mattstevenson2005

Hi everyone Were having some problems with some users internet access, one day their internet access is fine and working and then a few days later it just stops working then a few days later it starts to work again. This is driving me mad as we cant seem to replicated the problem once the users internet access starts to work again. We use the sophos WS1000 web filters/proxy and microsoft ISA. both devices say that the users have access to the internet with no problems but when the users try to go online all they get is the page cannot be displayed. All users get the same proxy details applied from active directory so if there was a problem with the proxy details all users should stop working, does anybody have any ideas???? Thanks in advance Matthew

Thursday 12th November @ 10:02am Lol Matt

Hi we use a fujitsu TX24 autoloader which has a barcode reader built in. when the library selects a tape to backup too it scans the tape to register it with that nights backup job, you dont have to set it up as such its just used so that when you look at a backup log in exec it just shows you the tape barcode so you can find it. But your library needs to have a barcode reader built in for it to work Matt

you dont need separate file servers for staff and students, we have two SANs (replicated) connected to two clustered file servers serving almost 1000 users and it works very fast!!, we looked into the possibility of using VMs for our file servers but i seem to remember something not good about storing user data inside the VMs i think its better to store the data on SANs then maybe use a virtual file server to share the files from the SAN

Hi I have a attached a copy of our dr stika for you its for windows 95 but it works on xp too here Hope it helps Matt Dr Stika.zip

Hi We have just had a complete server refresh now ruuning 24 servers and they are all fujitsu servers bar 1 and we have not had any problems we are also using 2 fujitsu sx80 SANs (they use seagate drives lol) and they run great we use the duplex data manager software to keep the two SAN in sync with each other. Matt

Thats pretty cool ive got a asus eee 7" laptop built into my dash, i reversed the screen so that it can fit in flush with a custom dash surround, you would never know that it was a laptop or that is was added as an extra. Car Pcs are the best, full touch screen control of ipod, radio, dvd, video files, navigation, internet and handsfree calling, its great for driving long distances. If you are interested in car pcs take a look at road runner (or ride runner as its called now) im currently using the elite skin and it looks amazing at night! Matt

Hi We have just built our new network, we have all users home folders stored on our SANs with the home folder path in AD set as for example \\cluster1\student$\intake2009\09bloggsj but when we log on as that user their home folder h:\ gets mapped to \\cluster1\students$ and that it does not seam to map to their own folder. I have enabled the "Always wait for network" option in group policy but it still does not seem to work, Any ideas? Thanks Matt

I like the idea of using the CNAME for sims might use this in my set, then you would not need to change the connect.ini o point to the second server just the dns record. With regards to the virtual server idea, i believe capita do not support virtualizing sims? I know capita do not support my setup either but it does keep them happy with regards to it being run on a physical box the only difference is that i replicate the shares and backup the database to a second server. With regards to backing up the DMS, i have got it replicating between the two servers so it is always backed 24/7. I have created this design to match all of my other servers as we have two full replicated server rooms containing almost 100% identical hardware in each location e.g. 1 DC, 1 FILE header, 1 fully replicated SAN (using fujitsu duplex data manager) 1 sims server, exchange, isa etc... we have around 24 servers in total in the two locations with 10Gb links between them. With the SAN we have a full storage SAN network, which is completely separate from the data network there are two SX80 SANs, with 2 SAN file headers each connected to two brocade SAN fabric switches (basically everything has a link to everything else so if anything failed the entire storage network can carry on working) all the SAN hardware is connected by 4Gb fibre links with a fujitsu TX24 fibre connected robotic tape library to back it all up

