What Windows Servers should do!

[GrumbleDook]

They won't ... not when they have "partners" who pay them a fee to be a preferred solution and to have "special access" to M$ folk to help creating their brand of kludge.

Don't get me wrong ... a number of 3rd party suppliers provide fantastic resources ...

But don't forget that what you have now with OSX Server has been around for years ... but produced by a 3rd party. Pretty much everything in MacManager can be done with MacAdmin.

Both are fantastic though ....

[andy]

Haven't had to leave my chair to set up printers for years now - Thank God.

Me neither! Have someone to do it for me

[intrigue]

we setup the printers with a location environment variable and a logon script. Dont have to touch any machines to get the printers working. (other then the location variable but you can do that with Remote MMC)
.matt

[Dos_Box]

we setup the printers with a location environment variable and a logon script. Dont have to touch any machines to get the printers working. (other then the location variable but you can do that with Remote MMC)
.matt

Everyone here uses scripts for printers, if you look through the forums you will see numerous posts on the topic. The point is you shouldn't have to.

[SpuffMonkey]

I'd just like an easy way of seeing who is logged on and at which PC - so I know who to phone when I have to dip a server. Grrr.

[mark]

Can't you get that information on your server SM - under open files?

[kingswood]

I think you all have excellent points (and gripes). As an Apple lover (they are good for your health you know) I can note the failings of Server 2003 and say, "if we had a Tiger Server..." but in the end we would have our own problems even with that solution (albeit not as cumbersome).

What is worse than Server's failings here, are the "solutions" that supposedly make using the thing in schools "easier". You know them- RM, Viglen, and in our case, CSE. They "do" tack on glossy interfaces for basic tasks, target those interfaces at people who know nothing better, and then when those tools break or don't work they sit back and rake in "engineering" time to fix them.

As someone said, it's all a money making sham. And it makes our jobs so hard at times. Printers are a *perfect* example of this: trying to get a script to apply that will assign printers to rooms using a GPO this week has cause me major headaches. Why HAVE M$ made this so freakin hard??

Windows Server 2003 R2? I thought this would just add some new features and include SP1 etc? If it does add new features, what will be the cost of "upgrading" to this release....

Paul

[john]

R2 is going to cost a new licence for Server, unless you have SA on your licences, so its a costly upgrade, but worth it for Fileservers and Print Servers in my view.

[catbert]

I'd just like an easy way of seeing who is logged on and at which PC - so I know who to phone when I have to dip a server. Grrr.

gpinventory.exe

part of the windows server 2003 resource kit

once loaded:
query => Select Computers to Target with Active Directory, click the checkbox and then press ok.
query => Select Information to Gather and select WMI: Logged on User then press ok.

Press F5 or go query => Run Query

and theres all your logged on users using the computer in AD, you can import a list of computers from a text file. as long as the account your running from has the privilages to run WMI queries on a remote machine, you'll find out who's logged on.


Alan

[SpuffMonkey]

I'd just like an easy way of seeing who is logged on and at which PC - so I know who to phone when I have to dip a server. Grrr.

gpinventory.exe

//useful bits snipped//

and theres all your logged on users using the computer in AD, you can import a list of computers from a text file. as long as the account your running from has the privilages to run WMI queries on a remote machine, you'll find out who's logged on.


Alan

Now that sounds really useful - I'll have a play - cheers

[tarquel]

@john:

I'm annoyed - i got a MS beta invite for server 2k3 R2 but for some reason, nothing happened and I cant seem to access it anymore. I'll have to check the email again but the only thing i can do is put the guest id in again.

Their beta site is really crap i think. I cant get into it properly - never have been able to.

Have only ever seen one beta active even when I'm meant to have a few active - it makes no sense.

.... er.... /rant lol

Regards
Nath

[linuxgirlie]

Hi,

Found this thread whilst looking for ideas for Karoshi, does anyone else want to add any features etc they need/would like Windows Servers do out of the box. That way we can convert these over to our system so they are there for when users want to use it.

Thanks,

Jo

[Irazmus]

Why is it that you can use AD to set what computers a user CAN log on to, but not the ones they CAN'T?
And why are neither options available for groups?

[OverWorked]

Why is there not a box that says limit user to 1 logon only (there is for terminal service users)?!

Like setting a maximum idle time limit for logged on users. Something else only available to Terminal Services.

[djm968]

[quote="Dos_Box"]What Windows Servers should do!
quote]

Inform certain members of SLT that door stop is not the most productive use of a Laptop computer!

Sorry but that did made me laugh when I recently heard it.

If everyting in the Windows server OS was GUI-ised, some of us wouldn't have any work and the rates of pay would reflect the lack of skills and knowledge required to run a windows based network.