Setting up a domain

[Big Jim]

I am running a dell poweredge server in my shop, it came with windows 2000 server (and is still running that)

I am currently running all the computers on a workgroup but was thinking that I should perhaps move over to a domain.

So I setup a spare tower with server 2000 and followed a guide and got well and truly lost with active domains and dns settings etc.

There are only 2 people in my shop, myself and my one staff member and we logon normally as ourselves, and I created a 3rd user to log onto the front desk pc for booking in etc.

Now whilst it may not benefit me much to move to a domain I think the experience of setting one up will come in greatly useful for when I start to tackle business customers.

Can anyone here offer any advice/help with this ?


Thanks
James

 

[angry_geek]

Best advice I can give: forget the server 2000. It's increasingly rare, though there are a few old domains out there still. If you're doing this to break into business service, get a Technet subscription. Then set up a server '08 domain for your internal operations. Also, set up a server '03 domain for learning and testing. I still see a lot of '03 domains. You don't need big hardware for domain controllers on small networks depending on what features you're running. I've got a lab DC running small business 2011 with SQL and exchange. It's running on a Core 2 Duo with 4 GB of ram.

 

[Big Jim]

Server in question is a Dell poweredge 2650
dual xeon 2.8
2gb ram (DDR1 I beleive)
2 x 36gb RAID1 10krpm SCSI main drive
3 x 300GB RAID5 10krpm storage drive

Do you think this would run 2003 server ?

As far as setup goes is there much of a difference between the actual setup stages using 2000 or 2003 ?

If not I can use the 2000 that I already have to get to grips with the setup and initial admin.

My issue is knowing exactly what to do. As I said I have tried already to set it up but I think I need an idiots guide to setting it up as I got totally lost.

James

 

[angry_geek]

That would run '03 without any issues. I would probably throw another 2 GB of ram in it if you can find it. Be sure to use fb as I'm pretty sure that server requires it. The setup is different. In 2000, you can load up everything in setup. In 2k3, you load everything post-install. There are some differences in navigation and a lot more power with ad and group policies. Be sure to download group policy manager after you get set up. It will help you a great deal. There are also a lot of policy templates available online; these will help you learn.

 

[MotzTech]

If you're doing this to break into business service, get a Technet subscription. Then set up a server '08 domain for your internal operations. Also, set up a server '03 domain for learning and testing.

Just to be clear, TechNet is not licensed for a live production environment. For that you would need an action pack subscription. That being said, if you purchase an action pack subscription, that includes a standard TechNet subscription.

 

[trendless]

I totally forgot that MAPS included basic Technet! Blast, and I just re-upped my Technet Plus this year

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I wrote a short article about TCP and DNS on small networks....it's old (was based on SBS03)...but the points it makes still hold true.

http://www.speedguide.net/articles/server-based-network-guide-1660

 

[Big Jim]

I wrote a short article about TCP and DNS on small networks....it's old (was based on SBS03)...but the points it makes still hold true.

http://www.speedguide.net/articles/server-based-network-guide-1660

THAT is going to help tremendously with what I am doing, thanks.

I have a question however, as this is a computer repair shop I often connect my customers machines to the internet using my network, will having a DC on the network prevent access to the internet unless the connected client has joined the domain ?

If so then this isn't going to be so useful for my shop

Thanks
James

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

will having a DC on the network prevent access to the internet unless the connected client has joined the domain ?

If so then this isn't going to be so useful for my shop

Thanks
James

Not at all....DHCP from your DC (server) doesn't need authentication to hand out IPs. The internet is separate....clients workstations will get their IP lease, subnet, default gateway..and DNS..and that's all they care about.

Careful about open shares on your server though..share to authenticated users only, not wide open shares. If a clients infested computer gets plugged into your LAN..and it has some malware that is network aware and self spreading...could infect your workstations and server. So think about doing a VLAN...or at least hiding them behind another router that is double NAT'd behind your LAN. In which case..you'll have another DHCP source for them.