Re: SBS 2003 R2 can it be used as a workgroup server

REBlack wrote:
Hi,

I'm currently have a server running Windows 2000 Server SP4. This is a very small office so basically the server provides file and print services to 2-3 XP Pro and 2000 Pro clients in workgroup mode. Also, the server is running an application called Portfolio Center that is using MS SQL MSDE. The clients have the client side of the application installed on their computers and access the server piece of the application (via DCOM). We also have the 2000 server confiqured for mirroring and raid-5 for redundancy.

We have a duplicate hardware platform that we are trying to install SBS 2003 server R2 on. However I can not fiqure out how to install SBS server 2003 R2 as a workgroup server just like the current server running windows 2000 server sp4. I don't want to deal with domain administration for a 2-3 workstations and a single server.

So basically my question is can SBS 2003 R2 be confiqured as a simple workgroup server were no domain exists and the server existing in the current workgroup.
I have run through the install twice and it want's to install active directory and then only prompts for a domain name. It does not give you the option to enter a workgroup. Once it installed, if you look at the control panel/system/network/computer name/ you see the domain name and then you click on change and it has the domain name listed/selected but ghosted out and the workgroup name field ghosted . you cannot select between either button.


If you are wondering why we selected SBS 2003 R2 it's because we needed te raid/mirror functionality. The current 200 server does that well enough and for this office. The activity is so low that response time isn't much of an issue.

I'ved worked with windows 2000 server for years and feel confortable using in workgroup mode. I really don't want to add much complexity to this simple environment. Also, I have never really learned the domain admin piece of windows server. I really want to continue with the simplicty of our configuration but move a newer platform.


well, you've encountered a problem with sbs2003, it pretty much NEEDS to run active directory to get a lot of the features it has from it.

from what you state, you have less than 10 users - why don't you just use winXP professional instead? that can do what you want, it doesn't require active directory and should work fine for just sharing files and an application that requires msde.

winXP pro has a limit of 10 concurrent users. If you get a good quality hardware raid controller you can setup a mirrored pair with a hot stand-by disk. this gives you plenty of protection - but you should still make backups. These days you can use a firewire or USB external drive. You should always make backups and take them off site every day or every week.


good luck,

Oskar

.