Server Update for Primary School

[andyt57]

One of my primary schools is single form entry with about 25 staff and 210 pupils.

 

The server is currently a Dell PowerEdge T620 with 16Gb RAM and a single Xeon E5-2609. Microsoft Server 2016 runs on a 224Gb SSD and the data is stored on a 5.46Tb RAID array of hard drives.

 

Since the server was originally installed the school has moved to Office 365 and online storage. All the pupil Windows laptops have been replaced with Chromebooks. There is an IT Suite of 17 machines but that has not been used since the start of the lockdown last year so it may well be converted back into a classroom.

 

Since most data is now stored on SharePoint and OneDrive less than 1Tb of the RAID array is being used.

 

We still need a local server as a DC for local logins for all the staff, Group Policy, DHCP and DNS. There are still PCs for the office staff, each class whiteboard PC, and PPA room, etc. It will also provide print services and local scanner storage.

 

The T620 is starting to give issues and I am thinking of replacing it.

 

Will Azure give me what I want, or am I better off buying a small refurbished server for such as ICT-Direct?

 

Andy

[ICTDirect_Dave]

better off buying a small refurbished server for such as ICT-Direct?

 

 

Always here if you need us!

[johnlevis]

There are a couple of things to consider if you're thinking of moving to cloud based - will any third party apps be supported, will your printers work with cloud based printing etc.

 

Personally I'd always keep something on site, whether that's a refurb or a new server (worth comparing).

 

Happy to jump on a call if you want to let me know your availability.

 

John

[andyt57]

There are a couple of things to consider if you're thinking of moving to cloud based - will any third party apps be supported, will your printers work with cloud based printing etc.

 

Personally I'd always keep something on site, whether that's a refurb or a new server (worth comparing).

 

Happy to jump on a call if you want to let me know your availability.

 

John

 

John,

 

Thanks. From my reading Azure is not yet there as a DC replacement and we will need something on site, but I just wanted confirmation.

 

Andy

Edited June 11, 2021 by andyt57

[Katy]

John,

 

Thanks. From my reading Azure is not yet there as a DC replacement and we will need something on site, but I just wanted confirmation.

 

Andy

 

You could run the DC as an Azure VM, then VPN back to site, but you'd need something local (such as the router) to provide DHCP, and DNS. (While you could have the Azure DC providing DNS, Microsoft recommend you use local DNS for resolving all the Office 365 etc services so that you get the closest/fastest to the school rather than the closest to the site running your Azure VM) - although I've not got quite that far yet and we still have things like DC, PaperCut MF server running on site (although, again, that would work fine as an Azure VM with VPN).

 

There's also Azure AD DS (which is different to Azure AD) which is basically a set of traditional DCs running in Azure, although in my case I've gone with a VM running as DC instead as it's cheaper and we don't need the level of resiliency AADDS offers.

 

In your case, unless you've got a burning desire to cloudify everything, I'd still be keeping a DC and a few other services local for now. If you do look at Azure VMs, make sure you check out reservations - if you commit for 1 or 3 years the price drops massively (and it's not a "cash up front" deal, you still pay monthly just at much reduced cost).

[chaplic]

John,

 

Thanks. From my reading Azure is not yet there as a DC replacement and we will need something on site, but I just wanted confirmation.

 

Andy

 

 

Use cases may vary of course, but I recently went serverless at my Primary - pure Azure AD auth + intune, no servers on site (with a small exception of two devices running DHCP). Windows Update for Business seems to be a lot more reliable too. The school network is now very close to a zero trust environment/ basically just a way to connect to the internet. Wouldn't have it any other way now.