NA Setting up a server

Let'sgoflying! said:
Reasonable to connect all computers, printers, etc to the NAS wirelessly or is cable better?
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I would wire the NAS. You can locate it next to the switch, so it shouldn't be a big deal. Printers can be wireless. I would try to wire workstations. If you need to do wireless, it's not terrible, but performance will be more reliable if it is wired.
 
Picking an NAS seemed daunting so I had a gander at the suggested cloud solutions.
Azure, AmazonWeb. Whoa, that was not something I will ever figure out. Their websites are not geared for the average user - I can't figure it out, so I probably won't be doing that. Intuit will spoonfeed me so I will be talking to them further.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Picking an NAS seemed daunting so I had a gander at the suggested cloud solutions.

Azure, AmazonWeb. Whoa, that was not something I will ever figure out. Their websites are not geared for the average user - I can't figure it out, so I probably won't be doing that. Intuit will spoonfeed me so I will be talking to them further.
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For Cloud, other than QuickBooks, you probably just need file services. Here is a good article rating leading providers of that type of services. The ones you listed were build your own type platforms.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2413556,00.asp

The NAS really isn't that difficult, though. The one I referenced earlier is a great brand I have used before and will meet your needs.
 
I still like the idea of having a Windows server set up to allow all substantive work to be done in RDP sessions. That way, the workstations can be minimal configurations, less software update, maybe even use diskless workstations.

Since we went to using RDP, our support burden has dramatically decreased. No good for streaming videos, etc., but that ain't what we're here for.
 
SCCutler said:
I still like the idea of having a Windows server set up to allow all substantive work to be done in RDP sessions. That way, the workstations can be minimal configurations, less software update, maybe even use diskless workstations.



Since we went to using RDP, our support burden has dramatically decreased. No good for streaming videos, etc., but that ain't what we're here for.
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Terminal Services for desktop replacement, is often a good solution, but it needs to built right (users locked down, so they can't mess it up for others) and with a single Terminal Server, you would have a single point of failure. You kind of need to be large enough to do it right (n+1 Terminal Servers, which should be dedicated). I am not sure five users would justify the cost. There are things you can do to reduce the cost of supporting full desktops as well (of course a Windows Server would help that, with GPOs, central user management and server based profiles).

Edit: it looks like you can do folder redirection without AD or GPOs, though I have never tried it. I think that would be a good idea.
 
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This thread reminded me to set up a server that was sitting in its box for the last month.
Couple of observations:

- Microsoft documentation is atrocious. They manage to turn even the simplest of tasks into a pile of 'white papers' and 'technical notes'. Thankfully, a lot of people have the same problem and there are folks kind enough to publish step by step guides to accomplish those things.

- The new 'server manager' is actually not half bad. Previously, I had to revert to command line tools to do a lot of stuff but now you can actually use the GUI.

So, if you dont HAVE to use a MS server, try to do without it. Unless of course, you want the challenge of doing this. It is fun once it works, kind of like fixing a broken car.
 
So, if you dont HAVE to use a MS server, try to do without it. Unless of course, you want the challenge of doing this.
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I ran my problem across colleagues in the same business. His answer to my 'complicated' scenario was, "Oh, we bought macs." As in, he thought that the mac server came plug and play; ready to use.
T?
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I ran my problem across colleagues in the same business. His answer to my 'complicated' scenario was, "Oh, we bought macs." As in, he thought that the mac server came plug and play; ready to use.
T?
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I can't get a mac to turn on. And if it is on, I can't get it to turn off ;)
 
John221us said:
Remote Desktop - What are you using this for? Access to QuickBooks? Access to files? Anything else? QuickBooks would be resolved by moving it to the cloud.
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Let'sgoflying! said:
Access to all programs listed would be the goal. Certainly Quickbooks, while on the road or from home.
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If this is just for occasional access, and not an end user that needs 24x7 access, consider using this. Teresa's office uses it with no issues.

https://secure.logmein.com/
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Thanks Troy - will logmein not allow 24/7 access?
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Oh, yes, it will... ;-) What I meant is that you don't (to my knowledge) have a bunch of remote users that need to be connected all the time, right? Most of your workers are in office, and you want remote access so you can do some work from home and on the road, yes?

Read through this:

https://secure.logmein.com/products/pro/
 
TangoWhiskey said:
Oh, yes, it will... ;-) What I meant is that you don't (to my knowledge) have a bunch of remote users that need to be connected all the time, right? Most of your workers are in office, and you want remote access so you can do some work from home and on the road, yes?



Read through this:



https://secure.logmein.com/products/pro/
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Just to be clear, this lets you remote control a computer that is in the office, is turned and is not in use by someone else.
 
