Tammy <> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> We are currently running SBS2003 Premium in 3 separate small offices
> (total 36 users) - totally separate networks. At first we were
> simply going to purchase new Dell servers with SBS2008 (x3) however
> management is now quite keen on centralizing everything in an offsite
> location.
OK - but who's going to do maintenance / backup and to what?
> I am just not sure where to start and am looking for maybe
> a little assistance in pointing in the right direction.
>
> If we went with an offsite hosting option this is what we will need:
> 1) Windows Server 2008
> 2) Exchange Server 2010
> 3) MOSS 2007
> 4) SQL 2008 (back end for a custom program)
Plus CALs for all the above.
> 5) We also need to provide remote access for QuickBooks Enterprise
> users (currentl6 on separate terminal server)
....as it should and must stay. You should not use your SBS box or any DC or
Exchange box... or a server with *any* other roles... as a TS box.
>
> Ideally we want all staff to RDP into this centralized location for
> emails, documents, QuickBooks, etc. We will probably not go with
> SBS2008 because of this set-up
You haven't made an argument against SBS2008 yet ...do you have more than 75
users total (or expect to have more than that, soon?)
> and also want to work with Exchange
> Server 2010 (need to manage 3 email domains now on one server).
Well, even Exchange 5x could do that. Not that there aren't other reasons
you might want Exchange 2010, but this isn't one of them.
>
> Where to start? I suppose this can not all go one box!
Sure, if it's a super-beefy box and hosts several virtual servers. From what
I can see you need at least three. DC/Exchange (best not to combine but
that's probably fine) and it could host files/printing as well. SQL and
MOSSa and the Quickbooks server components could share a box. TS needs to be
a member server that does nothing else.
I don't get the purpose of the offsite location. You will be paying through
the nose in hosting costs and it will add complexity to your admin if you
have no physical access to the boxes (especially if you don't virtualize).
At the very least make sure you've got remote access cards in any server
hardware and are using some sort of backup appliance (e.g., Datto) that
replicates elsewhere. Why can't you do this in one main office, using either
SBS2008 (if you have fewer than 75 users) or EBS2008 if you have more? Set
up a hub/spoke IPSEC VPN or MPLS and keep the servers in the main office.
If this is not your area of expertise (and there's no shame in that) I
would suggest you get some good consulting folks in to do the heavy lifting
here. This could be a big mess if not done properly....and if your company
doesn't have the budget to do it right then it shouldn't be done at all.
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