, be able to print, and access NAS and WiFi when SBS 2003 is down. Can I achieve this by putting in a secondary DC running Windows Standard 2003?

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Abid

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Abid

ASKER

I have now deployed a replica DC and also assigned it Secondary DNS server role, then defined it in DHCP scope on SBS 2003 and now all clients have picked up the IP address of Sec DNS server. The member server is now also a Global catalog server. Hopefully now when SBS 2003 is down the network wont collapse and clients will be able to find NAS and be able to print.

I am not splitting DHCP scope and will leave SBS 2003 as DHCP server. As a next step now I will change SBS 2003 from dual to single NIC configuration and also install a hardware firewall for network protection.