Hi everyone, just to update you all on this idea. I have put this idea in to practice and it works great! BEFORE YOU READ THIS, I PROVIDE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW I HAVE IT SETUP AND WORKING BUT IF YOU COPY THIS SETUP IT IS NOT MY FAULT IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS FROM COPYING THIS DESIGN. THIS IS A QUICK RUN THROUGH AND IF YOU WANT ANY MORE INFO PLEASE CONTACT ME ONE QUICK NOTE, THIS DESIGN RELIES ON HAVING TWO IDENTICAL SIMS SERVERS BUT YOU MUST 100% MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS ONLY 1 ACTIVE SIMS DATABASE AT ANY ONE TIME AND THAT BOTH SERVERS ARE KEPT IN SYNC WITH EACH OTHER. IT IS NOT MY FAULT IF COPYING THIS DESIGN BREAKS YOUR SIMS INSTALLATION AS CAPITA DOES NOT SUPPORT THIS SETUP AND I AM ONLY DOING IT TO PROVIDE A RESILIENT DESIGN TO OUR SIMS INSTALLATION. SERVER SIDE CONFIG (QUICK RUN THROUGH) Now to the fun part, the way I have gotten it to work is to have 2 identical servers running window server 2008 64bit with the full version of sql 2005 64bit. Both servers have SIMS.net installed with a copy of the simsroot and DOCSTORAGE folders on both (basically running two identical sims servers) I have then setup Microsoft DFS and created a namespace called simsdata, this includes folder targets for the simsroot share from both servers and have created a replication group to keep both simsroot folders synced with each other. Although the first sims server is set as the reference server(basically set as the primary server) To keep the DOCSTORAGE folder synced is a bit different instead of creating a namespace and replication group, you just need to create the replication group but point the folder targets at the SIMS2005 folder inside your DOCSTORAGE folder under the server name DO NOT POINT IT TO THE SERVER NAME otherwise it will create a separate DOCSTORE for the active sims server under its own server name on both servers (trust me!). Now we have gotten the simsroot and DOCSTORAGE folders replicated, that just leaves the database to replicated, but because the SIMS database doesn't seam to like native sql mirroring i have created a script that can be run as a scheduled task that will stop the sql service on the first(main) sims server and do a sideways copy of the sims.ldf and sims.mdf files (can also be used for FMS as we do) and copy them to a holding folder on the second sims server the script then starts the sql service on the main sims server allowing people to carry on working. The script then detaches the old database from the second sql server and copies it to another holding folder just in case you want to restore it again later, then the script attaches the copied database from the first server and you can start to use sims on the second server. (CLIENT SIDE) Map the S:\ drive to the DFS namespace e.g. yourdomainname\simsdata\simsroot mapping the sims share this way allows one server to be taken offline and your sims drive will continue to be accessible. configure your sims connect.ini on the s:\ drive to point to the first database server as normal e.g simsserver1\sims2005 then if your first server fails then because your are using a DFS namespace to map the s:\ drive the connect.ini is still available to your clients and you can quickly change the server to simserver2\sims2005 and everyone can carry on working as normal but being connected to the second server. Once your first server is back online allow and make sure that the DFS shares have replicated back properly then perform the backup/database transfer script in reverse to transfer the active sims database from the second server back to the first server and change the connect.ini back to normal. I hope this is helpful as a few people asked me to tell them if i got it working, so here you go. If you want any more info please contact me, if you want a copy of the script then please PM me as i don't want to publish it on here just in case someone uses it and breaks their sims installation but it is freely available for people who want a copy and understand the risks in using it! If you manage sims on a day to day basis and you understand how the backend of sims works you should be fine with it Thanks Matt

I can confirm that HP do use laptop memory and hard drives in the dc7900 and also the dc7800 because they are the ultra slim versions, we have just purchased 42 dc7900 and we already have 50 dc7800 i would personally always by a branded pc e.g. hp as the warranty and next day/same day parts delivery is excellent i have used companies that build their own computers in the past and if you have any problems they can never get hold of the same motherboards etc.. so it can cause teriable problems with ghosting/imaging because of drivers etc... over the past 5 years we have replace all our pcs with HP desktops (over 250+) and have never had any problems with parts etc.. we have had more trouble with our last 30 Nec machines (these are going soon!!) than with over 250 HP desktops. Nec seem really bad with customer support and keeping drivers upto date on their website! Not sure how stone do this as never used them, but have used companies like them in the past

Just checked, ive got it 2

Why are you using 32bit SQL on server 2008 64bit for SIMS, capita supports SQL 2005 64bit on 2008 server?

All of our servers have 2x 146gb SAS 15k drives for C running server 2008 enterprise apart from our exchange 2007 server which has 2x 72gb SAS 15k for c and 5 146gb for mailboxes, all users general work is stored on our 2x 6tb fully real time replicated SANs. All the schools media work e.g video editing is stored on the 8tb xraid. all students have up to 2gb of personal storage on the general SANs and staff have up to 4gb of personal storage and this is only the starting point as we still have another 2tb to allocate

Im the Network Manager of a school in the Tafford Council LEA and here all the Network Managers setup a technical forum where all the schools meet up once or twice a term to discuss issues and problems, then we all have each others contact details incase we need to ask anybody any questions etc... This works really well as it brings all the schools together to discuess ideas etc.. Hope that helps Matt

