Requesting IT info and help

[jmig]

I know several of you are IT types in real life. I am looking for some guidance. I am the senior partner in a small engineering/manfuacturing company. Since I am the most knowledgable of the partners on computer hardware (shows how ignorant we really are :) ) I have agreeded to look into setting up our computers to work with the server. I am looking for guidance on what software to use.

We have about 5-6 computers that we will want to be able to copy and read from the server. We also want to back up the computers to the server. Two of the computers are notebooks and we want them to be able to access the server while in hotels. All of the computers use Win 7 with the exception of one partner who refuses to leave the stone age and has XP.

Right now, I have each of the computers reading and writing to the server, via the LAN. I have tried Acronics Home and a trial of their business backup software, but neither of the two Acronics software packages will auto back up to the server. They can't find the mapped server drive on auto backup. They want to back up to an internal hard drive or some other external USB/CD drive.

We use Quickbooks Enterprize for all of our inventory, ordering, invoicing, etc and would like each partner to be able to read and write to the database which will be on the server. Currently, it is on one partner's coputer and only he has access. We also use Office 2007 or 2010 products. Two of us have Outlook with Business Contact Manager installed.

Any ideas on how I should approach this and what software?

[Sieggie]

What OS is the "Server" running?

Dave

[jmig]

What OS is the "Server" running?

Dave

Win 7 Professional 32 bit

[kilo delta]

Regarding remote access from hotels or the like...I swear by http://www.teamviewer.com (http://www.teamviewer.com/). With this you can even use a smartphone to access your files.

[crashaz]

A non-server OS really limits what one can do.


I would suggest a true win2008 server solution if one has the budget.

On that win 2008 server would be the:

file server
backup location for the backups


Also the server has terminal services... which means if you pay for the right licenses for the server.. that more than one person can be logged into the server remotely at one time.

Without the terminal server licenses... only one person can be logged in remotely at any one time. This would also be the case if one uses the win7 machine serving as the remote access machine with Remote Desktop.

For more security... no one really likes their main server as the remote server box.....

I would add a 2nd server with terminal server license. The main file server would have regular 2008 server installed...


would look like this:

Internet
|
|
Windows 2008 Terminal Server (Applications installed here) with user drives mapped to file server
|
|
Windows 2008 file server (using mapped drives) and backup location
| | | |
Laptop Laptop Laptop Laptop

[crashaz]

On the machines that get backed up... always difficult with laptops... which can easily be shut off and moved.... which would interfere with the backups. Since they are laptops... they probably wont be set to backup at night as the person take the machine home.

For files that need to be backed up... I would suggest they be stored on the user mapped share on the file server... ie a Z: drive mapped to \\<file server name>... any files or folder you want backed up.... gets moved to the users Z: drive.... and the file server backs them up. Plus a bonus is that the files are on the server so one could remote in to access the files as well.

[jmig]

A non-server OS really limits what one can do.


I would suggest a true win2008 server solution if one has the budget...



Thanks for the infomation. I always thought Win 7 WAS a server software. Shows what I know. :)

I will look into Win 2008 server software.

KD, Thanks for the heads up on 'Team Viewer' I will look into the software.

[Dangerousdave26]

Be cautious with the Teamviewer idea. While it works well it has certain security questions when talking about a business deployment. When Teamviewer is running it is constantly communicating back to its servers. This is the only way it can tell all the other clients what IP address you are currently located at. From a business stand point you are basically connecting to a third party that maybe trust worthy but you really don't know. Its also completely unnecessary as you can connect to your server directly with remote desktop. More information below.


From what I see you have three needs Server, VPN and Connection path.

1.) Server OS



Follow crashaz's advise about the server he is right on the mark. You can't use a workstation OS as a server. Well not as well as you would like.


2.) VPN Virtual Private Network Solution



When you look for a VPN solution you want something that connects you to your server without having to connect to anyone else. You can either do it through software or hardware.

The first thing I would suggest to try is OpenVPN. There commercial software is only for Linux servers but their Open Source code package works on Windows as well. http://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/overview.html

I have had this set up on my home server for years. It is complicated to get set up and running but once it is going it is secure.

If you decide to give it a go I can help you set it up.


3.) Reliable path to the office housing the server



I suggest just getting a static IP address from your ISP. It is the simplest thing to do. Without it you will have numerous headaches trying to manage the connections.


It is necessary to point out that if you have a static IP you do not need VPN to connect to your server via Remote Desktop. However to connect to the server you would need to have port 3389 open to the internet. Every hacker in the world knows this port and as soon as it comes open they start pounding on your server trying to get in. Yes you can customize the port to use a non standard port but some applications on the server may fail because they can not deal with the changed port.

VPN gives you a secure connection back to your server allowing you to use remote desktop without giving someone else the ability to hammer on it all day.

[kilo delta]

Thanks,Dave. I've only ever used Teamviewer in a non commercial application ie for connecting to my friends systems in order to diagnose/fix issues with their systems or to carry out work on my own networked computers. For some reason MS's remote desktop application has never run right for me, and Tv has worked a charm. :)

[crashaz]

Hey jmig,

If you do decide to go ahead and move forward with setup, drop me a line... I can run over and help you out if you need help. Call it the Outhouse discount.... free! LOL! Been working in Houston during the week and heading out in your direction for a weekend is no big deal.... besides I have been meaning to get out to Baton Rouge to go see the USS Kidd.... this looks like a good excuse to head out in that direction for a weekend trip. :wavey: