Re: File Sharing in a Peer to Peer Network


Malke: Thanks for the additional information on Workgroups and Domains, and
the reference links - lots to think about. (I'll try not to panic!)

Regards. . .

"Malke" wrote:

TonyN wrote:

Malke and Steve: Many thanks for your replies to my question about file
sharing. Would either of you be able to give me a quick tutorial about the
difference between Workgroups and Domains, and any related considerations
in a configuration of this size (10 workstations).

Very quickly (because domains are a complicated subject):

A domain is created when you have a machine running a server operating
system which you have made the domain controller and are using Active
Directory. All permissions/restrictions on the users and workstations are
set on the server. The advantage is that you can manage all your users and
workstations from one central location instead of having to go to each
workstation individually. You can set very fine-grained permissions and
restrictions on users and groups of users, push out updates, virus
definitions, host programs, have the data in one location for easy backup
(no data should be on the workstations). Domains are very cool. The
downside of having a domain is that you have to learn something new. ;-)
With such a small network, it isn't that complicated though. Here are a few
links to get you started:

Great resource - http://www.petri.co.il/

Windows Essential Business Server for small companies (I haven't tried this
yet, it's pretty new) http://www.microsoft.com/ebs/en/us/default.aspx

Windows Small Business Server
http://www.microsoft.com/sbs/en/us/default.aspx

A Workgroup is a collection of networked computers. They are all equal,
hence the term "peer-to-peer". They can share resources but each
workstation is managed individually. One thing I should also point out is
that there is a limitation on inbound concurrent connections with Windows
XP/Vista that you may bump into if one of the workstations is acting as a
"pseudo-server", acting as a file/application server. The limitations is on
the number of connections, not the number of computers and one computer can
(and usually does) make more than one connection to the pseudo-server. XP
Home has a 5-connection limitation and XP Pro has a 10-connection
limitation.

Inbound connections limit in XP - http://support.microsoft.com/?id=314882

5 - XP Home/Vista Home Basic
10 - Vista Home Premium/Vista Ultimate/XP Pro
74 - SBS 2003 (I don't know if this has changed in SBS 2008)
Unlimited for full Server OSes

A good rule of thumb is that if you have a pseudo-server and 7 or more
workstations, it's time to consider a server - not just because of the
inbound connections limitation but because of the time needed to administer
all those workstations individually.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ


.

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