Help with first time server support.

[nelsonm]

Hi all,

A customer called with a server problem. While i have setup a windows 2008 R2 in the past for my own training, I informed him that i have not worked with windows servers lately and do not a formal server training. However, I told him i'd be happy to take a look at the situation to see if there is anything i can do (without doing any damage). Otherwise i would find him a trained server specialist.

He is running Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 with a few Windows XP clients. No domain.

They want to connect a new Windows (7 or 8 not sure yet) Client and a printer to the server.

Other than copying down all of the network info from an existing client to use in configuring the new client, what else has to happen on the server?

I think the new client has to be registered with the server?

I will be looking up and studying online docs on how to add windows 7 to the server this weekend. If i don't think i can handle it, i will contact my server friend.

thanks.

 

[14049752]

If it's not connecting to the server in any way except accessing a shared folder and a shared printer, there's really nothing to set up, other than to give them a link to the shared folders.

The printer just needs to be installed on the server, shared, then set up on the clients like a normal shared printer.




Now, granted...this is not at all the best way to use the server, but if it's not set up right in the first place....

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

He is running Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 with a few Windows XP clients. No domain.
.

May want to look at that again...SBS is a domain controller by default, unless whoever set it up went through the specific (sorta tedious) steps to prevent it from being a DC (disable sbscore services)....it is a domain controller.

There are a few steps in joining a workstation to a domain.

 

[Geek007]

If it's not connecting to the server in any way except accessing a shared folder and a shared printer

Mmmm... correct me pls if I am wrong, but if a shared folder on the server is being accessed, then the server IS being connected to.

The new client will have to be registered with the domain through AD, and then possibly a user account setup on the server, unless an existing account will be used with the new client.

 

[14049752]

Mmmm... correct me pls if I am wrong, but if a shared folder on the server is being accessed, then the server IS being connected to.

The new client will have to be registered with the domain through AD, and then possibly a user account setup on the server, unless an existing account will be used with the new client.

You missed the word "except". Yes, I'm aware that accessing the shared folder means that it needs to connect to the server...but it doesn't need to connect in any other way (such as joining the domain) if the server is set up in such a way to allow that.

Again, this is not the correct way to use a server...but I see it all the time.

 

[nelsonm]

Apparently, it's a small operation and the customer is not sure if a domain has been setup. Also, the person who initially setup the server and clients is no longer available and no one is managing the system. It's a wonder it's still functioning.

Does each client have a unique domain account on the server or can they share an account?

Any any case, I'll do my homework this weekend and hopefully i can help. If not, I'll bring in the big guns.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Apparently, it's a small operation and the customer is not sure if a domain has been setup. Also, the person who initially setup the server and clients is no longer available and no one is managing the system. It's a wonder it's still functioning.

Does each client have a unique domain account on the server or can they share an account?

Any any case, I'll do my homework this weekend and hopefully i can help. If not, I'll bring in the big guns.

You can spend hours and hours and hours wondering "if".....
Is the server running as a domain controller
Are the workstations a "Pro" versions of Windows....that properly supports a domain...or are they Windows XP Homeless edition hacked by some lazy useless pizza tech with stupid tricks to get them to mimic getting some level of connectivity to server shares
Are they correctly joined to the domain...or are they also just a hack job by a pizza tech and really just running stand alone mode with the server in a peer to peer setup
Do they each have a unique domain user account.....or are they all sharing one login?

You can wonder all day long.....
Question is, do you want to take this job on? Straighten it out properly?
Have the skillset to take on this small business server and get it setup correctly?
Have the drive to get them to pay you to setup the network properly if you find they're XP Homeless or all in workgroup mode?

Can ask "if"..."what if"..all weekend long, but going onsite to do a good site survey and look at it all and proceed with proper corrective measures is the next hurtle.

 

[carrcomp]

I agree, but be careful.

If you've never looked at a server before, i suggest you take along your server friend to consult with.

If these things aren't setup properly the last thing you want to do is knock it offline and the only way to fix it is to pay for licences and hours of work ...

 

[nelsonm]

As i stated previously, I did setup a Windows Server 2008 R2 with a few XP clients in my office to learn from. It wasn't that difficult, but it's been a while and I don't remember much.

In any case, I was planning to do a site survey first and not mess with anything. But you all are right, it is better to error on the side of caution. I'll consult my server friend first.

thanks.

