Re: SBS2003 Consulting

Thank you for your comments.

I also found the suggestion to use hardware solutions for those server
platforms that provide them -- such as the DRACs that Dell uses. This seems
to me to be an ideal compliment to RDP over SSL/VPN.

20 networks per admin -- thanks for the estimate. It's invaluable to find
experience in these forums instead of learning the hard way.

We're looking into using a SQL reporting backend to manage the reports
coming from various networks. Thanks for the tips.

Kevin

"Les Connor [SBS Community Member - SBS MVP]" <les.connor@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote in message news:%23GM3erD0FHA.800@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Hi Kevin,
>
> Sorry about the noise ;-/.
>
> There are a couple of approaches to managing multiple SBS networks.
>
> The OOB approach:
>
> As you may know, SBS has fair capability so far as health monitoring, and
> remote administration. Using this OOB functionality of emailed alerts,
> server status reports, and server performance reports, a single technician
> can fairly comfortably maintain something in the order of 20 networks. He
> may need 1/2 to 1 hour each day to review the server reports, and may
> consider allowing for approximately a day per month on average to attend
> to specific needs, remotely or on-site, for each network. Hence, the 20
> network count.
>
> However, to stay comfortable, these networks would have to be installed in
> a manner conducive to low maintenance - generally using best practices for
> servers, workstations, applications, and users. Best practices for SBS
> will differ somewhat from best practices for other types of networks. One
> obviously wants to avoid one-of customizations that don't scale well;
> keeping the configurations standardized as much as possible is the goal.
> SBS provides a good set of tools to help here; you'll see them lovingly
> referred to as 'the wizards'.
>
> Limiting local administrative accounts, good low-maintenance A/V
> applications, etc. all contribute to a more easily monitored and
> administered network. Controlled updates via SUS or WSUS are also an
> important component, as often a large number of boxes need to be updated
> in a short period of time.
>
> On the Tech's side, using available tools such as Outlook rules to
> orgainize the incoming reports and alerts, and possibly making good use of
> the help desk facilities of the built in Sharepoint site will help.
>
> There are some third part tools that may help scale things up somewhat.
> For example, Level Platforms has been working on remote monitoring
> software that extends further into the network than the SBS monitoring
> itself, and they have been active with SBS specifically.
>
> http://www.levelplatforms.com/news/20050216_SBS2003Template.html
>
> Additionally, the SBS development group is aware that we all want to find
> ways to enable an ITPro to manage more networks. Any such development
> would be in the next version time frame, so a couple of years out yet, but
> we're hopeful.
>
> Another great source of information is a local SBS ITPro (usergroup)
> group. What city are you in? Perhaps we can connect you.
>
>
> --
> Les Connor [SBS Community Member - SBS MVP]
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> SBS Rocks !
> ----------------------
> "Tell me and I'll forget. Show me and I'll remember. Involve me and I'll
> understand." - Confucius
>
>
> "Kevin L. Ritchey" <kevinritchey@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:eEBc7d6zFHA.1252@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Ok... I take back what I said about presuming I asked the question wrong.
>> You've demonstrated that you have NO IDEA how to answer these "simple"
>> questions. No one else has answered them either.
>>
>> If you can't answer the question, don't ridicule the poster. In trying
>> to
>> build yourself up by tearing others down you reveal your own ignorance.
>>
>>
>> "Russ Grover" <russ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:u8NwEKvzFHA.720@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> Well I'm just wondering why you are asking a question
>>> when you have "Experienced Techs" in SBS 2003?
>>>
>>> So from your second post it looks like they are "UN Experienced" Techs
>>> in
>>> SBS 2003
>>>
>>> It would have been better if you said that.
>>>
>>> And yes I may seem harsh, but I found it Odd that you wanted to Support
>>> SBS2003
>>> yet the people who are your Techs Couldn't answer these questions?
>>>
>>> Sorry I've spent too many Hours Fixing Problems from Techs Who CLAIM to
>> know
>>> SBS2003
>>> Botched Installs and Wrong Configuration. (And ALL if it So called
>>> Expert
>> IT
>>> Techs)
>>> To me there should be a Death penalty for Techs who Botch SBS Installs.
>>>
>>> That's why I gave you a cold Shoulder.. If your Techs Don't know SBS