I have been working on this all day and the SIMS database will not let me enable mirroring. So I have now decided that I am going to create a passive failover system, meaning that instead of having two servers replicating them selves 24/7 I want to create a way that the system will copy/backup the active SIMS & FMS databases and restore them e.g make them live on the second server at say midnight ready for the next day. Then if anything happens to the active server I could just change the connect.ini file to point to the other server and everyone could carry on working. I have created a DFS replication to copy the contents of the SIMS share and the DOCSTORAGE to the second server, the SIMS share is set to replicate 24/7 and the DOCSTORAGE share replicates at midnight. All I need now is a way to copy/restore the active SIMS & FMS databases to the second server and make the live automatically. I was thinking of creating a scheduled task that would stop the SQL server on both servers, then copy the MDF and LDF files (both SIMS & FMS) over to the second server then start SQL on both servers again. Can anyone see any problems with this setup? The only thing that I would have to do manually then is to change the Connect.ini file to point to the second server. Can anyone see possiable problems with this idea? Thanks Matt

to use clustering on server 2008 you have to have a SAN etc... We have a SAN for users work but we are looking to keep the SIMS database on the SIMS server

Hi Everyone Does anyone have any idea if it is possible to run the SIMS.net Document Server on a different server that does not run the rest of SIMS? Thanks Matt

Hi Everyone Just a quick question does anybody have any idea if it is possiable to mirror the SIMS.net database between two SQL 2005 servers? Also does anybody know if it is possiable to replicated the DOCSTORAGE folder between two servers and make it appear as one for SIMS.net to connect to? We have gotten the SIMS data folder replicated using DFS and that works great as SIMS.net sees it as one folder even though it is replicated on the two servers Thanks Matt

We have only got one from 2007 how to we get the latest one?

Hi Everyone, Just a quick question, we are moving our SIMS install to new servers over the summer (along with everything else) and I want to install it on server 2008 64bit running SQL 2005 64bit Full Edition. We are also looking to set it up so that the SIMS database and the s:\ drive is replicated between two servers. Was just wondering if anyone else has already done this? Capita have told us they fully support the 2008 64bit move, but I just want to see if anyone else has done it first to see if there are any unforeseen problems etc.. Thanks Matt

Hi I was just wondering does anyone know of a way to view what files a user has been looking at e.g. the file names, location etc.. We use ranger for networks and it shows which application they had open but not the exact files they were working on or looking at Thank in adance for any help Matt

Its not as bad as it sounds, I have a company coming in to help config the new servers and SAN so just the 99 other things left for me to do! lol

Here is what we have got to do in 5 weeks: • install 5 new servers with server 2008 and create new domain • upgrade 4 current servers to 2008 and add to new domain • re-setup our 2 WS1000 sophos web filters to new domain • re-setup our ES1000 sophos spam filter • reconfigure our avantis cd server to new domain • install 2 6TB SANs (one to mirror each other over 2x 10GB fibre links) • All equipment to be split between our 2 data centres on opposite sides of the school site with 2x 24 core siemon 10Gb fibre to link them both together • Install our new HP 5406zl-48G core switch • install new HP 2900 secondary core switch • install 2 new 48 port edge switches • reconfigure our current 22+ HP edge switches for VLANs • Transfer all 900+ users data and accounts from old server to brand new SANs • Transfer 900+ user mailboxes from windows 2003, exchange 2007 to server 2008 again running exchange 2007 • install SharePoint on new server and try and transfer our current sharepoint instance • scrap the admin network YES!!! and bring all admin users and data to the new single network including SIMS • Load balance SIMS on our two SQL servers including replicating the SIMS S:\ drive between the 2 servers • create 8 completely new images for workstations • install and image 42 new HP dc7900 workstations • reimage 200+ our current workstations • install our new Apple Xserve and join to Active Directory • install our new 8TB XRAID SAN to support Final Cut Studio on our new macs • create workstation images for our new 20+ Apple iMacs • install 7 new smart boards 660i • install 19+ new data sockets in different areas of the school Most of this has to be complete by 24th August for exam results week and we only finish for summer on 17th July and there is only one of me to do most of this, I think it's going to be a very tight one this year!

Hi Everyone, Just wondering if you have information on students downloading music on to the network. I have always said no because of copyright etc.. but because of the changes of courses e.g. DIDA/OCR they are required to add and edit music for their coursework just wondering what everyone else’s policy is on this matter and what you are doing to get round this problem? Cheers Matthew