Complete Newbie with server 2003

[chris7]

Hi,

 

I as you can see a complete newbie with server 2003 and i'm I have nevertheless installed it for a family members business what needs to happen is I need to create a group policy so then all of the users can't right click, change wallpapers, run their own .exe files, standard old task bar etc. However 'the boss' of the company would like to be able to do these things and have no limits on his account. So how would I have two separate group policies for the users i.e the staff and the manager?

 

Also how would I use 'remote programs' I think it's called so then the staff's pc get the programs off the server?

 

Thanks

 

Chris

[SYNACK]

The group policy one is simple enough, you just need to make new OUs (Organisational Units/Folders) in Active Directory users and computers under where your users are. You then have a different Group policy for each of the OUs and just put your users in whichever OU that has the policy required.

 

Remote Applications is a Windows 2008 technology so if you have 2003 is is not avalible to you. There is terminal services/remote desktop which involves controlling a whole windows session on the server but you will need a bunch more liscences of Microsoft to offer this and a much more complicated setup for the users.

 

If you are after programs that are automaticly installed to the client computers then you are looking at group policy software deployment. You will need properly packaged MSI installers to do this, these come with some programs like MS Office (Volume Liscence - to deal with activation keys) but others need to be repackaged (using a seporate application) which can be time consuming and/or evem impossible depending on how badly the software is written.

Edited January 27, 2009 by SYNACK

[chris7]

Thanks for the reply would it be better then to use 2008? Because he has both but I thought that server 2003 was better for some reason. Then am I right in thinking we could use remote apps?

[mac_shinobi]

The group policy one is simple enough, you just need to make new OUs (Organisational Units/Folders) in Active Directory users and computers under where your users are. You then have a different Group policy for each of the OUs and just put your users in whichever OU that has the policy required.

 

Remote Applications is a Windows 2008 technology so if you have 2003 is is not avalible to you. There is terminal services/remote desktop which involves controlling a whole windows session on the server but you will need a bunch more liscences of Microsoft to offer this and a much more complicated setup for the users.

 

If you are after programs that are automaticly installed to the client computers then you are looking at group policy software deployment. You will need properly packaged MSI installers to do this, these come with some programs like MS Office (Volume Liscence - to deal with activation keys) but others need to be repackaged (using a seporate application) which can be time consuming and/or evem impossible depending on how badly the software is written.

 

whats server 2008 like in terms of printer deployment ie if your version of server 2008 is 64 bit and your clients are xp pro 32 bit ?

 

Or even if server 2008 is 32 bit and clients are 32 bit ( xp pro ) ??

[SYNACK]

whats server 2008 like in terms of printer deployment ie if your version of server 2008 is 64 bit and your clients are xp pro 32 bit ?

 

Or even if server 2008 is 32 bit and clients are 32 bit ( xp pro ) ??

 

Depends on the printers, if the printers have propper 64bit drivers then it is no issue, if they don't you get new printers

 

Thanks for the reply would it be better then to use 2008? Because he has both but I thought that server 2003 was better for some reason. Then am I right in thinking we could use remote apps?

 

You should be able to use remote apps with Server 2008, if your hardware supports it it is a much newer product which can use the full capibilities of newer hardware and comes by default with more features and better security than 2003. Being better able to handle newer clients like Windows Vista and 7 is also a benifit as it has a degree of futureproofing. It does however lack an internal backup tool that is even remotely useable which 2003 does have.