Re: SBS2003 Consulting
- From: "Les Connor [SBS Community Member - SBS MVP]" <les.connor@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 20:34:25 -0500
Hi Kevin,
The DRAC features are cool, but IMHO would rarely be used - perhaps never in
the hardware lifetime of many customers. I'd spend the money elsewhere,
perhaps some other area of redundancy that would reduce a vulnerability.
--
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 Ritchey" <klratnittanylinkputadotherecom> wrote in message
news:exz3zWR0FHA.1252@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 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
>>>> >> >
>>>> >> >
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
.
- References:
- Re: SBS2003 Consulting
- From: Russ Grover
- Re: SBS2003 Consulting
- From: Kevin L. Ritchey
- Re: SBS2003 Consulting
- From: Kevin Ritchey
- Re: SBS2003 Consulting
- Prev by Date: Re: SharePoint Services SP2
- Next by Date: Cannot mount store after swing
- Previous by thread: Re: SBS2003 Consulting
- Next by thread: SQL Serer 2000 update keeps coming up
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
