Saturday, May 31, 2008

Month-ender activity: BBQ vs reports...SMB Nation advice

Friend #1 has invited me over to have a BBQ tonight and unwind. Friend #2 is writing his month end report for his boss in Redmond. I think I will step next door and see friend #1 in several hours :)

have a good one...harrybbbb
Harry Brelsford
CEO
SMB Nation
www.smbnation.com

Friday, May 30, 2008

Tune out, turn on...its the weekend

Hey gang - before I sign off - have a great weekend.

I published the GeekSpeak newsletter edition today - let me know if you did not receive and I will send it to you directly...

cheers...harrybbbb
www.smbnation.com

Thursday, May 29, 2008

CRN covers Costco selling RP matter

Here is CRN's take: http://crn.com/software/208400750

:)

harrybbbbb

SBS 2003 book - chapter 3 - backup and release notes

I am Harry Brelsford (www.smbnation.com) the author of Windows Small Business Server 2003 Best PRactices. I am posting up parts of my book each day to get it in the wild before SBS 2008 releases! Enjoy this gift.

Backup Data
With SPRINGERS, you are installing SBS on a brand-new HP/Compaq Proliant server as part of our sample company setup. The company’s data initially remains on the old NetWare server until it will be transferred over the wire or across the network to the new SBS server. That said, the data backup precautions are nothing out of the ordinary: Last night’s backup should be verified.
But let’s trade places for a moment and present a different scenario: reuse of an existing server machine. This assumes you are like many small businesses and hope to reuse your existing server for SBS. So one of the first things you are confronted with is major data backup issues. That is, how do you transfer data, via a single machine, from your previous operating system (say NetWare or NT) to SBS?
BEST PRACTICE: Please carefully read the following scenario and appreciate that is an advanced topic for guru SBSers. First and foremost, I do assume that the foreign environment you are migrating data from has a tape backup device attached to the server, the tape backup device works, and you know how to make and verify a tape backup on the foreign system. My example uses Novell NetWare as its foreign system from which the data will be migrated to the new SBS system. But to be honest, you’ll likely see more Windows NT scenarios out there than NetWare.
Assume that you are converting from a small Novell NetWare network to SBS. Also assume that, to save money, you plan to reformat the hard drive on your existing NetWare server and install SBS. Thus, your first challenge is to make darn sure that you’ve completely protected the business’s data located on the existing NetWare server prior to reformatting its hard disk. If not, let’s just say there aren’t enough hours in the day to re-create the data you’ve lost!
The challenge here is that the tape created on a NetWare server using an NLM-based tape backup application isn’t readable by the SBS’s native tape backup application. In fact, relying on such a strategy results in an error message regarding a foreign tape when you try to access the tape under the native backup routine in SBS.
So what can you do? I’ve performed the following work-around to transfer this data from NetWare to SBS server-based environments. What makes this work­around so SBS-specific is that you can play this trick in a smaller environment, the kind of environment that SBS caters to. Obviously, this trick wouldn’t be possible in larger enterprise environments that the full versions of Windows Server 2003 cater to.
First, copy the NetWare-based data to a second server or even one or two client workstations. As you know, today’s workstations have huge hard drives that are often larger than those found on older servers in smaller companies. In my case years back, I pursued both strategies. I literally copied the firm’s data from its existing NetWare server (2.5GB of data on a NetWare partition) to a loaner NetWare 4.11 server that I brought from home. I also copied the same data to a subdirectory of a robust workstation. After I completed my SBS installation, I (of course) copied the data back to the newly created SBS server from the client workstation. Using the data copy stored on the workstation, I saved a lot of time by not dropping under the hood on SBS and performing a somewhat nasty Win2K-ism of installing Gateway Services For NetWare (GSNW) to retrieve the data from my loaner NetWare 4.11 server.
BEST PRACTICE: I’ve done the same thing with an SBS installation converting from a Linux server to a new SBS server. In this case, I wasn’t interested in wasting the time to perfect the ICE.TEN terminal emulation connection between the Linux box and the SBS server. Thus, I copied the data from the Linux box to a workstation and back to the new SBS server.
Read Release Notes
Take my advice and open the README.HTM which points you to four documents:
• Small Business Server 2003 Release Notes
• Getting Started
• Restoring Your Server (this is very cool and something I speak to in Chapter 11 of this book and my forthcoming advanced book for SBS 2003 that will be released in mid-2004).
• Windows Server 2003 Release Notes

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

MS Response Point sold at Costco.com

Hmmm...let me know what you think!

Microsoft Response Point Phone System Retails on Costco.com
Response Point small-business phone system from hardware manufacturer Quanta Computer is now available for purchase directly from Costco.com.
Related Links
Microsoft Resources:

Response Point Web site
Other Resources:

Syspine Web site
REDMOND, Wash. — May 28, 2008 — Microsoft Response Point, an easy-to-use voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) phone system designed uniquely for the needs of small businesses (one to 50 employees), is now available to purchase on Costco.com, a leading global retailer. Costco.com will now offer the award-winning Syspine Digital Operator Phone System from Quanta Computer Inc. featuring Microsoft Response Point phone system software.

The Quanta Syspine Digital Operator with Microsoft Response Point is an easy-to-use phone system designed for the unique needs of small businesses. Each phone handset features the Response Point magic blue button for voice-activated dialing.
Click for high-res version.
“A small-business owner does a little of everything — CEO, accountant and IT trouble-shooter — all before lunch,” said Richard Sprague, senior director, Response Point at Microsoft Corp. “Costco.com’s easy online purchase process, combined with Response Point’s easy setup and intuitive magic blue button for voice dialing, gives the small-business owner another easy way to gain a powerful communications tool to help grow his or her business.”
The Syspine Digital Operator Phone System with Response Point features a powerful voice-recognition system that can be linked with a company’s internal phone directory, as well as an individual’s Microsoft Office Outlook address book. Syspine includes a base unit appliance with a four phone-line analog telephone adapter, four desktop phones and Response Point phone system software. Businesses can add up to 50 individual Syspine IP310 business phones to create a complete, integrated small-business phone system with no additional licensing fees.
Syspine has been lauded as product of the year by Internet Telephony magazine and Unified Communications magazine, and received the prestigious Innovator Award from VON Magazine. More information about the Syspine Digital Operator Phone System can be found at http://www.syspine.com.
Trained Response Point technology specialists are available to small businesses interested in some assistance to install their Response Point system. A comprehensive list of specialists, searchable by ZIP code throughout the U.S., is available on the Microsoft Response Point Web site, http://www.microsoft.com/responsepoint.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.

More Chapter 3: quick tests for SBS

I am Harry Brelsford (www.smbnation.com) and the author of the infamous purple book SBS 2003 BP. I am posting up a few pages per day of my SBS 2003 book for your pleasure:


Check the Network
Has the cabling been properly attached to the hub? Perhaps this was a task that you assigned to the cabling specialist who installed the cabling at your site. If it hasn’t been done, do that now.
To verify the fitness of your network, you must perform the “green light” test. After everything has been plugged in properly to the network, including the network hub, do the following:
1 Turn on the network hub.
2 Briefly turn on the server computer.
3 Observe whether a port light on the hub turns on. (This typically illuminates as the color green).
4 Observe whether the network adapter card connection light on the back of the server illuminates. (Again, typically green).
5 If you see green lights at both the hub and network adapter connec­tion, you’re green lighting!

Perform Server Quick Tests
So you’ve put the computer together and connected it to the network. Now is the time to turn on the computer for a few moments to see whether the BIOS information is correctly displayed on the screen during the power on startup test. (This is called POST and is a term used in the technology community). This quick-and-dirty test is important for several reasons. It will check:
• Video card — If you see no information displayed on the computer monitor, it is possible that the video card has failed. Such was the case during an SBS class I once taught. Not only was the computer unusable for the SBS class, but valuable time was wasted trying to determine exactly what the problem was. At first and second blush, it wasn’t entirely clear that the video card had failed, as this type of problem can disguise itself.
• Component attachment — Did you know that if a ribbon cable between the computer motherboard and floppy drive is incorrectly attached, the computer might fail to start, leaving you with only the sound of a failed start up: three quick beeps? This is but one example of how incorrectly configured internal components in your server can pre­vent you from having success with your computer. These are exactly the type of issues that you want to catch immediately, before you try to install SBS.
• Hidden partition server tools — First, of all, let’s just get this out in the open. SBS 2003 works fine with hidden system partitions (you may recall SBS 4.5 had a distinct problem with this, requiring you to delete the hidden system partition). Now for the next point. Starting up the computer also allows you to determine whether the computer manufacturer’s server tools were correctly installed on a hidden parti­tion on the hard disk. When manufacturers ship their servers to you, they might or might not install their server tools (e.g., HP/Compaq’s SmartStart). Typically, the paperwork received with the server remains unclear on this point. The best way to test that is to look for language at

the top of the screen during machine startup. In the case of an HP/ Compaq server, such language instructs you to hit the F10 key to launch SmartStart.
BEST PRACTICE: If the manufacturer’s server tool hasn’t been installed to a hidden partition on the server, it is essential that you do this now. Failure to do this at this point would mean that you would forever be prevented from installing these wonderful and helpful tools designed to configure and manage your server. That’s because after the operating system and SBS are installed, you cannot go back and install the manufacturer’s server tools on a hidden partition.
To install the manufacturer’s server tools on your system, be sure to follow the setup instructions for the specific tool. In the case of HP/ Compaq’s SmartStart, it is very simple. Because a Compaq server is designed, by default, to boot from the CD drive, you simply place the SmartStart CD in the CD drive and restart the computer. On startup, and with no further fuss, you are presented with the SmartStart installation screen. Several minutes and one reboot later, SmartStart is installed on your system. Again, tools such as SmartStart provide the capability to configure your server properly, create driver disks, monitor your server’s health, and so on.
• BIOS operation — There is simply no better test to make sure the computer’s all-important BIOS is functional than to turn on the machine and observe that the BIOS information (copyright, date, stor­age device configuration, and so on) is displayed on the screen. Com­mon BIOS names are American Megatrends and Phoenix.
BEST PRACTICE: It is very common for BIOS manufacturers to release upgrades shortly after the original BIOS has been shipped to market. These upgrades typically consist of bug fixes and the like. So consider downloading the BIOS upgrade and prepare to install or flash the BIOS upgrade. But be extremely careful about applying a BIOS
upgrade to your server. If you’ve applied the incorrect BIOS version to your server, the server can be rendered inoperable or become unreliable. See the BIOS discussion on upgrades, installation, and flashing at your BIOS manufacturer’s home page. And if you are at all uncomfortable with this, consider hiring a qualified technician or consultant to research and implement a BIOS upgrade for your server.
• Operating system status — By performing the quick power-up test, you can determine whether any operating system has been installed on the computer. It is common for clone-makers to both format and SYS (apply basic MS-DOS files) the primary drive (C: drive) of the server. If no operating system has been installed, you will see a character-based error message that indicates the operating system is missing. If you purchased a name-brand server and elected to have SBS preinstalled (OEM style!) as discussed in Chapter 2, you will notice the SBS setup process launches after the initial POST phase terminates.
BEST PRACTICE: Note that in the SBS 2000 time frame, I recommend running the Windows 2000 Readiness Analyzer Tool. I’ve searched high and low in the SBS 2003 time frame and haven’t found a like tool to recommend for you to run. Perhaps your guide for “readiness” should be the Windows Server 2003 logo on your components. This signifies the component has been tested to work with Windows Server 2003.
Notes:
And no discussion about assessment and fitness is complete without pulling out a third-party tool. I’ve used CheckIt Professional Edition, a relatively low-cost computer assessment application from SmithMicro Software. For more information, visit www.smithmicro.com. This is shown in Figure 3-1.
Figure 3-1
CheckIt is a long-standing favorite of technicians to peer inside their systems. It’s been around for years and is now owned by SmithMicro Software.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Today we start Chapter 3 on Installing SBS 2003

Hi gang - my name is Harry Brelsford and I am the author of the SBS 2003 best practices book featuring Windows Small Business SErver 2003. You can learn more about me at www.smbnation.com. Today we start Chapter 3 of my book. My goal is to post up my entire book before SBS 2008 ships!

Enjoy the read - you Small Busiess Specialist you!


Chapter 3 Small Business Server Installation
The time has come to actually install SBS! The argument could be made that installing SBS is nothing more than swapping four SBS discs and performing a few reboots along the way. However, such an oversimplification of the SBS installation task is incorrect. You have already invested significant time defining what SBS is, performing a needs analysis, and planning in the prior chapters.
BEST PRACTICE: As you might have guessed from the last chapter, you will implement SBS 2003 based on the SPRINGERS methodology. That is how this chapter is constructed, after many hours of editorial design. By way of a disclaimer, let me say that your specific SBS implementation may vary slightly based on machine types, components installed, and so on. Furthermore, after I walk you through the step-by-step installation process under the broad jurisdiction of the SPRINGERS methodology. I then present some advanced setup topics in the second part of the chapter. If you are an advanced SBSer who is interested in these advanced topics, you may look at those now before you start the setup process or, preferably, follow the setup process under the SPRINGERS methodology, and then read the advanced setup topics, taking into account the advanced knowledge that will be imparted for your future real-world SBS setups.
I assume that you are using a new server machine for SBS. If you are using an old server machine that will be redeployed as an SBS server, many of these steps, such as unpacking the server, do not apply. Ditto for same-server machine
Visit www.microsoft.com/technet for the latest updates for any Microsoft product.
SBS upgrade scenarios. In the case of SPRINGERS, the firm has purchased the following hardware and software shown in Table 3-1. The following table is used to verify that everything ordered was indeed received.
Table 3-1: SPRINGERS Hardware and Software

Item
Description
Server
HP/Compaq ML-350 Server for SMB/SBS, tape backup unit,1 GB RAM, 60GB HD, 17” VGA Monitor, SCSI-based internal tape backup device, internal CD drive
Modem
US Robotics 56K External
Network AdapterCards
Intel Pro 100+ PCI EthernetBCM5730 Gigabit Ethernet
Printer
HP Color LaserJet 5M with HP JetDirect Card
Other Hardware
APC UPS with PowerChute
Software
Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS) version 2003 5-userversion, 5-user SBS client access licenses (CALs) , VeritasBackup Exec Small Business Server Suite (tape backupprogram), Trend OfficeScan Suite.
Miscellaneous
Modem cable, extra CAT5 patch cables, telephone cable,power strip/power tree

BEST PRACTICE: Note that Appendix D contains information on how to set up SBS 2003 on a Compaq laptop (e.g., Evo N800c) using Microsoft Virtual PC or VMWare. This would allow you to have the entire SPRINGERS network on a laptop for learning and demonstration purposes. It’s very cool!
All of this required hardware adheres to the Windows Server 2003 hardware compatibility list (HCL) discussed in Chapter 2. You can find updates to the Windows Server 2003 HCL at www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx. If you are an SBS consultant who regularly installs SBS for different clients, you are encouraged to monitor this site regularly and look for changes to either the
HCL or System Requirements. If you are a business person or otherwise a non-SBS consultant installing SBS as a one-time discrete event, which it typically is for a single system at a single location, just initially verifying the hardware you intend to use for the SBS installation at www.microsoft.com/hcl is sufficient.
Note that you should acquire the most current Windows Server 2003 drivers you will need for the SBS installation. One example of this is to make sure you have on hand any needed SCSI or RAID drivers which will be needed if your SCSI or RAID controller isn’t supported natively by the underlying Windows Server 2003 operating system. At the first step in the character-based setup phase (later in the chapter), you will be provided the opportunity to select the F6 key and provide these mass storage SCSI or RAID controller drivers (a very important step if it applies to you).
If you have a RAID-based system you would need to perform the computer manufacturer’s steps to prepare the hard disks in the RAID array for use by the operating system. In the case of my server, this is accomplished by selecting CTRL-M when instructed by the computer during the character-based POST setup phase of the computer boot cycle. This process will vary by manufacturer and computer model, so kindly use your very best judgment and consult the documentation that accompanied your computer.
Also note that while a SCSI-based tape backup device is the preferred hardware option, non-SCSI tape backup devices are supported via the ATAPI device driver in Windows Server 2003. But be advised that non-SCSI tape devices run much slower than SCSI tape devices. Ouch!
Notes:
Preinstallation Tasks
You need to perform several tasks before the actual setup process commences. Failing to perform these tasks will certainly result in failure.
Unpack and Connect
Assuming that your infrastructure, such as cabling, is in place and the server you have ordered has arrived, it’s time to unpack the server and its components from the shipping boxes. If you haven’t built a computer before from boxes, it’s quite simple. Many name brand servers have color-coded guides so that you know which port the keyboard and mouse attach to. If you are still unsure of yourself, don’t hesitate to hire a computer consultant to help you attach and build the computer. In fact, consider hiring a competent high school or college student who is both computer literate and seeking a few extra dollars. Again, putting together the computer from boxes is quite simple.
After physically building the server, make sure the following items are properly attached to the server box:
• A monitor or screen (be sure to attach the monitor to a power source). In the case of SPRINGERS, this is a 17-inch monitor.
• A keyboard
• A mouse
• A power cable
• External modems (if applicable; your modem might be an internal ver­sion, which, by the way, isn’t recommended by myself – nor do I rec­ommend USB modems either)
• A tape backup device (could be internal or external). Remember SCSI-based tape backup devices deliver higher performance.


• Other external devices that connect directly to the server (printers, Zip-or Jaz-type drives, scanners, and so on; and, if applicable, don’t forget to gather the needed drivers before starting setup)
• A network cable (attach the network cable to both the network adapter card port and the wall jack; this connects your server to the network)
• Uninterruptable power supplies (UPS) (you can connect the power cables to the UPS, but do not connect the serial cable from the UPS to the serial port on the server yet; see my BEST PRACTICE next on this matter)

BEST PRACTICE: If you have a UPS, do not attach it to the server at this time. UPS devices are attached to the SBS machine via COM ports (the same type of port used by modems). However, SBS tests each COM port as part of the installation of modems. Granted, modems are now an optional installation component during the setup of SBS (the Shared Fax Service will install without a modem attached). What I’m getting at is this: If you elect to install a modem as part of the SBS setup, an attached UPS can cause the SBS machine to become confused during this installation period. Bottom line: After SBS is installed, you will hook up the UPS.
If you are interested in developing expertise as a hardware technician to supplement your SBS consulting practice or skills as an SBS administrator, you might also consider studying for and taking the A+ certification exam. The A+ certification is oriented towards computer maintenance from a technician point of view. It is a well-regarded designation created and managed by the Computer Technology Industry Association. For more information on the A+ certification, see www.comptia.com.
BEST PRACTICE: Assuming the power is off and unplugged from the computer and external devices, and you are wearing a grounding strip on your wrist to discharge any built-up static electricity (before you touch an electronic component), take a moment to open the SBS machine and reseat all of the adapter cards. It has been my
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experience that a new server shipped across the country can arrive with loosened cards, cables, and even memory chips! That’s not to be critical of my friends at HP, but such loose cards have wreaked havoc with some of my early SBS installs when the internal network adapter card couldn’t be detected during setup because it had become partially dislodged from its slot. Another experience I have had when working with new computers is that the ribbon cable located inside the server machine (used to connect internal devices to cards or the motherboard) can come loose. If you need to reattach a ribbon cable, remember this rule of thumb: the side of the ribbon cable with the red line always points to the power supply.
After you’ve completed the check on the system, plug in the power to the computer and the devices in order to proceed with the setup. And don’t forget to verify (sorry to be a pest by mentioning this again and again) that you have sufficient power protection through surge protection power strips and UPS.

Monday, May 26, 2008

SBS 2003 Best Practice book: advanced planning topics

I am Harry Brelsford, the author of Windows Small Business Server 2003 Best Practices and I am posting up my book, a bit each day, over the next few months before SBS 2008 arrives!
Thanks for reading.
Harry Brelsford, CE< SMB Nation
www.smbnation.com
Advanced Planning Issues
This part of the chapter presents more details on software and hardware issues surrounding your SBS project. I offer a few comments with respect to SBS budgeting and the purchasing process.
Software
SBS ships in a variety of configurations. It’s important that you check the SBS 2003 product SKUs at the SBS page at Microsoft (www.microsoft.com/sbs), as these SKUs occasionally change to reflect market conditions (e.g., a competitive upgrade SKU being introduced), changes in pricing, or a new build (e.g., a service pack is slipstreamed into a SKU). You want to pick the right SKU for the right job. For many people, that’ll be the OEM SKU for SBS 2003, as they’ll be upgrading a server machine at the same time that SBS 2003 is being installed. For others, it’ll be the retail SKU of SBS 2003, because it’ll fit better if your reusing an existing server machine.
BEST PRACTICE: I’m not trying to cop-out here and shorten my typing in this chapter by not going into painful detail on product SKUs, part numbers, and a review of the legal agreement. Rather, in my past books when I’ve dedicated 10 pages to pricing, licensing, SKUs, and the such, I’ve found my writing is out-of-date six months later when Microsoft makes significant changes in the product category. Ergo, I’m not kidding when I say visit Microsoft’s SBS Web page at www.microsoft.com/sbs for the very latest. No book could stay current in this area!
There’s even an SBS 2003 SKU that is, in effect, a time-bombed trial version. This evaluation SKU (Part Number X10-04043), typically given away at Microsoft events such as TS2 (www.msts2.com) will allow you to run SBS 2003 for 180 days before you must purchase and install the “real” SBS SKU. That good news is that the evaluation SKU can be upgraded in-place, and you don’t need to FDISK or perform a complete reinstall to apply the “real” SBS SKU.
Don’t forget part of your SBS 2003 software purchasing process involves securing sufficient client access licenses (CALs).
BEST PRACTICE: There is an exception to the rule, just like US Tax Law (where there always seems to be an exception to the tax code). If you add another Windows Server 2003 server machine to your SBS network (perhaps to work as an application server and run an accounting application), you will NOT need to purchase Windows Server 2003 CALs (which are a different type of license from SBS
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CALs) for each user who intends to log on to the new Windows Server 2003 machine. That’s because the SBS 2003 CAL converts to per-seat for the network operating system component in that case (the Windows Server 2003 operating system). This was done to encourage the appropriate use of additional servers on a SBS 2003 network and not penalize the customer.
And just to throw another twist at you, SBS CALs are not bona fide Terminal Services CALs. For your information, Terminal Services CALs are very expensive and a separate product from anything else that we have discussed here in this chapter. Learn more about Terminal Services and its CALs at www.microsoft.com/servers.
Other Software
It is not uncommon to purchase other software to run on the server machine running SBS. I have found that SBS customers typically purchase:
• Third-party tape backup applications, such as Veritas Backup Exec for Small Business Server
• Virus detection applications, such as Trend Micro’s OfficeScan Suite
• Accounting applications, such as Great Plains
• Other business applications

The key point is that SBS is rarely purchased and installed in a software vacuum. There is typically a supporting cast of other software applications running on the SBS machine to provide an organization with a complete computing solution.
Notes:
BEST PRACTICE: Don’t forget that no software discussion is complete without considering what to deploy on the client computers. As of this writing in late 2003, the choice is clear with respect to workstation operation systems: Windows XP Professional. Throw on the latest Microsoft Office 2003 software family and you’ve got a rootin’, tootin’, wild workstation ready for some serious business!
Hardware
With respect to hardware, you name it, and it has probably been run on an SBS network. Why? Because smaller organizations often have lots of legacy equipment that they want to continue using on their SBS network. And small businesses aren’t known for overspending.
Microsoft has a set of recommended hardware specifications for the server and client workstations on an SBS network. These specifications can be found at— you guessed it—www.microsoft.com/sbs. Here again, I’ve elected not to list the specifics found on Microsoft’s Web page because its SBS hardware specifications are periodically updated to reflect real-world improvements, cost reductions in storage and memory, and good old-fashioned customer feedback.
BEST PRACTICE: So a few real-world tidbits to share. First, as of late 2003, I’d recommend 1GB of RAM memory, 50GB or higher of hard disk space, and dual processors (say Intel P4 in the 3 GHZ range). My words will fall on deaf ears a year after the book is written, of course, as memory and disks drop in price and processors become more powerful!
SBS Cheapskate
, Beware!
Don’t poor-boy that SBS hardware purchase. I’ve seen people scrimp several ways with SBS-related hardware, none of it acceptable. Here are three examples. First, small businesspeople have attempted to recycle older monitors from retired workstations so that they didn’t have to purchase a new monitor with the new server (a cost savings of perhaps $150). The problem is that older monitors can’t provide the screen resolution you need to work with the Server Management
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console. In fact, if you can’t create an 800x600 screen resolution on the server during the setup of SBS 2003, you’ll receive a blocking message that doesn’t allow you to continue.
Second, I’ve observed small businesses that wanted to use the SBS server machine as a workstation for one of its users. At a land development company, the president (the heiress to a well-known Pacific Northwest retail empire) ran Microsoft Word, Outlook, and CompuServe right on the SBS server machine. The performance was unacceptable. Several months later, the president purchased a workstation, allowing the SBS server machine to do what it does best: act as a dedicated server. Needless to say, both the president and I were much happier from that point forward in our SBS relationship.
Finally, there is the case of the green machine. Here, a paving contractor decided to save a few bucks by using a workstation as an SBS server, resulting in some strange behavior. In this case, the BIOS-level energy-saving function couldn’t be turned off, so each night, when the server had several hours of inactivity, it went to sleep. Well, the underlying network operating system in SBS didn’t like that one bit, forcing the general manager at the paving company to reboot every morning. I finally solved this problem by creating artificial server activity every 15 minutes (I ran a ping program called PingPlotter that you can learn about at www.nessoft.com).
BEST PRACTICE: Better yet, leave the hassles of the cheapskate world behind and buy an honest-to-goodness name-brand server, such as those from HP, to run SBS and avoid many of the problems described above.
Notes:
Hardware Necessities
It goes without saying that you should purchase the tape backup unit—once listed as “optional” in Microsoft’s server requirements (in the SBS 2000 time frame)—to back up your valuable data. Some form of backup, often tape based, is hardly optional and the Microsoft SBS 2003 development team is well aware of that (you’ll learn about backup improvements in both Chapter 4 and Chapter 11). Other necessities include an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to protect your system and properly shut it down in a power outage. UPS devices from American Power Corporation (APC) ship with a free copy of PowerChute.
BEST PRACTICE: Another item to consider is a Zip- or Jaz-type drive with removable cartridges. I’ve used these in one specific case with great success in an SBS scenario. That case is SQL Server. SQL Server allows you to run an on-the-fly database backup separate from the SBS-based tape backup you typically perform at night. This internal backup to SQL Server typically runs at midday, so you get a fresh SQL Server database backup between tape runs. I like to drop these internal SQL Server backups down on a Zip or Jaz drive or CD/DVD burner so that the tape drive is not disturbed. It’s something to consider if you are working with SQL Server on your SBS network. And, as an aside, if you ever hear a grinding sound with a Zip or Jaz drive, beware, as trouble is looming on the drive.
Hardware Compatibility List
One of the final hardware issues to be discussed is hardware compatibility. The good news is that SBS 2003 is much less finicky about the hardware you select for use on the server machine compared to prior releases. Here is what I mean. If the hardware runs and is supported on Windows Server 2003, it’ll work with SBS 2003! Hardware devices that have been tested for Windows Server 2003 are listed on the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) at www.microsoft.com/ hcl. This list should be honored under all circumstances. More important, if you don’t select hardware from the HCL, it is likely you won’t receive official Microsoft support when you have problems. And it’s a sure bet that noncompliant hardware won’t have the cute Windows seal of approval on its retail box!
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BEST PRACTICE: Please honor hardware as a critical supporting actor on your SBS 2003 network. I’ve become partial to name-brand network adapter cards, such as Intel. With modems, I can truly say you get what you pay for. If you’re serious about the Shared Fax Service in SBS 2003 (to be discussed in Chapter 9), then you need to purchase a robust and capable modem, such as the v.Everything model from US Robotics/3COM. Such a modem, known to sell for around $250 USD, delivers your basic five 9s or six sigma of outstanding performance.
SBS Budgeting
And as the corner is turned on Chapter 2 with its focus on planning, don’t forget to keep an eye on the financial farm, that is the SBS budget. I’ve seen many a good SBS project fail not for technical reasons, but because business basics, such as creating and adhering to a budget, were ignored.
BEST PRACTICE: When budgeting for your network, be sure to consider the following budget tip: If you’re eyeing a more powerful server than you planned on purchasing and are concerned about its cost, perhaps the more powerful one isn’t as expensive as it first appears. For example, let’s say a server with more processors, RAM, and storage would cost you an additional $1,500. Now, assuming you recover your costs or depreciate the server over three years, that incremental amount ($1,500) adds up to an extra $500 per year, or roughly $1.50 per day in aggregate for the entire company. So ask yourself this: For an extra $1.50 per day, shouldn’t I purchase the server I really want? In all likelihood, you will probably enjoy more than $1.50 per day in increased network performance, as measured by your staff’s ability to get more work accomplished. Think about it!
Summary
You’ve now completed two chapters of SBS definition, needs analysis, and planning, and you know what? It’s now time to move on and actually install SBS 2003.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

SBS 2003 Best Practice: Documentation!

Documentation and Loose Ends!
It is essential that you take a few moments to gather the letters, e-mails, bids, drawings, yellow sticky notes, and the like and organize these in an SBS project notebook. The SBS project documentation serves several purposes.
First, if you should leave the organization, you properly share your SBS knowledge with your SBS successors via the SBS network notebook. In effect, people who follow you don’t have to start from the beginning. You, of course, would appreciate the same courtesy.
Second, because of the demands a small organization places on its staff, it’s unlikely that you will remember the finer points of your SBS installation several months hence. Thus the value of an SBS network notebook.
BEST PRACTICE: As you’ll see in later chapters, SBS 2003 is “self­documenting” if you simply click a link on the completion page of each wizard and save the configuration information as a file. I don’t want to tell you much more right yet, but the SBS development team made it real easy to create your network notebook with SBS 2003.
Loose ends run the whole spectrum of SBS computing. You name it, and I’ve probably seen it. Some doozies in this category include:
• Sufficient quantity of telephone cable. Lesson learned: Do you have enough telephone cabling to hook up the modems? And in this day and age, that might include DSL modems with its special cabling.
• Length of telephone cable: Lesson learned: Are the telephone cables long enough?
• Environmental controls. Lesson learned: Do you need a fan to help keep the server cool (because the work area is too warm)?

Another loose end to consider while planning your SBS network is training. One of the keys to success with an SBS network is to over-train your users! It’s a theme worth repeating (and I do so several times in this book!). Training can take several forms, all of which are discussed in Chapter 11.
BEST PRACTICE: Note the SBS project planning phase is typically 10 to 15 hours of consulting work if you are planning on doing it “right.” If you are undertaking your SBS project without a consultant, budget for one to two days of your own planning time.
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Server Installation Phase
The big day arrives. Sitting in your workspace are large boxes on a pallet, representing the new server, monitor, and additional networking accessories (hub, modems, UPS, and so on.).
The server installation phase includes:
• Unpacking and physically building the server.
• Physically installing the network accessories, such as the UPS, mo­dems, and hub.
• Reseating the existing adapter cards that might have come loose during shipping.
• Installing SBS.

