Windows 2008 SBS - File Management

I am implementing SBS 2008 as a domain. We require a suggestion of how we should tackle file management. We would like to implement a system where if the server is not available the client PCs can still work with the files on the server. (domain and PC are in the same site) I thought of using offline files however I don't see it as a very neat way to work.

Is there any other way one can manage files in a neater way?

Do you think that off line files is the answer to my question?

Best Regards

Alan

 

How long are you expecting the server to be offline for? It rather depends on how long the server is offline for! The login to the network by the users will be severly affected by no server to validate the log on. Local profiles will be used and the whole thing will become a night mare... Offline caching will work but the versioning will most likley become a real nasty particulary if the data set becomes large. The server really should be robust enough to stay on line. UPS and some form of raid and duplication of the data set to another PC (dumb box trick). You have the files available you just have to structure your sharepoints to allow a quick share out if you are going to be down for any lenght of time. Try to structure the data to prevent the dumping all to one large mess over a number of years. I tend to actively encourage clients to store data as far as possible by Year/date to prevent the active data set from becoming too large.

 

To be honest we are just worried that if something goes wrong with the server than the users can still work. The offline we are projecting is in case there is a problem. We already have RAID and also UPS.

Thanks for your comments

Best Regards

 

It will come down to local log ons for the users and miniamlistic working, but the server will be back up in no time at all........ Seriously the UPS and the raid set if you keep an eye on the state of it 'normally' are fairly robust (hardware raid 5!) the larger, grandmother and eggs? the larger the number of disks the better, but swap and change if you have any doubt about the state of any disk before it propogates errors and if critcal check to ensure you have good working disk to go it, if hot swap then you are very unlikey to major problems good luck and may silicon heaven never eat your data.