Server for 3 Person Office?

[olds]

My wife is looking to start a business and will have her laptop that she brings between work and home and two desktops for employees. I plan to buy or build a server to host the applications that she and the employees will use. I want to do this so all the data is on one machine so that it is current and easier to back up. I plan to put an additional hdd in the server to back up to.
What kind of specs such a machine?
How about software, can I just run XP Pro or should I use server software?
How about a remote connection from home to the office?
TIA

 

[DaveSimmons]

For just file sharing, linux, XP Pro, Win2K, even Win98SE will all work.

You also don't need much CPU power so any Dell special or old Duron/XP/P3 you have around will be enough.

Since this is a business, you should think about off-site backup of files in case of fire, flood, theft. We had a break-in at my last job so take this seriously! Off-site could be CD-RW / DVD-RW (or -R for permanancy), tape drive, or external hard drive.

> How about a remote connection from home to the office?

Router box with VPN? Not sure about how to do this securely so your fileserver doesn't get hacked. You might check networking forum, www.practicallynetworked.com, www.arstechnica.com

 

[txxxx]

Just a suggestion - WiFi to another business nearby with an arrangement to use each other's storage as backup? Clearly, data will be encrypted.

If you turn an old PC into a VPN router - make sure its doing nothing but routing.

 

[dchakrab]

Why application sharing on a network that small? That's going to be more pain than it's worth.

Easier to just have a centralised storage space, which you can do with pretty much any machine, any OS...i've done it with 200 mhz pc's, so you shouldn't have a problem with that at all. I wouldn't use VPN unless you absolutely have to...it's always seemed to me to be much more of a security risk than it's worth, unless you can physically isolate sensitive data from the VPN segment of your network (i.e. have one secure and one non-secure network)...this is rarely the case.

If your wife is going to be carrying her laptop back and forth anyway, she could just copy over any data she needs to work on at home...if this seems like it would work at all, i'd just go with a simple, secure, local network at the office. No need for a domain, or anything else...use a consumer router with a DHCP server, stick everything on the same domain, and you should be all set.

Hope that helps,

Dave.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: dchakrab
Why application sharing on a network that small? That's going to be more pain than it's worth.

The employees and my wife will be generating sales records and invoices. It seemed like a logical way to do it and keep track of everything in Quick Books.
This is all new to me so I am open to all suggestions. Thanks.

 

[DaveSimmons]

You might check for Quickbooks whether it needs something actually running on the server, or if it just uses it as a file server and the client software cooperates through record locking of portions of the data files.

For example, with Access files are kept on the server, but the only programs running are on the client machines, while with SQL Server there is an application running on the server.

 

[piasabird]

Well you could come up with a simple system like a local intranet and use a web based inventory and sales system. Without knowing your business or how you plan to operate your business it is hard to say. They sell systems on the internet for sales where you can look at the inventory and check your cart to see what is in it and then accept payment. Generally a system like this requires a database and an application server type of system. There are probably ways to build it yourself using Access, or to buy a limited use system from some type of business software company.

This is an old problem so I would not try to find a new solution to it. Look for existing packages. This could cost from nothing to 4 million for a top notch system. Surely there are some inventory and payroll systems out there that are already premade for certain types of businesses. I could see some software costing from say $49 to $2,000.00. I think we purchased some auction management software last year for less than $2,000.

 

[bluewall21]

Maybe just a simple, free FTP server?

I have a good one.

 

[olds]

The business is a used car delearship.

 

[DaveSimmons]

The invoice & bookkeeping system at my last job just needed a file server for shared files (plus client software on each desktop), and ran acceptably on a P-133 with NT4 and I think it was 32 MB of RAM! So don't think you need a dual Xeon and 2 GB of RAM to do this.

 

[Paulson]

I run a fileserver/webserver/email server that gets limited but constant use... it's only a pentium 300mhz with 256megs of ram running windows 2003 server.

Works like a charm though... can be a little sluggish but it does what I want it to do.

 

[addragyn]

Quickbooks and ACT will both run off networked storage.

Pickup a HW router/FW/VPN device. Have it provide DHCP for your network and remote access for your wife.

For the server any old box will do. And I mean any - like that P233 sitting in your corner. Set this box up with a static IP. Run two drives in RAID 1. If you really want hook up some SCSI. Use http://www.e-smith.org. Keep the box cool and stick it on a small UPS.

Get your clients setup. I'd recommend redirecting My Documents to the server. Ghost each client.

For backup I'd grab two or three 2.5" Firewire drives. You wife runs the e-smith backup from her machine everyday when. Keep the drives in rotation.

Email me if you need a hand. This setup is simple, solid and inexpensive.

 

[DancingBear]

This probably will not be a popular solution, but for ease of use I would take a hard look at MS Small Business Server 2003. The OS cost is only $495 and I believe that it will enable your VPN requirement. For cheap boxes, check out Dell.

 

[tart666]

btw, dell has good specials on pre-installed SMB server when you buy it with server

 

[hausdave]

For an office as small as three people I would consider one of those stand-alone server appliances that do POP3, FTP, File sahres, and DHCP.