Advice please on learning how to use win2003

hi guys, thank you very much for your comments.

I think I will end up going with a regular PC, which I am hoping to boost with some RAM according to your advice, and install a win 2003 server.

However I dont have any experience with win 2003, and even tough I am not expcting to have to do any complicated settings to begin with, I am concerned how long / how much effort I will have to be prepared to put in studying the server.

From your comments I get the picture that it is a more complicated issue than just a hit and miss attempt with a day of research and some printed out manuals by my side.

Due to time constraints, I think I will leave the exchange server for now as well, as it isnt completely necessary at this point, my main reason for installation would be to simplyfy by centralization the back up process of the emails.

This is again a guess made without really knowing the product apart from some internet research. In my case I am already backing up the received emails straight from the server on the net.

Should I manage to get the win 2003 set up running, the ms exchange would be the next step.

Regarding back up, I had weekly backups to cd/dvd in mind, and should I get some funds, then also a network hd, all depends on any automatic back up features I can manage to get out of the win 2003 and how they work.

like I said earlier, I have fair, but not strong networking knowledge, I have been learning new things as the need for it has risen.I have troubleshot some problems every now and then and so on. One thing I have learnt is that in the past, trying to save every penny, I set up the networks with minimum equipment investment, and found that after the day I get it initially up and running, problems are just waiting to come up. I am having some trouble convincing the man with the financial control to understand that its better to run at 75% of maximum capacity than at 115% figuratively speaking.

It looks like its finally starting to happen and I can invest in some equipment, other than replacing broken parts.., so I am really hoping to get this one working smoothly.

Since it seems that I wont get the win 2003 working on my charm alone, I would appreciate if anyone has any (more) (preferably tried and tested) links to tutorials,manuals and other info.I am trying to get away with this as easily as possible I admit, but I am sure you would too if you were actually the webdesigner/developper and got6 paid what I do.

Thanks again to all who took the time to help me out.
Sami

 

If you go the SBS route, I've just found these books:

Microsoft Small Business Server SBS 2003: A Clear and Concise Administrator's Reference and How-To. There is a sample chapter that describes how to set up Exchange within SBS.

How to Cheat at Managing Windows Small Business Server 2003. Again there is a sample chapter on Permissions, Shares and Group Policy.

For basic 2003 admin there is Windows Server 2003 Network Administration
which has a sample chapter on Troubleshooting TCP/IP.

These should give you a guide to the sort of information that is out there, the relative ease of setting up SBS, and whether you like these books in particular. I almost wonder if you could make up a complete server manual from all the sample chapters