That would work, Troy. I'm the only one that works here. Works remotely I mean. I guess.
 
Whoa, just talked to two different people I know who tried QB online and they were vehemently against it. "A nightmare", "could not provide us with a usable backup file", "could not open more than one window at a time", "not nearly as functional as the desktop version", "did not compute the numbers accurately, I could not provide the CPA with reliable numbers at tax time!".
So we are back to in-house QB software and and a full-blown server (I don't want to rely on MS home networking for 5 users for QB)
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Whoa, just talked to two different people I know who tried QB online and they were vehemently against it. "A nightmare", "could not provide us with a usable backup file", "could not open more than one window at a time", "not nearly as functional as the desktop version", "did not compute the numbers accurately, I could not provide the CPA with reliable numbers at tax time!".
So we are back to in-house QB software and and a full-blown server (I don't want to rely on MS home networking for 5 users for QB)
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As I mentioned earlier, setting up a new domain with MS Server is not trivial but if you know the terminology it is certainly something you could do with some remote coaching and help.

You could also have someone build the server and domain for you and ship the box to your office. Once you receive it, you just plug in your local network parameters. From that point on, your remote support can log in and help you with whatever further setup is required.

This is not a job that requires on-site setup.
 
Thanks. I have a lead on a local; we'll see if he shows up.
There are also some spoon-feeding YT videos out there on WS2012!
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Thanks. I have a lead on a local; we'll see if he shows up.
There are also some spoon-feeding YT videos out there on WS2012!
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If you have a local do it, pay extra to sit right next to him throughout the process. You want to understand what he did and how he did it.

Shop rate:
Regular $75/hr
While you watch $100/hr
If you 'help' $150/hr


Microsoft should really pay some of these youtubers and bloggers who post the 'how tos'. Without them, some of their products are pretty much unusable.


Or you could buy a mac.
 
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Let'sgoflying! said:
Whoa, just talked to two different people I know who tried QB online and they were vehemently against it. "A nightmare", "could not provide us with a usable backup file", "could not open more than one window at a time", "not nearly as functional as the desktop version", "did not compute the numbers accurately, I could not provide the CPA with reliable numbers at tax time!".

So we are back to in-house QB software and and a full-blown server (I don't want to rely on MS home networking for 5 users for QB)
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Isn't the QB "server" software just a copy of QB listening on a port for other copies of QB to attach to it?

Seems like setting up a Windows server to run that is a bit overkill.

Just put it on a machine that's backed up properly and regularly (and the backup restore process has been tested to know it works!) that's locked away somewhere nobody will mess with it and let it run.

I think we figured out that one of our little businesses is doing that on our network anyway. We're just going to offer to move the QB copy that's pretending to be a "server" to a virtual machine on the VM farm and back up the whole VM. Give stew trustees access to log into the VM with RDP for whatever updates and what not that they need to do.
 
I just had a conv with another IT person today and he said; Get a server if you want to hire someone to constantly manage and update it for a couple 000$ per year, or you want to spend all your free time (I have only a few sleeping hours left each day as my 'free time', so no) learning about and maintaining it.
He said consider putting all your files and software in the cloud and let 'them' handle storage, backups, security, backups, antivirus and you can also control who has access, and you can use your files remotely.
Also no hardware to buy or maintain. If I get antsy, I can download all my files from the cloud and store them on an external HD at any time.
Shoot holes in that idea (and we have been through so many ideas, apologies if this was mentioned here).
That would only leave me to find some other way to access QBs if I don't do that online. I would need a way to log on to a computer at work, from home or on the road.
Pretty sure it can be done, yes?
And I would have to decide what computers would be needed or would work best (probably not thin clients, no?)
 
If the QB machine at the office is on all the time, various freebies will let you remote control it from afar.

TeamViewer is pretty good for free.
 
P.S. Technically you should buy it for business purposes but they're not going to care for a one machine one-off.
 
Meh. Time is money, and having worked for several years with all employees operating in terminal services/rdp sessions, I think the time and effort saved n not having any support required on the workstations more than justifies the (relatively modest) expense of supporting the terminal server. One software load, instantly available to every user, updates on one box instead of 5 or 6, etc.

Almost all of our support burden has been on individual software packages, something you can avoid anyway. On the other hand, having everybody operating in RDP has meant that we have not had to worry about the individual workstations all; a computer breaks, we slot in another one which is essentially no software loaded, and as soon as they log into RDP, they're working again.
 
I find the 'maintenance' on the servers to be minimal. There was some effort required to set up the domain, but once it runs it doesnt need oil and grease.
 
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It seems we have come full circle. Once a server is setup and configured, maintenance is minimal and can be handled remotely (outsourced). If you need a server, get a server.
 
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