Help with setting up a domain on a Donated HP Netserver

[tickmike]

Hello all.

The small school I look after I set all 30 computers up as Individual workstations with a network for the Internet (not yet on a domain), but I have had a HP NetServer LC 2000 with W2K advanced Server on it, At the moment I have it hooked up to a small Test Network at home.

 

Now I have joined this site I feel a lot more confident about installing it at the school in the summer holidays, I have been playing about with the W2KS software and set up AD with GP .

What the best thing to do about 'roaming profiles' or not ?.

 

Any advice About setting up etc for this small network would be appreciated.

 

From Michael.

[Joedetic]

Make sure the license is valid before you take it into the production environment!

 

If it's donated, was it donated with the documents for the license?

 

I personally wouldnt bother with roaming profiles. If the staff were already using the machines as stand alone's then their settings would be saved as a cached profile on that specific machine (yes??) hence not really worth the roaming profiles.

[ConTheITGuy]

Roaming profiles... brace yourself

 

 

Andy

[mrforgetful]

Mandatory Profiles

[Ric_]

1. Check the documentation for your Windows license... if unsure or you can spare the cash, splash out on a Server 2003 Std license at about £50 from Ramesys.

 

2. Follow the wizard when you run dcpromo and then just add the machines one at a time.

 

3. Have a play with Group Policy and try out redirected start menus and desktops.

 

4. Install WSUS - It's great! If you have the necessary license, also install the management console and central update system for your AV.

 

5. Roaming profiles... I personally don't like them but they do have their uses. See the wiki for more details on each scenario.

 

6. Hard disk space.... as much as you can afford but follow the guidelines of Joedectic above

 

7. Don't forget to use some kind of backup regime.

[tickmike]

Hello . Thanks for the advice.

With a domain I hope to have more control over the little darlings who will keep changing settings , deleting and crashing pc's, It should help with the updates etc.

With 'mandatory profiles' do you have too go and use the same workstation each time or can you log on to any ?.I will read the WIKI later tonight.

At the moment all pc's log on with the same details for one classroom or area with no teachers settings ( the three teachers know how to turn them on and that's about it, o'yes I did give them 'power users' right's to install things.)

If any body got any spare large IDE hard drive's spare I will have a good home for them!.

Michael.

[Ric_]

With a mandatory profile, you set up a profile and store it on the server. This is then pulled to the client at logon and cannot be changed (unlike a roaming one).

 

There is another method where you dump a standard 'Default User' profile in the NETLOGON share - a lot of people do this instead of roaming/mandatory profiles.

[tickmike]

Hello All .

What is the normal practice with servers and workstations are they left running all night / weekend or are they turned off ?.

To save money at this charity run school the teachers turn all the equipment off at the moment to save money which has to be raised by the parents with no help from the government.

From Michael.

[plexer]

You can turn of everything but I would recommend leaving the server turned on.

 

Monitor turned off and if you set the power saving to spin down the disks etc... after several hours inactivity that should help.

 

Ben

[Joedetic]

You'll want to leave the server and your I.net kit running so that it can get updates when no one it using the network.

[Dos_Box]

Hello All .

What is the normal practice with servers and workstations are they left running all night / weekend or are they turned off ?.

To save money at this charity run school the teachers turn all the equipment off at the moment to save money which has to be raised by the parents with no help from the government.

From Michael.

 

Servers are like the elderly. If you put them to bed at night don't expect all of them to wake up in the morning.

Always leave your servers running. It saves on heartbreak.

[tickmike]

That sounds like me , I do not like waking up in the morning (I get up 9am to 11am after about 7 hours sleep !) Its great this retirement at 57 ...