split up a SBS server

[autumn]

G day all,

I've got a customer who is moving to a temp location for three weeks. in this time they will be sharing their internet with the company they are renting from. I don't think I'll get access to the routers and they may have a exchange server on site already. I'm meant to be migrating them from sbs 2003 to sbs 2011 at the moment as well but I've put that on hold.

What I'm thinking is the introduce a server 2008 std server and setup as a secondary DC. More their data across to this server and put this in place at the temp location. Keep the SBS server running at another location that I have access to the routers and no current servers to interfere with this one.

So Server Std @ site1 where workstations/laptops will be, SBS @ site 2 which just has internet so mail can be received.

the Outlook clients are set up to use HTTP but will this still work with the server std at the site1 were the workstations will be?

What would you consider? They are moving in one week time.

Thanks in advance
TIm

 

[TazUk]

What I'm thinking is the introduce a server 2008 std server and setup as a secondary DC. More their data across to this server and put this in place at the temp location. Keep the SBS server running at another location that I have access to the routers and no current servers to interfere with this one.

Is there a VPN set up between the two sites?

the Outlook clients are set up to use HTTP but will this still work with the server std at the site1 were the workstations will be?

Yep that would work assuming it's setup correctly at the server end.

At the temporary site do they have just the 1 public IP?

Do they use any cloud based email filtering service?

 

[autumn]

Is there a VPN set up between the two sites?



Yep that would work assuming it's setup correctly at the server end.

At the temporary site do they have just the 1 public IP?

Do they use any cloud based email filtering service?

I wasn't going to do a VPN between sites and I don't know if the site1 will allow VPN pass through. I haven't been given much info.

Again I'm presuming they only have 1 public IP. the person I've been speaking to is really only an finance person and doesn't know much technical stuff and hard to get info from.

Yes they are using spamhero, I think I know where you are going, to use like pop accounts to download? I did think of this but I don't think it's going to work because they aren't on the same device all the time and also they use webmail etc.

 

[TazUk]

Yes they are using spamhero, I think I know where you are going, to use like pop accounts to download? I did think of this but I don't think it's going to work because they aren't on the same device all the time and also they use webmail etc.

Actually I was going to suggest changing the receive connector in Exchange to use a different port and then specifying that in SpamHero, assuming it has that option. They could then use the SBS server at the temporary site as is.

 

[autumn]

Ok I've done this now and all is good. no issues at all at the moment. would you suggest to connect a vpn between them so the AD updates? I'm not changing anything on either side during the temporary situation.

 

[unclemarv]

SBS with VPN....

I'm know that this is a little late... but I did have a client where we took over a botched network with multiple locations and SBS 2003. We were able to make this work with a proper VPN using SonicWall routers. The main difference for us was that there were servers in the other two locations and they were setup as child domains to the parent in the main location.

 

[OfficeTechs]

take a look at Logmein Hamachi for quick and dirty VPN with no hassles.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Ok I've done this now and all is good. no issues at all at the moment. would you suggest to connect a vpn between them so the AD updates? I'm not changing anything on either side during the temporary situation.

Yes you'll need connectivity between the two servers in some form or another. A router to router VPN tunnel is the common approach. Active Directory needs to replicate between the two servers (by default every 3 hours I think, but this can be adjusted). If the servers do not replicate, AD can become an "island" on the individual servers...and when you try to bring the network back together, you'll find the workstations and second server won't be able to log into the domain, computer accounts will probably act like they are corrupted, users may find they can't access folders on the first DC, stuff like that.

The issue I see is, you don't have control of the edge router at the temp location...so how will you setup a VPN tunnel. Personally I wouldn't install some hokey home grade Hamachi VPN software on any server....I can't begin to fathom the quirky network behavior and quirks that server would have for the rest of its life.