• Installing server-based applications, such as virus detection utilities,

third-party tape backup applications, and so on.
• Performing several post-server installation tasks, such as creating the emergency repair disk (ERD), sharing folders, mapping drives, install­ing printers, and verifying security. This also includes completing SBS To Do List items (such as adding SBS licenses) and running SBS wiz­ards from the SBS consoles.
• Configuring SBS 2003 applications. Typically Microsoft SQL Server must be configured for use. By itself, with no configuration out of the box, Microsoft SQL Server isn’t especially useful. It is also common to configure Microsoft Exchange above and beyond its basic configura­tion to accommodate public folders, etc. This step may also include running wizards from the SBS consoles.
• Installing applications such as Great Plains Dynamics (accounting soft­ware).

It is important to have a server installation worksheet similar to Table 2-4.
Table 2-4: Server Installation Worksheet for SPRINGERS

Item
Description
Completed
Server Name
SPRINGERS1

Internal DNS Domain Name
SpingersLTD.local

External Internet Domain Name
SPRINGERSLTD.COM

Initial SBS Registration Name
Bob Easter

Organization
Springer Spaniels Limited

Installation Codes
Small Business Server (use fromproduct ID sticker on disc sleeve)

Area Code
206

Address
3456 Beach Front Road

City
Bainbridge Island

State/Province
WA

Zip
98110

Country
United States of America

Business Telephone
206-123-1234

Business Fax
206-123-1235

Initial Administrator Password
Husky9999!

Hard disk
SBS operating system and applicationspartition is 10GB. Data partition isapproximately 20GB. Both partitions areformatted NTFS. Server has a RAID-5 configuration. If you have only a singlehard disk or mirrored drives (but not RAID5), you may continue for the purposes oflearning SBS 2003 via the SPRINGERSmethodology. However, you’ll want toconsider RAID 5 or mirrored drives in the real world.


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Item
Description
Completed

NOTE: In Appendix D I’ll introduce thesetup configuration on Microsoft VirtualPC (the virtual emulation environment) thatwould allow you to configure an SBSnetwork (server and client computers) ona single machine for learning anddemonstration purposes. I often set up SBSnetworks that way on my laptop todemonstrate the product.

Time Zone
Pacific

User Accounts
Administrator (password= Husky9999!)

Printers
Install new HP Color LaserJet 5M printeron network with HP5 share name.

Registry
No known Registry modifications neededin SBS. However, if you plan to set upSPRINGERS on Microsoft Virtual PC, there is a Registry modification needed onthe host operating system (e.g., theWindows XP Pro operating system on yoursuper-duper laptop) that is necessary inorder for Virtual PC to emulate two network adapter cards (this is detailed in aKBase article: 825374: How to Configurea Guest PC to Emulate More Than One Network Adapter). Note this applies toVirtual PC version 5.2 and might be fixedby the time you are reading these words.

Folders
Create additional folders on Data partition: Accounting (this is where Great PlainsDynamics will be installed along with thestorage area for the accounting data) Backup (this folder will contain on-the­fly backups of company data between tapebackups, such as internal SQL Serverdatabase backups)

Shares
Create ACCT on the Accounting folder. Everyone allowed change rights. Fullcontrol rights to NormH, BarryM.




Item
Description
Completed
Internal IP Addressing
Use the default 192.168.16.2 IP address and the 255.255.255.0 Subnet Mask.

External IP Addressing
Use the following: IP: 207.202.238.215 Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0 Default Gateway: 207.202.238.1 Preferred DNS: 209.20.130.35 Alternate DNS: 209.20.130.33

Misc.
Windows Server 2003 operating system tobe installed on C:. SBS components(Exchange, etc.) to be installed on C:. Willapprove all licensing questions with “Yes.”


Regarding partitions, SBS requires that the partition containing the operating system (typically the C: drive) be formatted as NTFS to operate correctly. NTFS (NT file system) is the partition scheme that allows advanced security and file management. The other partition selection is FAT32. FAT32 is the successor to FAT from the file allocation table world of the MS-DOS days of old. FAT partitions are less protected and considered less robust. The Microsoft Web site at www.microsoft.com provides extensive information on NTFS and FAT. Further discussion here would be beyond the scope of this book.
Workstation Installation Phase
The workstation installation phase is really the work that occurs in Chapter 4 when you will connect a workstation to the SBS 2003 network. That said, there are a few key steps in the workstation installation stage worth listing:
• Complete the SBS workstation installation sheet. That information is found on my Web site for download at www.smbnation.com.
• Physically unpack and construct workstations.

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• Reseat the existing adapter cards that might have come loose dur­ing shipping.
• Complete installation of client operating system if necessary.
• Complete the Add User/Setup Computer Wizard to create the configu­ration information for the workstation to join the SBS network. Then at the workstation, launch the IE Web browser and point to the http:// SSL1/ConnectComputer to launch the over-the-wire process for join­ing a workstation to the SBS network. Bye-bye Magic Disk from prior SBS releases. Very nice touch.
• Perform basic SBS client component tests, answer user questions, and so on.
• Enable and demonstrate network file sharing from client PCs.
• Enable and demonstrate network printing from client PCs.
• Enable and demonstrate basic internal e-mail via Outlook and Microsoft Exchange.
• Set a date to return to fully configure Outlook (shared calendar, shared contact list).
• Propose a date for network (logon, printing, saving) and Outlook training.

The middle steps involve testing the setup. Those are key steps in the success of attaching and using an SBS workstation. Too often I’ve observed homegrown SBS networks where the connectivity wasn’t fully tested. In effect, the SBS network never did completely work. In fact, at one site, the users jokingly called it an SBS notwork! Unfortunately, those SBS networks that forego workstation testing usually discover such things (gremlins) later rather than sooner.
And it shouldn’t be lost on you that training is mentioned as the last step of the workstation installation phase. Again, training is important.
Follow-Up Phase
As far as this book is concerned, the follow-up phase encompasses the balance of the SBS installation and administration experience. Why? It is the follow-up phase where additional SBS functions, such as faxing, and applications, such as SQL Server, are introduced. There are important reasons for staging the introduction of many SBS features as separate, discrete tasks contained within a phase separate from server and workstation setup.
It has been my experience with organizations implementing SBS that the mere introduction of a computer network is enough to start with. The users need to become familiar with the basic Windows networking environment that is the foundation of SBS. In fact, for many users, being able to log on, save a file, and print are features enough to start out with.
Even network-experienced and computer-savvy organizations cannot absorb too many features too early. For example, e-mail is a great early candidate to introduce on the SBS network. But I have often found that even the best users aren’t ready to tackle SQL Server (SBS 2003 premium edition) and its strengths too early, so this speaks to delaying the heavy stuff for a while on your SBS networks.
Lastly, there is the Christmas-morning emotional response. Given a pile of wrapped toys, a child will eagerly attack, opening each and every gift until, several hours later, the child is overstimulated and sobbing in a corner. Such is the case with many SBS sites. Users want to do everything right now on the first day the network is available. But by the end of the day, the same users are bewildered, frustrated, and, worst of all, have negative feelings toward the new SBS network. You, the SBS administrator, don’t want and can’t tolerate such an early defeat. Be smart. Stage the rollout of SBS features over time.
Celebration Phase
Yee-haw! Call it an opportunity to get a free lunch, but one of the most successful things I’ve accomplished is gathering user feedback that might not readily reveal itself during day-to-day SBS network use. And, based on user feedback, I can offer the opportunity to provide additional meaningful services that my SBS customer might not have initially considered. Five additional services, beyond core out-of-the-box SBS functionality, have proven popular with customers:
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• Windows Sharepoint Services (WSS) customization — You can achieve the highest and best use of your SBS system by using the powers of WSS! Consider using it as a basic document manage­ment package.
• Public folders — Many users, when they become addicted to e-mail, want additional help implementing public folders (shared resources) in Microsoft Exchange.
• Microsoft Outlook customization — When users start to use the con­tact list in Microsoft Outlook, the follow-up requests to create custom forms can be expected.
• SQL Server tables — The really hard-core SBS sites (using the premium version) know that SQL Server can handle their most demanding database challenges, but few of these SBS sites actually know how to execute SQL queries and so on.
• Web page development — Last, but certainly not least, the discus­sion over the pizza lunch inevitably turns to Web pages and elec­tronic commerce.

SBS Expectation Management andPerception
Avoiding disappointments is perhaps job one for an SBS administrator and certainly an SBS consultant. Recall that, in Chapter 1, I set the framework for understanding what SBS actually is. Disappointment can be avoided early, for example, by understanding that you will need to purchase a third-party virus scanning application because SBS is devoid of such a critical goodie.
BEST PRACTICE: Something to consider before you get too far along is the assured outcome of the SBS 2003 original equipment manufacturer (OEM) stock-keeping unit (SKU). Here, HP will just about completely install SBS on one of its SMB server machines (e.g., the ML 350 model used in this book as an example). When
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you start up, you’ll complete a mini-setup process that constitutes the personalization of your server machine and accepting the license agreement. I’ll discuss the OEM SKU more in Appendix E, but what’s important to understand here is that the SBS 2003 OEM SKU is a rapid setup methodology with an assured outcome (and a positive outcome at that).
Scope of Work
If you are using a consultant, a scope of work should be defined, largely based on much of the planning work accomplished previously. In my firm, the scope of work is typically delivered as a detailed proposal that describes how the work will be accomplished. Likewise, the engagement letter, which refers to the proposal for scope items, is a contract between my consulting firm and the client. An engagement letter typically covers items such as terms and conditions of payment, how disputes will be resolved, and so on.
BEST PRACTICE: Here is an additional thought for SBS consultants about the scope of work and engagement letters. Many SBS consultants ask how you get paid for your planning efforts if you haven’t yet created a scope of work or gotten the client to sign the engagement letter.
The answer is you should contract with the client for 10+ hours of your consulting time to assist with planning. Perhaps this consulting time could be evidenced with an engagement letter separate from the SBS project engagement letter you intend to present later. It has been my experience that if the customer is not interested in paying you for 10+ hours of your planning time, that customer isn’t very serious about having a successful SBS installation. Also, if the SBS customer is cautious about the planning phase, explain that the scope of work you create with 10+ hours of planning time can be easily converted into a request for proposals (RFP) that could be distributed to other consulting firms and resellers.
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The thought here is that you can get 10+ hours into your SBS project with this customer, and either one (or both) of you decide that you don’t care to work together anymore. This approach provides an out for all involved.
The scope of work would likely contain the following items:
• A detailed proposal
• A schedule
• A budget
• A project task list or checklist

Notes:
Overcommunicate
Another theme to this book is that of overcommunicating before, during, and after your SBS project. It is very easy to do. You can do it in person via periodic SBS network meetings, pizza lunches, and the like. You might consider sending out an SBS project update e-mail, such as presented in Figure 2-5.
Figure 2-5
SBS e-newsletter.
Selecting SBS Service Providers
Another planning issue is that of selecting the service providers for products and services for your SBS network. There are several types of SBS service providers:
• SBS consultants
• Hardware and software resellers
• Wiring and cabling contractors

