Split site Network

[lee_sri]

There may be the possibility that our school will be on a split site soon we currently operated a network running 2003 server and xp clients. The other site is running similar.

 

Does anyone operate a split site?

If so what do you advise is the best way if achieving this?

 

The main things it will need to do is enable a teacher to be able to logon on either site and still be able to access every thing as if they were at there home site.

 

One idea I have had is to use one of the fiber links that has been installed for the broadband and find out if the phone co can route this back to the other site.

 

The distance between the 2 sites is about 1.5km.

 

Any info suggestions would be helpful.

 

Thanks

Lee

[Norphy]

We have a wireless connection running at 5.8GHz and 10mbps running to another school for our internet connection. That other school is about a mile away. This was installed by our LEA as we're too far from our exchange to get SDSL. Perhaps get a similar system? Or if your schools are close enough to their exchange(s?) get a fast SDSL connection and set up a VPN between the two sites?

 

Then you could set up a trust between your domains so you can share logons and resources. Either that or create a child domain on one of the sites. Put a GC on either side to help speed up logons and bobs your uncle.

[kingswood]

We run a split site school (since September last year), and though it has been challenging I think the job has been well done. When we took over the new school we inherited a network infrastructure that was totally different to our own, so had the added "bonus" of having to upgrade all the switches and links that mattered.

 

Between sites we had fibre links put in by county with core switches at each end. It costs money, but the speed is fantastic with lots of spare capacity too for future needs. As far as logging on is concerned, if you can re-install the new site's server to be a member of the same domain and make it a DC- that way you will be able to logon on either site (replication is great- make sure your link is pretty fast though if you use roaming profiles or redirected folders of any kind).

 

What we did was to take the years 7,8,9 and have them situated on one site: the server on that site stores their user areas and accounts (that way redirected folders don't have to traverse the link in any case). Logons are then also local. We implemented DFS so that applications and other important files and folders on the upper site could be seen by the server and users on the lower site. Staff can log on at either end and see their work.

 

Years 10,11,12 etc have accounts on the 2000 Server at the upper site and so all their heavy traffic is also handled locally. Makes for a quicker experience all over really. Admin networks are piped through the core switches and then out onto the internet using a NAT box. And internet access for curriculum is sent through the high speed core switches on lower site all the way through to the router on the upper site at 1GBps. We haven't noticed any loss in speed at all. It just works.

 

This might not fit your situation- the distance is quite large. In that case I think a VPN might help- but that will depend on your infrastructure and the speed of your internet access etc. Speak to someone at county and ask them to come in and help you plan this one.

 

If you need any advice or ideas call us and we will be very happy to talk to you.

 

Good luck!

 

Paul

[mac_shinobi]

when you say "we" you really me you lol J/K lol

[mac_shinobi]

me = mean fat finger syndrome lol

[kingswood]

That's what I meant.

[mac_shinobi]

kingswood is my representive and what ever he says goes, unless it involves the words ibook, financing, mbna or waiting for my ibook or anything along those lines lol

[mac_shinobi]

Just Kidding @ the representive part lol

[lee_sri]

Thanks for the reply Paul

 

That sounds like just what is going to happen here, and that was the rough idea that i had so its nice to know it could work in practice.

 

Here goes further investergation.

 

Thanks

Lee