shared folders keep disappearing

When you have AD (active directory) you must have a DC a DC is the server or servers which hold that AD info. Serevrs that are not DC's are called memeber serevrs on a AD network or just workgroup servers on a non AD directory. A workgroup server is really just a expensive p2p network. When you by the server product you get all these wonderful tools that give you controlover the networ, roaming profiles, group ploicies, refined access rights and login scripts. If you don't have a AD you can't use them.

If you send me some contact details I will talk to Microsoft in NZ (where I live) and they will find someone who can talk to you who is local to you. You are a really good fit for a SBS server. I don't want to hand out my work address - because of spam, so use this hotmail address to send you name, phone number and location (I don't even know what country you are in) mesohappy229@hotmail.com.

It costs you nothing to have someone talk to you and maybe even show you a SBS server and because I'm a Gold Partner with Microsoft I can make sure thatyou are contacted by some one with a good rep rather than a fly by night.

 

I came into this profession pretty much the same way as you. It started out has a hobby and turned into a career. But I got lucky as I didn't start out on the top, if I had I would have fallen flat on my face.

I started out as a tech, moved up to admin then engineer then the IT manager. While this was happening our shop went from a 6 Novel server, token ring network to over a 30 MS based servers on an Ethernet network. This took all of about 12 years. So I got to learn a lot from other manager’s mistakes as well as my own without costing me any money.

In your case, it sounds like you own the business so your mistakes on your learning curve are going to cost you money. So it all depends on if you're willing to gamble on your money.

Books help but practical knowledge is the key. Keeping within the "best practices" of Microsoft's guidelines is a good idea but sometimes there are better ways of doing things.

It's the network that connects all the hardware, all a server will do is serve. It will ether dole out the permissions to resources, hold the resources or serve out the apps.

I haven't used a print server since we upgraded our last Win 98 PC. IP printing is a better way to go. There is no real security gain from a print server as far as printing goes. If someone wants to print to a networked printer on an Active Directory based network, all they need to know is the printer's IP address, AD won't stop them. Keep this in mind if you have a check printer on your network.

Not really, one was referring to a member or stand alone server and the other was referring to an AD environment. But I can see the reason for the confusion. I’ll try to be a little more clearer next time.

Yes it is, as a member or stand alone file or app server in a workgroup. But you would get better security (for files and apps) in a domain. A DC is a domain controller. In a MS domain, you can't have a DC without an AD DC. All DC's in Active Directory are members of a domain and are considered an Active Directory Domain Controller. This wasn't the case before Windows 2000 server (AD) but is today. Back in NT4 you would here things like "PDC" (Primary Domain Controller) and "DC" (Domain Controller). After 2000, they all became PDC. It’s just the way AD went.

But there several old school engineers’ that insist this isn’t so. To me, it’s a tomatoes tomotoes argument.

Hope this helps.

PBiZ

 

Lookig after a server that is working is not hard and there is plenty of good reading on the internet to help you. The hard part is fixing something that is broken. So I think if you want to learn about networks start with something that was setup well and learn how it works. Then move on to installing and configuring yourself. It really help to understand the end result before you start the install process.

You never stop learning, decsions that made good sense when you made them will become your problem point a year later. Products change and you discover new features or new ways to use old features.

The worst mistake people make is doing something because they can. I see networks that have had a admin working there for years and to fill in the time has done looks of amazing things. But you end up with something that is over engineered and so has a high maintenance cost. The I see others that are slick and simple and work.

Keep it simple and always remember the reason for a network is to allow someone to run a bussiness, not to allow someone to run a network.

There is a whole new world out there for you to learn. Its a big step from P2P to a directory based network like AD or NDS (I'm a old novell hand myself) A good server based network and microsoft Exchange can be bloody great bussiness tools.

Pharo
Sounds like you have had a interesting carrer and you are right in saying learn from others mistakes. These days I tend to push paper rather than engineer, I really miss the hands on stuff and I will choose a few jobs each week just to keep my hand in and get me out of the office.

I think IT is the greatest job in the world.

 

No Pharo, i don't own the business, i'm just a tech guy who takes care about this small network and a few even smaller ones.
So every major mistake (like unprepared step into server environment) would be (much worse) gambling on bosses money. That's why i'm so careful (to not say 'scared') about this.
As blunam says

Seems that the best way to go is to set up a small lab network and with book (and your ) support, do extensive testings before a real implementation.

Blunam
Thanks for the help offer, but before i could talk to someone, i have to inform myself about the technology.

I have to thank to tuktaktim as well. I have taken his interesting suggestion of DFS into consideration too.

Thanks guys for all of your suggestions. If i get into difficulties, i hope you'll be around here to help.

Greetings

 

I'll admit it's been an interseting ride so far. I also take on a few jobs here and there to keep my skills intacted. But I have a small crew (4 including me!) so when I loose and engineer I have to step up to the plate until I get one hired.

IT is the only job I've loved and hated in the same breath.

Later,

PBiZ

 

Good luck, you might want to ask the boss to chip in on some schooling. It would be in his best interest.

Later,

PBiZ