 

[bits-n-bytes]

I fell ya bro.
as a person who's been, and sometimes still is in your position. and thrown to the wolves. Welcome to Mich,

Up or LP?

 

[MobileTechie]

You need to go and take a look. What they're asking is extremely simple.

If you're not au fait with the system then probably the easiest thing to do when you get there is to check the properties of the PCs on the network and see if they're in a domain or just in a workgroup. Chances are they're in a domain but you never know.

If it turns out to be too complex for you then you might try to see if they'll let you install logmein "so I can log in to check a few things that need checking out without it costing you onsite time". That way you can get unlimited access to the server, find out exactly what's going on without being under any pressure.

 

[nelsonm]

bits-n-bytes,
I'm in Wayne county, MI.


MobileTechie,
Thanks for the offer - i appreciate it, but i already have a local tech with server experience ready to step in if I can't handle it.

 

[DirtyDanno]

I think what MbileTechie means is that when your client asks you why you want to install a remote access tool, your explanation will be "so I can log in to check a few things that need checking out without it costing you onsite time".
This is meant for YOU not him.

IMHO this server task may be a little more than you are prepared for. If you are not sure how to add a workstation to a domain or what flavor of OS the workstations are currently using, basic things that should be asked when "feeling out" the job, then perhaps you should let your server experienced friend take this one with you as the intern.

Either way good luck and keep us posted!

 

[nelsonm]

Oops, I should of read the line a little closer.

Don't worry, I'm not about to shoot myself in the foot in front of a new client.

 

[MobileTechie]

Yeah i wasn't offering personal help but just suggesting a way to give yourself extra time to work things out without the client looking over your shoulder.

 

[bits-n-bytes]

All the way down there , I'm UP on the other end of I75, and i can tell ya from experience, these guys are good , given time, and the ability to take a look around without disturbing folks during working hours is great, however , billable time becomes a issue, when does learning turn into fixing, and how do you get compensated for it.
Good Luck, take it slow, and remember SBS is a different beast than plain ole server.


BnB

 

[nelsonm]

ok, I visited the client.... What a mess!

Who ever initially setup the server and clients did a hack job. As it turns out, the entire server is only being used to share one document folder as a mapped drive from each client. It's not setup for file or application serving at all.

There are big problems:

1. None of the XP or W7 clients could discover each other or any devices on the network.
2. There are no system or data backup procedures on any of the systems including the server.
3. None of the systems are on UPS's.
4. All clients where members of a workgroup... no domain.

None of the clients could see anything on the network either through the network panel or the map network drive feature on W7 or XP.

Since I was able to access the server data via the file protocol, I created a mapped drive and provided access to there server data from there new client pc through the "net use" command. The printer could not be setup, it was dead out of the box.

The short of it is that the client wants me to come back and setup a proper client/server configuration, rebuild a few workstations, apply disaster recovery procedures and setup UPS's!

Well, what do ya know....

 

[bits-n-bytes]

Sorry, er Congrats, er Good luck in any way.

BnB

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Heh...sounds like fun.
So maybe the server didn't get fully installed..the rest of SBS Setup wasn't continued....wonder if they just got the first part of CD 1 going....til Server 2003 was installed...in workgroup mode, and never continued the rest of SBS setup.

So anyways...you can check on that, if that is the case...plan on another 4 hours of continuing SBS setup, which does all the DCPromo and Exchange setup, and then run a kajillion Microsoft updates, run the SBS Best Practice Analyzer...adjust what it tells you....total so far probably 6 hours.

Adjust the network, kill DHCP on the router so SBS has it running. (so kill SBS before continuing SBS setup)

All workstation...inventory the OS, prepare quote for upgrading any "Home" versions of Windows to "Pro". Figure minimum 30 minutes a pop (depending on hardware specs)

Setup e-mail
Setup remote access
Setup managed antivirus
Setup backup, equipment
Quote an APC SU1000 or higher
Ensure on biz class internet connection
Ensure biz class router
Check on MS Office license quantites

Yeah you got probably 3 grand in labor coming your way....2 grand minimum, plus hardware 'n software licenses.

 

[FremontPC]

Sounds like these folks might be better off with a NAS, gigabit nics and a good switch, unless they're growing leaps and bounds. What do they have for a router?