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• Telcos
• Internet service providers (ISP)

First, a comment regarding service providers. In general, the very best way to retain a service provider is via referral of a mutually respected third party, typically a friend at another organization that has used a service provider he is pleased with. Acquiring or avoiding a service via this avenue is greatly recommended. In fact, as an SBS consultant, one of my key motivators to perform at the highest level is the prospect of getting referrals from my existing SBS client base!
Now here is a bit of advice they didn’t teach you in the Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MCSE) program or the Harvard Business School, for that matter. Avoid retaining a service provider based on an advertisement in the media, telephone book, and other outlandish promotional venues. Under these circumstances, it is very difficult to ascertain the quality of a service provider’s work, communications style, and other critical factors.
SBS Consultants
Of course, one of the earliest and most important decisions you will make relates to whether you will engage the services of an SBS consultant. I wrote this book so that you could indeed implement an SBS network on your own with both study and practice (the two key tenets to this book). But many of you might want to extend the SBS best practices in this book by having an SBS consultant on your team for all or part of the SBS project. Furthermore, many of you are reading this book with the thought of becoming an SBS consultant.
Assume that you indeed plan to use an SBS consultant. You need to consider a few things up front. First, many Windows Server gurus have bestowed the title of SBS consultant on themselves because the shoe appears to fit. Such is not the case for reasons I presented in Chapter 1 that underscore how different SBS is from Windows Server. So what’s my advice to you, the SBS customer? Avoid being the early training grounds for tomorrow’s SBS guru (unless you’re getting a significant discount on the billing rate being charged by the greenhorn SBS consultant, a point I surface in the next paragraph).
However, SBS gurus are in relatively short supply right now, so what should you do if all you have to select from are SBS newbies? At a minimum, negotiate a training rate that is significantly less (perhaps 50 percent) than the consultant’s normal fees. I also recommend that, armed with this book, you work side-by­side with the SBS consultant to make it right!
Those consultants who are SBS gurus tend to be nichers. Like a medical specialist, true SBS gurus basically live and breathe SBS all day long. You’ll potentially pay extra for this level of expertise (perhaps a 50 percent premium over the bill rates of a general practitioner), but it’s typically considered to be well worth it.
BEST PRACTICE: SBS consulting is something I cover in much more detail in my SMB Consulting Best Practices book. However, if you’re looking for an SBS consultant, be sure to check Microsoft’s SBS page at www.microsoft.com, where an SBS consulting partner locator tool is maintained. That’ll help you locate an SBS guru in your area.
Hardware and Software Resellers
To be brutally honest, when purchasing for SBS networks, I’ve found the very best hardware and software buys on the Internet and via 800 numbers. My short list of select vendors that I’ve used via this approach include the following:
Hardware
• HP/Compaq. (www.hp.com and its HP small business page at www.hp.com/sbso/index_evo.html?jumpid=go/business-evo that I show in Figure 2-6)
Notes:
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Figure 2-6
No hardware manufacturer has made a bigger commitment to the SBS 2003 market than HP!
Software
• CDW. (www.cdw.com)
BEST PRACTICE: If you are an SBS consultant, you may well want to resell software and hardware as another revenue source. While I personally don’t do this, you should look at this possibility. For software sales, one firm has made it easy for the small business consultant to become a software reseller and make a little pocket change at the same time. The firm, License Online, can be reached at 1-800-414-6596 or www.licenseonline.com. Good luck!
I’ve advised clients to be cautious about using resellers to perform the installation work, because these organizations, often storefront retail establishments, typically lack SBS-specific expertise.
BEST PRACTICE: Hardware and software resellers can be a good source of free consulting as long as you keep in mind that you get what you pay for. For example, if you call HP to order your server, the sales consultant can serve as a reality check regarding the number of processors, amount of RAM, and hard disk storage to order. That second opinion is of value and can be obtained for free.
The online help system via the Server Management console in SBS
2003 also speaks to hardware requirements.
Wiring and Cabling Contractors
Here again, getting a reference is a great way to locate a competent wiring and cabling service provider. You might check with the property management firm that manages your office space. They most likely use one or two such firms when building out office space.
BEST PRACTICE: Be sure to have the wiring and cabling contractor test and certify his work (network cabling, wall jacks, and so on). Faulty network cabling can wreak havoc on an SBS network, and you should have some type of recourse against the contractor. A cabling and wiring certification provides the documentation you need to seek relief.
One of my SBS jobs, at a mortgage brokerage, suffered from faulty wiring. After trying to troubleshoot the software, server, other hardware, and so on, it was finally discovered the wiring was the culprit. So, beware. Bad cabling happens.
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Telcos
Here my options are limited for giving advice. You might not have the ability to select from multiple telephone companies (telcos) that can provide you with the additional lines needed for your Internet connection, faxing, and remote access. Increasingly though, many areas now have local telco competition, so choice is increasingly becoming available.
BEST PRACTICE: Whenever working with a telco on any matter related to your SBS network, be sure to allow plenty of lead-time for the delivery of the services that you are requesting. Due to a booming demand for telephone lines, backlogs in filling service orders can be measured in weeks in many locations.
Internet Service Providers
Aside from using an ISP referral that you deem trustworthy, you have great flexibility in working with any old ISP you might stumble across. The E-mail and Internet Connection Wizard (EICW) in SBS 2003 is open to working with existing ISP accounts, large ISPs, small ISPs, even your dog’s ISP (just a little Springer Spaniel humor there). The EICW is displayed and discussed in Chapters 4, 5, and 6. In the planning phase of the SPRINGERS methodology, it behooves you to be a prudent purchaser of ISP services and shop around. Look at ISPs that best meet your technological needs and budget. For example, you might well find an ISP that is hurricane- and earthquake-proof (having backup batteries on-site that will run for weeks and other features), but such an ISP might be very expensive to do business with.
SBS Trivia: Did you know that the first release of SBS (SBS 4.0) had an ISP referral tool? It's true!

Saturday, May 24, 2008

SBS 2003 Best Practice book: check existing infrastructure

Hi - my name is Harry Brelsford and I am the CEO of SMB Nation. I am the author of the infamous purple book for SBS 2003. You can learn about me at www.smbnation.com and I encourage u to watch this site daily as I opst up the entire book over the next few months. Hey -when you own the copyright...you can do what you want!

Read on!

Check Existing Infrastructure
Assuming a network diagram has been created, you need to gather a little more information for SBS planning purposes. Take a tour of your existing physical site and make notes regarding the following items: cabling, hubs, and wall jacks. Table 2-1 shows the existing infrastructure information for SPRINGERS.
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Table 2-1: Existing Infrastructure

Item
Condition/Notes
Cabling
Need to implement Category 5/6 10/100BASE-T, Ethernet-typecabling at site. Existing coaxial cabling will not work.
Hubs
Will purchase and install dual-speed hubs.
Wall jacks
Each office will have one wall jack plus extra wall jacks inhallway.

Cabling
In the case of SPRINGERS, you will note in Figure 2-3 that the existing cabling media is coaxial, which is considered inferior to the more modern Category 5, 10/100BASE-T, Ethernet-type cabling (5/6). Because SPRINGERS intends to replace the cabling, it is so noted on the proposed network layout (see Figure 2­
4) later in the chapter.
Hubs
A hub is a central gathering point for network cabling. Many people today who are using the Category 5 cabling described previously are opting for high-speed 10/100 hubs to replace older, slower hubs. Thus, when designing your SBS network, consider the more expensive, faster, dual-speed 10/100 hubs over the 10Mbps hubs. With an eye on the future and getting the best long-term value from your SBS network, you will be glad that you did.
BEST PRACTICE: Why the dual-speed hub? Some older machines on a network, such as older laptops that use a parallel port-based network adapter, might not be able to run at 100Mbps (the new, higher network speed). If such is the case, you might need a dual-speed hub that supports both the older 10Mbps and the newer 100Mbps speeds.
Wall Jacks
It is common when planning an SBS project to discover that you will need to increase the number of wall jacks at your site. This typically occurs for two reasons. The first is that additional networked workstations will be added as
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part of the SBS implementation. This is very common. More often than not, when a new network is installed, so are additional workstations. These additional workstations typically are purchased for new hires, suggesting company growth is a driving factor in implementing a new SBS network. Or, the additional workstations might be for existing employees—formerly reluctant players— now stepping up to the table to join the networked world.
Here is what I mean. At a property management firm I serve, the commissioned-based real estate agents must contribute financially to join the SBS network. That is, they have to buy a node on the network. Prior to introducing SBS, the old network was based on a NetWare server, something that didn’t thrill many of the agents. Thus, several agents went without network connectivity in the past. Enter SBS, and these do-withouts became more excited about networking, especially with SBS’s Internet connectivity. Thus, existing standalone computers were added to the network when the SBS network was up and running.
Another cause for ordering additional wall jacks is the pervasive use of network-
connected printers. A popular setup is the Hewlett Packard (HP) laser printers connected directly to the network with a JetDirect card. These network printers are typically connected directly to the network using one of the wall jacks. Many firms use the SBS network project as an opportunity to upgrade their existing printers or add more printers, so it is very common when planning an SBS network to order additional network wall jacks.
BEST PRACTICE: Attaching printers to the network in no way affects your user count with respect to SBS licensing. Some of you from the old NetWare days might recall that network devices, such as printers and Shiva LanRover modems, could and would consume one or more of your network logon licenses. Such is not the case with SBS. You can have as many network printers as you’d like.
Assuming you’re going wired, it’s a given that you probably need to order wall jacks for your SBS network, so be sure to over-engineer the number of wall jacks ordered. I like to order up to 25 percent more wall jacks than I anticipate needing. These extra wall jacks are typically placed in the conference room
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where training occurs or temporary employees work. In my book, you can never have enough wall jacks. Plus it is cheaper to install them all at once rather than have the cabling specialist make return visits.
List of SBS Stakeholders
Another important SBS planning item is to create your list of SBS stakeholders. Stakeholders include yourself, any consultants, service providers, and so on who have a role on the SBS project. And because everyone today has multiple telephone numbers (work, work-private, work-fax, home, cellular, pager, and so on), I highly recommend that you add each stakeholder’s telephone numbers and e-mail addresses to your SBS stakeholders list.
Notes:
Table 2-2: SBS Stakeholders

