Poll - RM School or Vanilla School

[jamesfed]

Hi all,

I've just been asked by the SLTs to ask everyone what networking server system they are running so here goes in the wonderful poll format-

[dgsmith]

RM CC4 - that isn't a recommendation though (at least not yet, still)..

[Jamman960]

Vanilla all the way especially as any new installs will be CC4 which I've yet to see a positive review of on here.

 

Server 2003/8 has everything needed to setup a good network and you get to choose all of the components for print/file/user management etc rather than having to use whatever RM decide is best.

[FN-GM]

Server 2008 R2

[speckytecky]

Moving alongside your question Jamesfed I'd be interested to hear feedback from here on the feelings on running Vanilla systems with management add ons such as Ranger over running them directly through AD and GP -if that makes any sense!

 

Simply, I suppose, do systems such as Ranger bring anything that AD and GP don't?

[jsnetman]

do systems such as Ranger bring anything that AD and GP don't

I guess they afford some simplicity in managing a network, such as user managers and the like of that, and of course ready to use GPO's if ranger uses them.

[sparkeh]

Um, all of the above

[cookie_monster]

Server 2008 SP2 DC's with a mix of 2008 SP2 and 2003 SP2 member servers.

[jsnetman]

jamesfed, I have followed your posts regarding this issue, in my view you would be better off and cheaper with a vanilla network but have you got the experience in house to setup and manage a vanilla setup. Are you putting yourself forward to do this. You have mentioned getting BT in to do it but I would suggest this is not a viable option. You would have to be prepared to set it up and manage it yourself. Contracting it out would be just as costly if not more than RM or Ranger. On the other hand if you want me and my techie to come there over a holiday period we could bash one out for you at a very reasonable price !!! Edited October 7, 2009 by jsnetman

[cookie_monster]

Simply, I suppose, do systems such as Ranger bring anything that AD and GP don't?

 

 

They do provide a uniform look and feel so you know what you get but they don't provide anything that you can’t achieve with a 'little' more work on a vanilla setup.

 

Speaking as someone who has migrated two schools from RM and Ranger to vanilla setups so I'm familiar with all except CC4.

 

 

 

jsnetman makes a very good point you need to make sure that 'all' of your staff will be comfortable with a vanilla setup and make provisions for if you're off due to unforeseen circumstances something that far to many schools leave themselves open too. Having a support company that you deal with that know your setup can help. Make your vanilla setup something they would be willing to support if you go down that route.

Edited October 7, 2009 by cookie_monster

[sippo]

'Vanillia' all the way

[Diello]

Definately Vanilla if you've got the in-house skills. RM CCx is great if you're a school with limited technical skills, Ranger etc., is great if you have some decent skills, but not enough to really build a network from scratch.

 

As you move up to more ingrained 3rd part network management, you loose flexibility and innovation, but require less skills. So it's basically a trade off.

 

To us, nothing beats building it from scratch and knowing every inch of it perfectly, but the school has got to be comfortable with knowing it's got the in-house skills to develop and run it.

[Edu-IT]

To us, nothing beats building it from scratch and knowing every inch of it perfectly, but the school has got to be comfortable with knowing it's got the in-house skills to develop and run it.

And the money to pay the staff to do it.

[HullFC]

CC3, CC4 and Vanilla.

 

Definite thumbs down for CC4. Still not ready and an absolute resource hog. Vanilla Server 2008 is the way to go if you are technical enough, GP prefs making our lives much easier.

[Theblacksheep]

CC3 - cancelled CC4 downgrade.

 

Now going vanilla 2008r2 and 7.

[richardp]

A 2003 vanilla windows network, never used RM CC... but have heard some positive things about CC3 and some negative things about CC4. Also run an OS X Leopard (not snow leopard yet) system on an Xserve with authentication through windows.

 

Richard.

[FN-GM]

something to keep in mind is that industry systems wont have RM or Ranger. If you use vinilla in your school the skills you gain can be used in more organisations. Does that make sense?

[webman]

Currently on CC3, migrating to CC4 within the next 12 months.

[rad]

RM CC4 - that isn't a recommendation though (at least not yet, still)..

 

Agree totally.

 

Pc's run slower on CC4 than CC3 and everything is a lot harder to manage.

[jamesfed]

Hi all,

thanks for your input!

[sparkeh]

something to keep in mind is that industry systems wont have RM or Ranger. If you use vinilla in your school the skills you gain can be used in more organisations. Does that make sense?

 

But of course you make recommendations based on what is best for your school, not your career right?

[FN-GM]

But of course you make recommendations based on what is best for your school, not your career right?

 

Allot of people just use it because it is easier, it might be worth the extra hard work to use Windows. I would never join a school that uses RM Community connect or RM - this is just my personal view, i know others will think differently

Edited October 7, 2009 by FN-GM

[webman]

As you move up to more ingrained 3rd part network management, you loose flexibility and innovation, but require less skills. So it's basically a trade off.

 

Can you please back your assertion up with some facts? I would class our support team very skilled, yet we still run an RM CC3 network; and it is nowhere close to a trade-off.

 

We have the best of both worlds, to use a cliché. A solid Windows-based network, with tools to make our job easier, which makes us more efficient. More time for us to better support our users; and to learn other technologies which make things even better - virtualisation, Linux, open source, web-based stuff etc etc.

 

Please stop trying to use CC3 to insult people's skillset.

Edited October 7, 2009 by webman

[Edu-IT]

Allot of people just use it because it is easier, it might be worth the extra hard work to use Windows. I would never join a school that uses RM Community connect or RM

I disagree. Yes, it may be easier in some aspects, but in the background everything is pretty much the same. It may come 'configured out of the box' but you still need to understand the core setup in order to be able to manage it.

 

As Webman says.

[featured_spectre]

Server 2008 R2 as your DC

Server 2003 R2 with ISA as your filtering box (if you dont have smoothwall/dansguardian/squid)

Server 2003 R2 as your file storage

Server 2003 R2 as your resources box (for applications etc).

 

Mine is set up in a similar way. If possible get each one on a RAID10 config using 1TB per machine!