Home Drive Server

[djm968]

Something else that may be worth considering if you are willing to spend some cash is purchasing a 2nd user server to offload some of the less vital roles (e.g. WSUS and maybe the testing stuff which generally doesn't need a high spec server).

I agree with moving the other services, but instead of two servers would spec a server with say 10 disks two RAID 5's, a RAID 1 for the OS, a disk for the page file and a hot spare.

I would try to provide GB ethernet to the server and team the NIC's.

With this setup profile size shouldn't be a problem although the bursar should be sitting down before you present the quote, just remind him how important the staff data is to calm his nerves.

[k-strider]

Thanks for the Replies guys

I’m testing some of the things suggested over the next week or so.

The profiles generally between 2 and 30 meg most probably average on 10ish… I’m hoping that the more paths I exclude from the profile over the next few days that should shrink them.. Also I have started moving some peoples profiles onto a different server to see if it makes a difference.

I’d be interested to hear how to use the Office Outlook ADM to make it auto-magically be setup with mandatory profiles, I had a quick look through the Outlook ADM but couldn’t see a setting for use outlook in exchange mode or the like…. Because that really is the only thing stopping me using them. The students do use web access from home etc but its just not as good as outlook especially the way the address book works and the inability to open other calendars

I am becoming off the opinion one server for one job… and I was hoping to off load the WSUS and other stuff away from the main file server.. either be it a new cheaper server and upgrade the disk system in the current file server or a new file server and use the current one for those tasks.

For ref the server supports about 1000 Users but as I said in my original post there are 3 classes so 90 fixed terminals plus about 70 teacher laptops so usually about 160 Users Plus upto 90 more depending on how many year 7s are use there laptops.. which makes it about 160-250 concurrent connections. next year it will be +90 more as we increase the number of student laptops. etc etc..

That dell storage server does look good value for money I might investigate that further next year when the money comes in! some nice SAS drives would be very fast!!

[CyberNerd]

but for a file server I would always recommend including an extra disk for the page file.

Can you explain? Are file servers more likely to thrash the swap drive more than anything else?

[djm968]

[quote="CyberNerd"]

Can you explain? Are file servers more likely to thrash the swap drive more than anything else?

No not really it’s a performance thing, a small but fast disk preferably on a separate controller with the paging or swap file configured to use it can significantly increase performance.

I wouldn’t recommend NAS or fibre channel storage either in experience DAS with SCSI out-performs both

[kiran]

I have found that using a Redirected Start Menu's - with Outlook Target set to import a PRF it works fine without roaming profiles :

eg. "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\OUTLOOK.EXE" /importprf \\server\sharedfolder\prf.prf

PRF's are easily made and if you would like my copy I happy to post it.