Re: Server hardware vendors

You might find it useful to sign on to the Microsoft SBSC program. The exam is extremely MS-centric (don't even think of 3rd party solutions), but it gives the appropriate slant to SMB thinking.


"Lee" <nospam@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:OAJ9U9kwHHA.4800@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


"Cris Hanna [SBS-MVP]" <crisnospamhanna@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:e3sBgJkwHHA.2180@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lee,
These are all great questions, but it would almost appear that you don't have a great breadth of experience with a wide variety of hardware and applications?



Apologies if I came across as green. I am somewhat in this space



Built my first computer from parts when I was 14. My dad had an Amstrad pc1640 and western digital wanted £600 for a hard card for it. So I built him a computer. Been working in IT over 10 years.



Worked in telecoms hardware support. 6 nines uptime, passive backplane rack mount chassis, 10,000 lines that had to be up or we got huge penalties.



My concern is that what I am used to supplying clients with telephone number budgets might be overkill for SME clients.



I have no doubt about my technical abilities to deliver SBS, CRM and anything else a 50 seat business will require. I'm trying to get a feel for IT from a 50 user level not a 500+ user level.



I'd be concerned about your ability to act as the "trusted agent" for a small businesses in guiding them toward decisions on software and hardware if you don't have that background.



My experience goes back to DOS 5 (and DR DOS) and wfwg 3 all the way up to present. I even had some fun with banyan VINES!



I'm looking for advice from people working in the <100 seat space, regarding what they would specify for a server and what experience they have had with vendors when you are not putting £10 million of business their way each year.



I know how nice HP \ IBM can be when you buy 200 servers from them a year, I wonder what they are like when you buy 20 from them.


How many SBS servers have you installed, configured and supported?



4 in commercial environments. IBM series x system builder models. Remotely supported via TS. Premium installs, everything working perfectly. Including windows mobile access.



Used the wizards for everything. Didn't get clever and start messing with AD myself just let SBS organise the OU's how it wanted.



Was very impressed with how easy I found it to get everything up and running. Including RWW, OWA, VPN (dont forget GRE pass through) and TS for support. Even found getting access for PDA running windows mobile to be relatively easy once I got the certificate installed on the PDA.



These were done when working for a previous employer. Unfortunately they didn't want to pursue that space, wanted bigger profits.



Have 2 networks at home, 1 is for testing 1 for running my business.



I have decide to work for myself and build a reputation for providing enterprise level solutions for SME level clients (at SME prices). I believe SBS will be an integral part of that.



This is why I am asking questions now. I want to get things right first time for all my clients.



Any advice appreciated.



Lee






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