Name
Role
Contact Information
Tom Jagger
SBS Consultant
SBS Staffing, Inc.123 Main Street Redmond, WA 98000 W: 425-555-1212 Fax: 425-123-1234 Home: 206-222-2222 Cellular: 206-333-3333 Pager: 206-123-0987Ski Condo: 503-200-1999 tomj@sbsrus.com
Jane Unionski
Cabling Specialist
Unionski CablingBox 3333 Unionski, WA 98111 W: 222-333-4455 Cellular: 222-444-3344 Pager: 222-123-4567union@cablespec.com
Bob Easter
Manager, SPRINGERS
Springer Spaniels Limited3456 Beach Front Road Bainbridge Island, WA 98110W: 206-123-1234 Fax: 206-123-1235 Home: 206-111-1234 bob@springersltd.com
Roni Vipauli
Lender, SBS
Small Business Savings123 Small Business Blvd. Small Town, WA 99882 W: 425-111-8888 Fax: 425-SBS-LEND roni@smallbusinesssavings.com
Ted Rockwell
Sales Associate
Overnight WarehousePO Box 8855 Acorn, WA 98234 1-800-111-0000, ext. 334 ted@sales.overnight.now.com

BEST PRACTICE: The users contained in Table 2-2 will be amongst the first names entered into the company contact list in Microsoft Outlook 2003.
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User List
Next in the general planning process under the SPRINGERS methodology would be creating a user list for your SBS network, those people you intend to allow to use the SBS network. It’s not as easy as it sounds. First, you have to typically think through who needs SBS network access, as not all users do. Once it is decided who will be allowed on the network, you need to take extra care to spell each user’s name correctly on the network and have an initial password to use. Each user’s name at SPRINGERS (10 users) is shown below. These names will be entered into the SBS network in Chapter 4.
First: Norm Last: Hasborn User Name: NormH Password: Purple3300E-mail alias: NormH User Template: Power User Computer Name: PRESIDENT
First: Bob Last: Bountiful User Name: BobB Password: Bish4fish E-mail alias: BobB User Template: User Computer Name: BREED01


First: Last:
BarryMcKechnie
User Name: Password:
BarryM2Reedred
E-mail alias: User Template: Computer Name:
BarryMUser ACCT01
First:
Melinda
Last: User Name:
OverlakingMelindaO
Password:
Blue33
E-mail alias:
MelindaO
User Template: Computer Name:
User FRONT01
First:
Linda
Last: User Name:
BriggsLindaB
Password:
Golden10
E-mail alias:
LindaB
User Template: Computer Name:
User MANREG01

First: Tom Last: Benkert User Name: TomB Password: Whitesnow101 E-mail alias: TomB User Template: User Computer Name: SCHEDULE01
First: Norm Last: Hasborn Jr. User Name: NormJR Password: Yellowsnow55 E-mail alias: NormJR User Template: User Computer Name: SALES01
First: David Last: Halberson User Name: DaveH Password: Grenadine2002 E-mail alias: DaveH User Template: User Computer Name: MARKET01
First: Elvis Last: Haskins User Name: ElvisH Password: Platinium101 E-mail alias: Elvis User Template: User Computer Name: GENE01
First: Bob Last: Easter User Name: BobE Password: dogcatcher1E-mail alias: BobE User Template: Power User Computer Name: CAREFEED01
Visit www.microsoft.com/technet for the latest updates for any Microsoft product.
Security
Not surprisingly, small organizations have many of the same computer network security needs as larger enterprises. The owner of a small business typically has confidential information that should not be widely distributed.
Security is a recurring theme in this book as different SBS components are discussed, such as Microsoft SQL Server and ISA Server. But for your initial SBS planning purposes, the first security issue to address is membership in the Administrators group. Administrators are the functional equivalent of Admins and Supervisors in NetWare or the super user account in a UNIX environment. Thus, it behooves you to select carefully who should have “full control” as an administrator over your SBS network. Typically, this membership group is limited to the organization’s leader (owner, CEO, President), the day-to-day SBS administrator, and perhaps the SBS consultant you’ve retained.
Notes:
Project Schedule
The next step is to create an SBS project schedule. Because of the nature of SBS projects—working with small organizations—it is not necessary to use Microsoft Project to create complex Gantt/Pert/CPM charts. These high-end project-scheduling applications are better left for putting pipelines across Alaska.
However, I do recommend that you create a simple calendar-based schedule for your SBS project. Microsoft Outlook has a calendar that works fine. The project schedule for SPRINGERS is shown in Figure 2-3.
Figure 2-3
SBS project schedule for SPRINGERS.
Addressing Hardware, Software, and Services List and Budget Needs
You must now create the hardware, software, and services lists for your SBS network as the next planning step in the SPRINGERS methodology. The list shown Table 2-3 is the desired outcome. Regarding the hardware area, a new server and new hub are being purchased by SPRINGERS. With respect to software, SBS, sufficient user licenses, and additional software are being
Visit www.microsoft.com/technet for the latest updates for any Microsoft product.
purchased by SPRINGERS. Several types of services will be required, including additional telephone lines for the new Internet connection and new wiring, because a new star topology based on the Ethernet standard has been selected. A star topology occurs when each workstation and the server is connected to the hub in a “spoke and hub” configuration similar to a bicycle tire. You will also see that, by adding an additional column in Table 2-3 for costs, the list not only serves as your purchase specifications, but also your budget. Note that I describe hardware, software, services, and budgets in much more detail later in the chapter.
Table 2-3: Hardware, Software, and Services List for SPRINGERS

Item
Description
Cost
Hardware
HP/Compaq ML-350 Server for SMB/SBS,tape backup unit, 1 GB RAM, 60GB HD, HPLaser Printer (HP 5M), UPS backup power.
$2.500
Software
SBS, Add’l Software (third-party tapebackup, antivirus client/server suite,software).
$3,500
Services
SBS Consultant, wiring with wall jacks,telephone line hookup, Internet service.
$5,500

Proposed Network Layout
The next step is to create a drawing of the proposed network. The proposed network for SPRINGERS, shown in Figure 2-4, graphically depicts many of the items discussed previously in the section “Addressing Hardware, Software, and Services List and Budget Needs.” The old NetWare server will be “retired.”
Notes:
Figure 2-4
Proposed SBS network for SPRINGERS.
Final Planning Activities
Three items remain as part of the SBS planning process: ordering, walk-through, and documentation.
Ordering
A “critical path” item in your SBS project is the need to order your hardware, software, and services. Why? Under even the best of conditions, it can take 10 or more business days to receive your new server machine. Services such as scheduling your SBS consultant and ordering additional telephone lines can take even longer (especially when the telephone company is involved).
Visit www.microsoft.com/technet for the latest updates for any Microsoft product.
BEST PRACTICE: If you use an SBS consultant, consider having her attend the calls placed when you are ordering (“you” being the business person in this case). Typically I sit in a conference room with my SBS customer on “order day.” The vendors are placed on the speakerphone, allowing for all parties to speak up and clarify anything. I’ve found that, by clarifying purchase specifications on order day, I save the client significantly more than my hourly consulting fees. Consider it another win for my SBS customer.
Walk-Through
Now that you are near the end of the planning phase, I highly recommend that you once again walk the floors of the site that will house the new SBS network. By taking a fresh look at the site where the SBS network will be installed, you might notice a few things you initially missed. Items that have caught my eye on this final walk-through include:

• Server placement: Where will the actual server reside? Is it near power

outlets? Have you coordinated the extra telephone lines, some of which are used by SBS, to terminate at or near the SBS server machine?
• Workstation accessibility: Can you easily reach each workstation on the network? Is there enough room between the desks and walls to allow the cabling specialist to install wall jacks?
• Building access: Do your service providers have access codes and keys to perform after-hours work on the SBS project? Believe me, you can count on some unexpected late-evening visits from members of the SBS team!

Ahhh.....the Saturday of the three day weekend....lovely...

I love this feeling - it is the Saturday of a three-day weekend. Today I plan to play with SBS 2008 and ride my bicycle.

How about you?

harrybbbb
Harry Brelsford
CEO
SMB Nation, www.smbnation.com

Friday, May 23, 2008

More bookage from Chapter 2: SBS 2003 stuff

Hey gang - more content from my purplse book for your weekend reading:


Check Existing Infrastructure
Assuming a network diagram has been created, you need to gather a little more information for SBS planning purposes. Take a tour of your existing physical site and make notes regarding the following items: cabling, hubs, and wall jacks. Table 2-1 shows the existing infrastructure information for SPRINGERS.
Visit www.microsoft.com/technet for the latest updates for any Microsoft product.
Table 2-1: Existing Infrastructure

Item
Condition/Notes
Cabling
Need to implement Category 5/6 10/100BASE-T, Ethernet-typecabling at site. Existing coaxial cabling will not work.
Hubs
Will purchase and install dual-speed hubs.
Wall jacks
Each office will have one wall jack plus extra wall jacks inhallway.

Cabling
In the case of SPRINGERS, you will note in Figure 2-3 that the existing cabling media is coaxial, which is considered inferior to the more modern Category 5, 10/100BASE-T, Ethernet-type cabling (5/6). Because SPRINGERS intends to replace the cabling, it is so noted on the proposed network layout (see Figure 2­
4) later in the chapter.
Hubs
A hub is a central gathering point for network cabling. Many people today who are using the Category 5 cabling described previously are opting for high-speed 10/100 hubs to replace older, slower hubs. Thus, when designing your SBS network, consider the more expensive, faster, dual-speed 10/100 hubs over the 10Mbps hubs. With an eye on the future and getting the best long-term value from your SBS network, you will be glad that you did.
BEST PRACTICE: Why the dual-speed hub? Some older machines on a network, such as older laptops that use a parallel port-based network adapter, might not be able to run at 100Mbps (the new, higher network speed). If such is the case, you might need a dual-speed hub that supports both the older 10Mbps and the newer 100Mbps speeds.
Wall Jacks
It is common when planning an SBS project to discover that you will need to increase the number of wall jacks at your site. This typically occurs for two reasons. The first is that additional networked workstations will be added as
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part of the SBS implementation. This is very common. More often than not, when a new network is installed, so are additional workstations. These additional workstations typically are purchased for new hires, suggesting company growth is a driving factor in implementing a new SBS network. Or, the additional workstations might be for existing employees—formerly reluctant players— now stepping up to the table to join the networked world.
Here is what I mean. At a property management firm I serve, the commissioned-based real estate agents must contribute financially to join the SBS network. That is, they have to buy a node on the network. Prior to introducing SBS, the old network was based on a NetWare server, something that didn’t thrill many of the agents. Thus, several agents went without network connectivity in the past. Enter SBS, and these do-withouts became more excited about networking, especially with SBS’s Internet connectivity. Thus, existing standalone computers were added to the network when the SBS network was up and running.
Another cause for ordering additional wall jacks is the pervasive use of network-
connected printers. A popular setup is the Hewlett Packard (HP) laser printers connected directly to the network with a JetDirect card. These network printers are typically connected directly to the network using one of the wall jacks. Many firms use the SBS network project as an opportunity to upgrade their existing printers or add more printers, so it is very common when planning an SBS network to order additional network wall jacks.
BEST PRACTICE: Attaching printers to the network in no way affects your user count with respect to SBS licensing. Some of you from the old NetWare days might recall that network devices, such as printers and Shiva LanRover modems, could and would consume one or more of your network logon licenses. Such is not the case with SBS. You can have as many network printers as you’d like.
Assuming you’re going wired, it’s a given that you probably need to order wall jacks for your SBS network, so be sure to over-engineer the number of wall jacks ordered. I like to order up to 25 percent more wall jacks than I anticipate needing. These extra wall jacks are typically placed in the conference room
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where training occurs or temporary employees work. In my book, you can never have enough wall jacks. Plus it is cheaper to install them all at once rather than have the cabling specialist make return visits.
List of SBS Stakeholders
Another important SBS planning item is to create your list of SBS stakeholders. Stakeholders include yourself, any consultants, service providers, and so on who have a role on the SBS project. And because everyone today has multiple telephone numbers (work, work-private, work-fax, home, cellular, pager, and so on), I highly recommend that you add each stakeholder’s telephone numbers and e-mail addresses to your SBS stakeholders list.
Notes:
Table 2-2: SBS Stakeholders

