MS Based IT infrastructure for a very small business

**blacjac** · 22 January 2010, 12:47

If you have the action pack I would reccomend installing Windows SBS2008 on a server.

It contains Domain, DNS, Exchange, Backup and loads of other stuff all in one place.

**voodooflux** · 22 January 2010, 12:52

Originally posted by blacjac View Post

If you have the action pack I would reccomend installing Windows SBS2008 on a server.

It contains Domain, DNS, Exchange, Backup and loads of other stuff all in one place.

WHS, it also has a simplifed administration interface.

**suityou01** · 22 January 2010, 14:13

Originally posted by voodooflux View Post

WHS, it also has a simplifed administration interface.

The only downside being that you lose the server you lose everything.

I don't think SMEs use exchange any more. Email hosting can be done off site. File storage can also be done off site (with JungleDisk for example)

You would not really want your domain controller and exchange box being the same anyway.

Does it have to be MS? Ubuntu has a server offering. Open office. Firefox. What more do you need?

Also runs on older hardware, so if you did get a refurb server it would happily run on it.

Just a thought.

**ThomasSoerensen** · 22 January 2010, 14:21

I have build our product offering on MS technology.

With output partly being MSExcel files.

and since I do not build the infrastructure in order to learn about it - I just want it to work.

I have so far based admin on communications on google apps and their mail and document services.

But as I am expiencing a email blackout I am looking at other possibilities.

**Durbs** · 22 January 2010, 14:28

Originally posted by ThomasSoerensen View Post

and since I do not build the infrastructure in order to learn about it - I just want it to work.

Well that rules out the Linux suggestion straight off!

As people have suggested, SBS is designed to do just that, it contains everything a SME needs whilst not requiring any in depth server knowledge to run it (initial setup is a different matter so i'd recomend spending a few quid on someone to get it right initially then it should be straightforward).

Agree with the other post about the benefits of remote mail hosting if only because dealing with spam is a real headache on your own box. BUT, i think the latest versions of SBS Exchange deal with that to some degree?

**JoR** · 22 January 2010, 15:03

Cannot go wrong with SBS and is really easy to install and configure. I have more than 300 SBS implementations of SBS out there in various countries and works a treat ... if you need SQL install the Premium Edition. On the CAL side if you but 1 SBS CAL it is valid for Windows Authentication/Exchange/SQL etc. The only 2 additional bits of software required on top of SBS are 1. An antivirus product and 2. A Backup Product and you are set .... it's all wizard driven on the configuration front although I don’t use it have seen first time SBS engineers administer box's with the wizard system and is a piece of cake (almost too easy)

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MCSE, MCSA, MCITP, MCDST, MCTS, MCP

**blacjac** · 22 January 2010, 15:18

Yep, the exchange on SBS2008 includes a POP3 connector to download emails from a remote server.

If you want someone to help you with the setup / do it for you, give us a shout and we may be able to work something out

**VectraMan** · 22 January 2010, 16:05

Sounds like overkill to me. My very small business does fine with a Windows 7 PC and laptop, a NAS, and a domain which forwards to my Gmail account.

**voodooflux** · 22 January 2010, 16:14

Originally posted by suityou01 View Post

The only downside being that you lose the server you lose everything.

There is that trade off, but as the infrastructure grows then various duties can gradually be offloaded to other services. As an integrated, easy to setup, easy to administer solution then it's hard to beat SBS.

MS Based IT infrastructure for a very small business