windows server

[robgunner]

hello
just wanted some advice if possible,i am pretty good with all aspects of pcs networking etc,but someone has asked me to install a server running windows server 2003,ive found a dell server with good spec.
i just wanted to know if servers are a pain to set up using this os or what,they already have server installed but want to upgrade any help or advice on this matter whould be much appreciated
many thanks robgunner

[kanezfan]

no, they install pretty much the same as any windows install would, but the configuration afterwards might throw you off if you don't know what you're doing. what kind of server are they running now? what services do they need, i.e. email server, web server, sql server, that type of thing. if it's a simple web server, you still have to make sure tha you have the groups and permissions set up correctly, ntfs permissions on files and folders, i mean there's a lot of stuff to know.

[primesuspect]

Yeah, that's a big topic. Windows makes it easy to set up a server by clicking a lot of "next" and "yes" but you will end up with a very raw, basically poorly setup server out of the box. People take classes and read books and work for years to become really good at this stuff. The first step is to identify their needs, and find out exactly what services will be running.

[robgunner]

hello
thanks for replying,rite its a file server they need and for e-mail client,they have old system running nt they now require faster and more reliable server

[robgunner]

ive built a lot of pcs setup loads of networks running routers etc but never a file server and needed to know if its worth me takeing contract or pass on

[kanezfan]

I'd say pass, you don't want to get sued when/if it doesn't work right. You can always download the eval version from MS and see what it does too. Also, just buy a more powerful machine, no sense in upgrading to Win2003 server if NT works for them.

[robgunner]

so how easy whould it be to get server out of box and configure to file share over 7 pcs and share e-mail,thanks for the advice on being sued
thanks robgunner

[kanezfan]

Not too hard, but you have to know if they're on a domain or not, you have to know how to set up an email server, etc... Give it a shot I guess, with an understanding from the owners that you've never done it before. Good luck.

[robgunner]

thanks for advice,i know there on a domain and i need to transfer data accross etc,i know i need to set up dns for files etc,im learning new bits all the time ill check further into it to see if its worht the risk but thanks for help
robgunner

[profdlp]

The biggest advantage you have here is that they have an existing server which is still running. This will give you some backup if it takes a while to configure the new machine.

I would study the existing server inside and out, making notes about every setting you can. Then try to duplicate that on the new server. Pay attention to all the settings on the client boxes, too. :)

[robgunner]

hello
thanks for adding advice,whats the easyest way to transfer the data straight accross the hdd's or network the two servers and do that way?
thanks robgunner

[robgunner]

hello
dont worry about last reply i sound thick i know how to transfer with out system being offline

[Tex]

It's not hard at all anymore to setup 7 PC's on a simple domain server. Do you have to setup exchange server for email or just setup individual email accounts into a present ISP? With 7 users you may not even need a domain a simple workgroup may suffice.

Exchange server is a whole differant scenario and you best bailout if you have no experiance but 7 users just sharing some files on a workfgroup or even a domain will be a piece of cake.

Tex

[robgunner]

hello
they are all sharing the same e-mail and to share files just a file server basicly all they want,ive been reading more forums so i might give it a go
thanks for advice