Name
Role
Contact Information
Tom Jagger
SBS Consultant
SBS Staffing, Inc.123 Main Street Redmond, WA 98000 W: 425-555-1212 Fax: 425-123-1234 Home: 206-222-2222 Cellular: 206-333-3333 Pager: 206-123-0987Ski Condo: 503-200-1999 tomj@sbsrus.com
Jane Unionski
Cabling Specialist
Unionski CablingBox 3333 Unionski, WA 98111 W: 222-333-4455 Cellular: 222-444-3344 Pager: 222-123-4567union@cablespec.com
Bob Easter
Manager, SPRINGERS
Springer Spaniels Limited3456 Beach Front Road Bainbridge Island, WA 98110W: 206-123-1234 Fax: 206-123-1235 Home: 206-111-1234 bob@springersltd.com
Roni Vipauli
Lender, SBS
Small Business Savings123 Small Business Blvd. Small Town, WA 99882 W: 425-111-8888 Fax: 425-SBS-LEND roni@smallbusinesssavings.com
Ted Rockwell
Sales Associate
Overnight WarehousePO Box 8855 Acorn, WA 98234 1-800-111-0000, ext. 334 ted@sales.overnight.now.com

BEST PRACTICE: The users contained in Table 2-2 will be amongst the first names entered into the company contact list in Microsoft Outlook 2003.
Visit www.microsoft.com/technet for the latest updates for any Microsoft product.
User List
Next in the general planning process under the SPRINGERS methodology would be creating a user list for your SBS network, those people you intend to allow to use the SBS network. It’s not as easy as it sounds. First, you have to typically think through who needs SBS network access, as not all users do. Once it is decided who will be allowed on the network, you need to take extra care to spell each user’s name correctly on the network and have an initial password to use. Each user’s name at SPRINGERS (10 users) is shown below. These names will be entered into the SBS network in Chapter 4.
First: Norm Last: Hasborn User Name: NormH Password: Purple3300E-mail alias: NormH User Template: Power User Computer Name: PRESIDENT
First: Bob Last: Bountiful User Name: BobB Password: Bish4fish E-mail alias: BobB User Template: User Computer Name: BREED01


First: Last:
BarryMcKechnie
User Name: Password:
BarryM2Reedred
E-mail alias: User Template: Computer Name:
BarryMUser ACCT01
First:
Melinda
Last: User Name:
OverlakingMelindaO
Password:
Blue33
E-mail alias:
MelindaO
User Template: Computer Name:
User FRONT01
First:
Linda
Last: User Name:
BriggsLindaB
Password:
Golden10
E-mail alias:
LindaB
User Template: Computer Name:
User MANREG01

First: Tom Last: Benkert User Name: TomB Password: Whitesnow101 E-mail alias: TomB User Template: User Computer Name: SCHEDULE01
First: Norm Last: Hasborn Jr. User Name: NormJR Password: Yellowsnow55 E-mail alias: NormJR User Template: User Computer Name: SALES01
First: David Last: Halberson User Name: DaveH Password: Grenadine2002 E-mail alias: DaveH User Template: User Computer Name: MARKET01
First: Elvis Last: Haskins User Name: ElvisH Password: Platinium101 E-mail alias: Elvis User Template: User Computer Name: GENE01
First: Bob Last: Easter User Name: BobE Password: dogcatcher1E-mail alias: BobE User Template: Power User Computer Name: CAREFEED01
Visit www.microsoft.com/technet for the latest updates for any Microsoft product.
Security
Not surprisingly, small organizations have many of the same computer network security needs as larger enterprises. The owner of a small business typically has confidential information that should not be widely distributed.
Security is a recurring theme in this book as different SBS components are discussed, such as Microsoft SQL Server and ISA Server. But for your initial SBS planning purposes, the first security issue to address is membership in the Administrators group. Administrators are the functional equivalent of Admins and Supervisors in NetWare or the super user account in a UNIX environment. Thus, it behooves you to select carefully who should have “full control” as an administrator over your SBS network. Typically, this membership group is limited to the organization’s leader (owner, CEO, President), the day-to-day SBS administrator, and perhaps the SBS consultant you’ve retained.
Notes:
Project Schedule
The next step is to create an SBS project schedule. Because of the nature of SBS projects—working with small organizations—it is not necessary to use Microsoft Project to create complex Gantt/Pert/CPM charts. These high-end project-scheduling applications are better left for putting pipelines across Alaska.
However, I do recommend that you create a simple calendar-based schedule for your SBS project. Microsoft Outlook has a calendar that works fine. The project schedule for SPRINGERS is shown in Figure 2-3.
Figure 2-3
SBS project schedule for SPRINGERS.
Addressing Hardware, Software, and Services List and Budget Needs
You must now create the hardware, software, and services lists for your SBS network as the next planning step in the SPRINGERS methodology. The list shown Table 2-3 is the desired outcome. Regarding the hardware area, a new server and new hub are being purchased by SPRINGERS. With respect to software, SBS, sufficient user licenses, and additional software are being
Visit www.microsoft.com/technet for the latest updates for any Microsoft product.
purchased by SPRINGERS. Several types of services will be required, including additional telephone lines for the new Internet connection and new wiring, because a new star topology based on the Ethernet standard has been selected. A star topology occurs when each workstation and the server is connected to the hub in a “spoke and hub” configuration similar to a bicycle tire. You will also see that, by adding an additional column in Table 2-3 for costs, the list not only serves as your purchase specifications, but also your budget. Note that I describe hardware, software, services, and budgets in much more detail later in the chapter.
Table 2-3: Hardware, Software, and Services List for SPRINGERS

Item
Description
Cost
Hardware
HP/Compaq ML-350 Server for SMB/SBS,tape backup unit, 1 GB RAM, 60GB HD, HPLaser Printer (HP 5M), UPS backup power.
$2.500
Software
SBS, Add’l Software (third-party tapebackup, antivirus client/server suite,software).
$3,500
Services
SBS Consultant, wiring with wall jacks,telephone line hookup, Internet service.
$5,500

Proposed Network Layout
The next step is to create a drawing of the proposed network. The proposed network for SPRINGERS, shown in Figure 2-4, graphically depicts many of the items discussed previously in the section “Addressing Hardware, Software, and Services List and Budget Needs.” The old NetWare server will be “retired.”
Notes:
Figure 2-4
Proposed SBS network for SPRINGERS.
Final Planning Activities
Three items remain as part of the SBS planning process: ordering, walk-through, and documentation.
Ordering
A “critical path” item in your SBS project is the need to order your hardware, software, and services. Why? Under even the best of conditions, it can take 10 or more business days to receive your new server machine. Services such as scheduling your SBS consultant and ordering additional telephone lines can take even longer (especially when the telephone company is involved).
Visit www.microsoft.com/technet for the latest updates for any Microsoft product.
BEST PRACTICE: If you use an SBS consultant, consider having her attend the calls placed when you are ordering (“you” being the business person in this case). Typically I sit in a conference room with my SBS customer on “order day.” The vendors are placed on the speakerphone, allowing for all parties to speak up and clarify anything. I’ve found that, by clarifying purchase specifications on order day, I save the client significantly more than my hourly consulting fees. Consider it another win for my SBS customer.
Walk-Through
Now that you are near the end of the planning phase, I highly recommend that you once again walk the floors of the site that will house the new SBS network. By taking a fresh look at the site where the SBS network will be installed, you might notice a few things you initially missed. Items that have caught my eye on this final walk-through include:

• Server placement: Where will the actual server reside? Is it near power

outlets? Have you coordinated the extra telephone lines, some of which are used by SBS, to terminate at or near the SBS server machine?
• Workstation accessibility: Can you easily reach each workstation on the network? Is there enough room between the desks and walls to allow the cabling specialist to install wall jacks?
• Building access: Do your service providers have access codes and keys to perform after-hours work on the SBS project? Believe me, you can count on some unexpected late-evening visits from members of the SBS team!

Documentation and Loose Ends!
It is essential that you take a few moments to gather the letters, e-mails, bids, drawings, yellow sticky notes, and the like and organize these in an SBS project notebook. The SBS project documentation serves several purposes.
First, if you should leave the organization, you properly share your SBS knowledge with your SBS successors via the SBS network notebook. In effect, people who follow you don’t have to start from the beginning. You, of course, would appreciate the same courtesy.
Second, because of the demands a small organization places on its staff, it’s unlikely that you will remember the finer points of your SBS installation several months hence. Thus the value of an SBS network notebook.
BEST PRACTICE: As you’ll see in later chapters, SBS 2003 is “self­documenting” if you simply click a link on the completion page of each wizard and save the configuration information as a file. I don’t want to tell you much more right yet, but the SBS development team made it real easy to create your network notebook with SBS 2003.
Loose ends run the whole spectrum of SBS computing. You name it, and I’ve probably seen it. Some doozies in this category include:
• Sufficient quantity of telephone cable. Lesson learned: Do you have enough telephone cabling to hook up the modems? And in this day and age, that might include DSL modems with its special cabling.
• Length of telephone cable: Lesson learned: Are the telephone cables long enough?
• Environmental controls. Lesson learned: Do you need a fan to help keep the server cool (because the work area is too warm)?

Another loose end to consider while planning your SBS network is training. One of the keys to success with an SBS network is to over-train your users! It’s a theme worth repeating (and I do so several times in this book!). Training can take several forms, all of which are discussed in Chapter 11.
BEST PRACTICE: Note the SBS project planning phase is typically 10 to 15 hours of consulting work if you are planning on doing it “right.” If you are undertaking your SBS project without a consultant, budget for one to two days of your own planning time.