>>> 2003
>>> and how to Answer those Questions
>>> Why in the Heck would I want you to start a Business Supporting them?
>>>
>>> I personally Don't Want to SCREW Customers. I care about my customers.
>>> And to Aid someone who want's to make a quick buck on people with a so
>>> called TURN KEY
>>> with Support Technicians that don't know how to answer Simple Questions.
>> Is
>>> Against My personal Philosophy!
>>>
>>> As you can See I'm passionate about my Work and I take it Seriously...
>>>
>>> I personally think you should HIRE consultant who KNOWS SBS,
>>> Either Train your Techs on the proper way to Support SBS or Hire them to
>>> support SBS2003
>>>
>>> is NOT like another server, it's a completely different OS and you have
>> to
>>> treat it differently.
>>> If your Techs don't know SBS the Correct way the only thing you will
>>> have
>> is
>>> PISSED off Customers.
>>>
>>> Sorry, My anger comes from many Hours of Fixing So called Experts
>>> BOTCHED
>>> SBS2003 Installed Jobs.
>>>
>>> I'm CCing you this message incase you don't come back to this forum.
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Russ Grover
>>> Small Business IT Support
>>> Portland\Beaverton OR USA
>>> Email: Sales at SmallBusinessITSupport.com
>>> Website: www.SmallBusinessITSupport.com
>>>
>>>
>>> "Kevin L. Ritchey" <kevinritchey@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> news:uFbgJxuzFHA.2932@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> > Ok. After looking through this group again, I see that Russ is a
>>> > pretty
>>> > frequent contributor, so I'm going to assume the fault and assume I
>> asked
>>> > the question wrong or in the wrong forum. Either way, I'll look
>> elsewhere
>>> > for a response and hold no hard feelings for Russ' response.
>>> >
>>> > "Russ Grover" <russ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
>>> > message
>>> > news:uv2n8fszFHA.1252@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> >> Your Experienced SBS2003 Technicians should be able to answer this...
>>> >>
>>> >> --
>>> >> Russ Grover
>>> >> Small Business IT Support
>>> >> Portland\Beaverton OR USA
>>> >> Email: Sales at SmallBusinessITSupport.com
>>> >> Website: www.SmallBusinessITSupport.com
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> "Kevin L. Ritchey" <kevinritchey@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> >> news:%235$1y0nzFHA.3772@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> >> > I've recently joined a firm that wishes to expand it's consulting
>>> > services
>>> >> > to include turn-key & customized install/config/monitoring of
>>> >> > SBS2003
>>> >> > directed towards a couple specific vertical markets. The firm has
>>> >> > a
>>> >> > cornucopia of technicians with varied experience ranging from
>>> >> > SBS2003
>>> >> > to
>>> >> > Debian Linux to AIX. The principals are interested in seeing the
>>> > business
>>> >> > plan on paper before moving forward any further. I have been asked
>> to
>>> >> > reduce the plan to paper. Here are my questions for this
>>> >> > community:
>>> >> >
>>> >> > 1. Remote monitoring? Our current model includes a modified flat
>> rate
>>> >> > monthly maintenance contract that includes a few hours of
>>> >> > maintenance
>>> >> > built
>>> >> > in. Our incentive is to reduce problems and downtime to the
>>> >> > absolute
>>> >> > minimum while minimizing our on-site time. In the *nix world this
>>> >> > is
>>> > easy
>>> >> > (ssh, big brother, nagios, etc...) Without going to GPL tools, are
>>> > there
>>> >> > Microsoft solutions that adapt well to this end for this purpose --
>>> > beyond
>>> >> > RDP? Specifically, MOM -- does anyone use MOM for this purpose? I
>>> >> > understand that you lose some reporting capabilities when the
>>> >> > servers
>>> >> > aren't
>>> >> > on the same domains.
>>> >> >
>>> >> > 2. VPN? Hardware or software is the current question. We're not
>>> > talking
>>> >> > about site to site configurations, rather allowing VPN tunneling in
>> to
>>> > do
>>> >> > the remote monitoring/maintenance. Again, I'm more interested if
>>> >> > anyone
>>> >> > out
>>> >> > there has done this before -- I'd like to learn from their mistakes
>> if
>>> >> > they'd allow me.
>>> >> >
>>> >> > 3. What am I missing? This is an opened ended invitation for
>> remarks,
>>> >> > suggestions from those individuals that have done this model
>>> > successfully,
>>> >> > or tried and failed. If you want to share your wisdom, I'm all
>>> >> > ears.
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Thank you for your time, I hope to contribute my share of expertise
>> in
>>> > the
>>> >> > future.
>>> >> >
>>> >> > Kevin L. Ritchey, MCP
>>> >> >
>>> >> >
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>


.

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