asked on
windows 2012 foundation sever
i have a small network with HP Proliant server and 5 clients.
It runs windows 2000 server on a five year old server pc
I dont need Microsoft exchange as the email runs thru Google apps
I need a new case mangement software program on the clients which stores data on the server and the software company says that the program is not supported by such an old server as windows 2000. Why would this be as it is just a repository for data ( the program itself sits on the clients). Is the management software co just being cautious.
So i got a quote from a separate network company for a new server and they have reccomended Windows foundation server but I liked the look of Windows server 2012
Essentials (which is available as a download but not yet on ready to go machines) which I think would be easier to install myself and maintain.
Essentials is billed by some as being capable of being installed by the "man in the street" to run and maintain his own network server. Foundation is not billed as user friendly for DIY
as my network company ( a different company to the case managment company wants £2900 plus vat at 20% (tax) to install a new HP server (Quad xeons seem to retail at about £600) with Foundation plus £800 per year for maintenance,would it be a good idea to wait for Windows Server Essentials 2012 to be more available ie on ready to buy hardware before upgrading the server.
(in the meantime the case management company says the data for their software can sit on a spare network computer at £400 rather than necessarily sitting on a tradidional server and the data can be transferred easily when I upgrade server should i wish to defer doing that)
Is someone b-s ing me here?
It runs windows 2000 server on a five year old server pc
I dont need Microsoft exchange as the email runs thru Google apps
I need a new case mangement software program on the clients which stores data on the server and the software company says that the program is not supported by such an old server as windows 2000. Why would this be as it is just a repository for data ( the program itself sits on the clients). Is the management software co just being cautious.
So i got a quote from a separate network company for a new server and they have reccomended Windows foundation server but I liked the look of Windows server 2012
Essentials (which is available as a download but not yet on ready to go machines) which I think would be easier to install myself and maintain.
Essentials is billed by some as being capable of being installed by the "man in the street" to run and maintain his own network server. Foundation is not billed as user friendly for DIY
as my network company ( a different company to the case managment company wants £2900 plus vat at 20% (tax) to install a new HP server (Quad xeons seem to retail at about £600) with Foundation plus £800 per year for maintenance,would it be a good idea to wait for Windows Server Essentials 2012 to be more available ie on ready to buy hardware before upgrading the server.
(in the meantime the case management company says the data for their software can sit on a spare network computer at £400 rather than necessarily sitting on a tradidional server and the data can be transferred easily when I upgrade server should i wish to defer doing that)
Is someone b-s ing me here?
Microsoft Server OSWindows Server 2012
Last Comment
Richard
ASKER
Do I need Active domain etc if is basically just a data storage box (no email)
No I wouldn't promote to a domain until you needed too. You can always go forward just not back....:)
ASKER
could | just use a windows 8 computer as a workgroup server. Would that do better than server essentials
You could but it would depend on the requirements of your client application I suppose really. And you would need Windows 8 Pro to do that.
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leew
which would be most expensive to install for 5 to 6 users essentials or foundation
which would be most expensive to install for 5 to 6 users essentials or foundation
Short term or long term? Are you looking at JUST costs out of your bank or are you looking at COST OF OWNERSHIP and overall productivity and enhancement?
Essentials will likely be more expensive since there is configuration necessary on them which means more time. Plus it does more, so more time setting the things up that it can do.
There's definitely a point at which features won't be used and you'll pay to get things that won't help you - but Essentials was designed to provide features MOST small businesses can use... so if you're trained and your business model permits (most would), Essentials may likely cost more to install, but the PRODUCTIVITY gains through proper usage will easily make back what you spent and help you make more money and work more freely. The problem is, if you cannot abstract the benefits and/or aren't willing to learn them, then you're wasting your money and missing opportunity. At least that's my opinion.
Basically, are you taking the short term vision or the long term vision?
Essentials will likely be more expensive since there is configuration necessary on them which means more time. Plus it does more, so more time setting the things up that it can do.
There's definitely a point at which features won't be used and you'll pay to get things that won't help you - but Essentials was designed to provide features MOST small businesses can use... so if you're trained and your business model permits (most would), Essentials may likely cost more to install, but the PRODUCTIVITY gains through proper usage will easily make back what you spent and help you make more money and work more freely. The problem is, if you cannot abstract the benefits and/or aren't willing to learn them, then you're wasting your money and missing opportunity. At least that's my opinion.
Basically, are you taking the short term vision or the long term vision?
In the grand scheme of things, when you look at the costs and the billable hours and the time involved... the cost difference for implementation shouldn't be a barrier to a small business of your size. But again, that's my opinion based on very limited information I have about you and your business.
ASKER
leew, trbus
final question and thanks for your input both
as there are only a few of us here and we just use the server as a file store, is not a domain unnecessary? as I say we are not using it for email and I dont see remote access as an issue as we tend to use logmein for such as this.
What benefits do I get for using a domain? as opposed to a workgroup?
final question and thanks for your input both
as there are only a few of us here and we just use the server as a file store, is not a domain unnecessary? as I say we are not using it for email and I dont see remote access as an issue as we tend to use logmein for such as this.
What benefits do I get for using a domain? as opposed to a workgroup?
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ASKER
thanks guys
Windows Server 2012 Essentials is basically the new version of SBS.