Have a good three day weekend!

It is one of those days. It is the Friday of a three-day weekend.
Here is what I know to be true.
**It is Memorial Day and time to honor those who served. Attend a local parade if you can.
** While many people are out ot he office today, making this a four day weekend, I believe that you can say it is a great day to reach people at thieir desk. The reason is that folks still working have let their guard down.
Anyways - have a good one.
harrybbbbb
Harry Brelsford
www.smbnation.com

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Shark Hats Optional

Hey gang - tonight we are having an SMB Nation company party! It is the Thursday night concert series at the Clearwater Casino with a Jimmy Buffett band.
Shark hats optional.

harrybbbbb

Monday, May 19, 2008

Security webinar on Wednesday morning this week

hey gang - I will be hosting a security webinar on the missing piece in SBS 2008 security.

It is at 9AM PST on May 21st - so hope you will join up.

Details: https://www119.livemeeting.com/lrs/8000064431/Registration.aspx?pageName=pl2trxnbmfmq5l1v

thanks...harrybbbb

Starting Chapter 2 of SBS 2003 Best Practices Book

Hello again - readers of my blog know that I am posting several pages per day of my purple book (the introductory SBS 2003 book) and make the content WILD for your consumption.

Today we start chapter two. Enjoy and keep checkig back!

harrybbbb
Harry Brelsford
CEO, SMB Nation
www.smbnation.com


Chapter 2 Small Business Server Design and Planning
Welcome to Chapter 2, where you will proceed with specific planning tasks, all of which increasingly work forward to the actual hands-on activity of implementing SBS 2003. You are also introduced to Springer Spaniels Limited, the blessed sample company in this book.
Planning is considered an upstream function in a technology project. It tends to be less hands-on and more general than the actual setup and maintenance tasks that follow, these last two task areas being known as a downstream function. While it is easy to consider planning as an intuitive process that doesn’t require much of a time commitment from the SBSer or business person, such an assumption is a fallacy. Indeed, planning is typically considered to be the best use of time in a technology implementation. In fact, you really can’t escape planning. You can perform it upstream at the start of the technology implementation in an orderly and well-behaved way, or you can perform your planning it downstream—the hard way—when you find your self re-installing SBS multiple times, realizing with each passing installation that you’d like to change the way you did things. Ouch!
Springer Spaniels Limited
First off, let’s take a moment to meet Springer Spaniels Limited (SPRINGERS), the company for which you’ll implement a complete and successful SBS-based networking solution throughout the remainder of the book. You will often hear me refer to the SPRINGERS methodology when I walk you through steps in a setup sequence. Understand that the context of my references to the SPRINGERS methodology is this: While there are numerous ways SBS can be implemented
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(for example, partition sizes can vary after the minimum requirements are met, company names and Internet domain names will most certainly vary, etc.), by following the SPRINGERS methodology, you will find the experience very educational, consistent, and even fun!
There are some very important reasons to work with an imaginary company the first pass through this book. It has been my experience with SBS (and life in general) that you know much more after you’ve done something once. It’s another way of saying that hindsight is 20/20, a well-accepted old saw.
Such is the case with SBS. Typically, you set up SBS based on some assumptions that are made early in the planning process. Such assumptions might include the domain name you create, and so on. But fast-forward in the process, perhaps a few weeks. More than once an SBS administrator has commented to me that, now that she knows what SBS really is, she would have set it up differently. Those observations about getting it right are analogous to creating the chart of accounts when installing accounting software. You make some early decisions that you have to live with the rest of your life.
Now back to SPRINGERS. By using this company for the remainder of the book, you have the chance to learn SBS, warts and all, before installing it for real. These methods also allow you to avoid the scenario mentioned previously, wherein weeks after your “real” SBS install, you might lament that you would have done a few things differently if you had the chance to do it over again. With SPRINGERS, I’m providing you that chance at a very low cost.
By completing the activities in the remaining chapters, you will learn what works for you and what doesn’t. When you go to install SBS for real, with live company data, you will have your feet on much more solid ground. That will result in a successful SBS install for you and your organization.
SPRINGERS, for these purposes, is a small company with 10 users and 30 employees. Please note that not every employee uses a computer (many clean kennels and so forth). The company breeds, raises, and shows prize-winning springer spaniels. SPRINGERS is headquartered on Bainbridge Island, Washington, on a converted apple orchard. The SPRINGERS operations and prize Springer Spaniels named Brisker and Jaeger are to be seen in the photo section in the middle of the book. SPRINGERS has six departments in addition to the executive offices, as shown in Figure 2-1.
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Figure 2-1
Springer Spaniels Limited (SPRINGERS) organizational chart.
As you will see, SPRINGERS benefits from SBS in many ways, including its robust built-in Internet connectivity. How? Since canine breeders everywhere are worried about genetic variety in breeding (that is, they want to avoid inbreeding), the Internet is used to find suitable breeding partners. And I’m not talking about anonymous Internet chat rooms full of lonely Springer Spaniels looking for love in all the wrong places. Rather, SPRINGERS intends to search sophisticated and legitimate breeding databases around the world (if you are not aware, the Springer Spaniel breed is well-respected for its diversity in breeding, which is a kind way of saying the breed hasn’t been ruined by inbreeding).
SPRINGERS also benefits from other easy-to-use SBS features, such as the Server Management console that will be featured in detail in Chapter 4. As the chapters pass in this book, I will divulge more details of SPRINGERS as needed. Periodically, you will enter SPRINGERS information into SBS to complete exercises if you are following this book chapter and verse. It’s the well-planned SPRINGERS methodology that is the foundation and backbone of this book.
Not surprisingly, I do want to tip my hat of acknowledgement to those of you who may not follow the exact steps of the SPRINGERS methodology, as you may be using this book as a quick primer to sharpen your SBS 2003 skills
Visit www.microsoft.com/technet for the latest updates for any Microsoft product.
before building your own server (or the server of a client if you are a consultant). Right on! And for those of you who aren’t dog lovers and find it hard to get excited about Springer Spaniels, I can appreciate that too. This book isn’t a monument to dogs or the Springer Spaniel breed; rather the dogs and SPRINGERS serve as a convenient metaphor for telling a story and teaching you SBS 2003. So no e-mail from non-dog lovers please!
BEST PRACTICE: Now is a great time to start your own needs analysis for your SBS project. A needs analysis typically involves looking at the ebbs and flows of business activity in your firm, often for the first time. Start by creating your own organizational chart similar to Figure 2-1. From that, you may discover that your company and SBS users are organized in ways that might not have been apparent. I have found that, early in the SBS planning process, many people use the SBS computer project as an opportunity to reorganize their businesses. In fact, an SBS consultant is often a management
consultant as well.
SBS Project Management
You should never undertake an SBS project without sufficient planning. In fact, I typically spend a day or more with an SBS client doing nothing more than planning for the new SBS network. I can’t emphasize enough how important planning is with an SBS implementation. These upfront hours are certainly some of the best you spend.
An SBS project can be divided into five phases. These phases, which will be described in detail, follow:
1 Planning Phase: The logical and physical design of the SBS net­work occurs here as well as some early expectation management to avoid future disappointments.
2 Server Installation Phase: The SBS server is installed.
3 Workstation Installation Phase: The workstations are installed and configured.
4 Follow-up Phase: Over the course of several weeks, new SBS fea­tures are introduced. This mirrors the layout of this book as later

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chapters present additional SBS features as well as general trouble­shooting, user support, and network optimization.
5. Celebration Phase: Projects create stress, and an SBS installation is no different. Phase five is an opportunity to not only release some tension but also solicit feedback from SBS network stakeholders. This phase applies to both in-house SBS installations as well as those SBSers serving as consultants.
Planning Phase
For anyone considering SBS, the earliest planning exercises involve identifying and communicating why you want to implement SBS in your organization. That can be accomplished by answering the following questions. You will note that appropriate responses from SPRINGERS have been entered.
Early Planning Questions
I’ve got a secret for you about planning. To be honest, planning is very much about asking questions about the firm’s existing and future situation with respect to technology and then actively listening to the responses given. It’s harder than it looks. You might well find it easy to ask a lot of questions, but are the questions appropriate or effective? Do you have good listening skills and incorporate the client’s feedback into your planning process?
Here are some sample planning questions to get things going:
Q: List the three reasons you plan to use SBS.
A: (1) Ultimately to install our accounting system, Great Plains Dy­namics, using Microsoft SQL Server 2000 (which is included with SBS 2003 premium edition). (2) To have a secure and robust Internet connection for communications (e-mail) and Web-based research pur­poses. (3) To lower our information system costs by performing much of the ongoing administration ourselves via the friendly SBS Server Management console.
Q: What is the time frame for implementing SBS?
A: We intend to set up, install, troubleshoot, and train everyone on the network over a 10-week period starting in four weeks when the new computer equipment arrives. (And after you’ve finished reading this book!)
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Q: How have you arranged for training for the new SBS network?
A: The SBS consultant will train those responsible for network adminis­tration. The SBS administrators will show the users how to log on, print, and save information. These users will also attend three half-day training sessions on the following topics: Windows XP Pro, Of­fice Systems 2003, and Outlook.
Q: What roadblocks or problems can you identify today that might make the SBS project more difficult to complete?
A: First and foremost would be staff turnover. If our accountant leaves, not only would we have lost the individual we’ve identified as the SBS administrator, but we will have also lost our Great Plains Dy­namics talent. To combat this potential problem, we plan to have the receptionist assist with the SBS setup and administration so she can act as a backup SBS administrator in an emergency. A second pos­sible problem is the bank financing for our computer equipment pur­chase. We anticipate that the lending process will take only two weeks and the equipment will arrive roughly two weeks later. With the SBS deployment being a critical path item, any bank financing to pay for the work would delay the start of the SBS installation.
Existing Network Layout
Early on in the planning process, it is incumbent on SBS consultants and small-business owners alike to know exactly what they have when it comes to computer hardware and software. This baseline measurement allows you to determine what must be ordered, replaced, repaired, and so on. This information is typically gathered by inventorying the network and presenting your findings in a spreadsheet table or a network diagram. My preference has been to use a network diagram because its graphical display facilitates ease of understanding.
These network diagrams are typically drawn by hand, or with a network diagramming software application such as Microsoft’s Visio, resulting in a schematic or drawing of your existing network. More information on Visio is
available at www.microsoft.com. Visio can be purchased for under $500 USD retail or as part of the Microsoft Action Pack ($299 USD). Such a drawing might look similar to the drawing created for SPRINGERS in Figure 2-2.
Figure 2-2
Existing network for SPRINGERS.