Re: new server 2003 setup questions

From: Bill Frisbee [MVP] (stormerX_at_comcastx.net)
Date: 03/10/04 

Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2004 17:33:26 -0500

<anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:a7f501c406e7$070f9410$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> Thanks Bill,

Not a problem at all, that is what I'm here for!

> 1. how do I know what size to partition for the os and
> say sql engine or other system things such as for a
> memory dump, active directory ?

I always go with a parition size of 8 GB for the OS. But that is just me.
Your mileage may vary. SQL I always put on another partition, and depending
on the data size, or maximum data size decides my partition size. I have
several servers running SQL and that partition varies in size from 10 GB to
1.1 TB... Active Directory I have on the OS drive. Never had a problem with
it there and it does not really get all that large for my company of 36
branch offices, two corporate HQ's, 1000 PCs, and about 20 servers and 300
printers.

> 2. If I mirror the os partition, do I have to have two
> drives dedicated to that partition or does it just use
> the drives setup in the raid 5 configuration?

If you mirror do a RAID mirror, that takes two drives and makes them into
one with a little bit of drive space loss. For example all my HP Proliant
BL20p G2 systems have 2x 36.4 GB hard drives. After they are in RAID 0+1, I
have about 33.6 GB of storage available, in one volume.

> 3. If I use raid 5 for my data partition, that requires
> three drives all the same size, right? I have had two
> harddrives go dead and raid 5 really helped since they
> were hot swapable. I have never used mirroring so I
> don't know as much about it. Will read up on it though.

No RAID 5 does not require all the same drive size. The disks should be the
same size however, if they are different sizes, the size of the RAID 5 size
is determined by the smallest disk. If you have three disks in RAID 5 and
you loose 2 you are in trouble. Mirroring is just that, think of two disks,
the same, identical, you can loose one disk and keep going.

> 4. We have 22 workstations that will have to be replaced
> in order to use new sql database program. With that,
> I was looking at terminal services for a cheaper route
> and then just use the old pcs as dumb terminals.
> What would I need to run terminal services if I can't use
> new server to run sql and terminal services on the same
> server?

I honestly don't know, I've never attempted it before...

> I would also like to be able to run office from
> the terminal server. I am a one man(lady) dept and
> managing updates and patches is getting out of hand.
> Thought having office on server would help but the other
> solution of an SMS server might be better and stick with
> using pcs instead of just dumb terminals such as winterm
> boxes.

I do it with Thin Clients (HP T5500's to be exact). Each office has 2 full
blown Windows XP PC's that I manage via GPO and SUS. SMS was just too much
admin overhead... I have all our Thin Clients presenting a published Desktop
to all our office workers, and so far it seems to be working well. SUS is a
half decent product that allows you to manage the what/where/when's of your
system updates... It's a lot less painful this way. SUS 2.0 will be making
stuff a LOT easier.

> It hard to make right decisions on a limited
> budget but would like to aleast have room for growth
> without having to revamp each time and still be able to
> keep things under control with only one person.
> 5. I will have to do this process in one weekend and have
> it up and running by Monday. It sounds like building the
> new server as a domain controller and setting it up
> correctly as if I only was going to have one server might
> be the best option, but wait until I rebuild the old
> server to add sql. (I have never worked with sql either).

Yes it is tough. Just take your time and keep asking questions! It does make
things a lot easier. If you get stuck and don't know what to do. STOP. Take
a step back and ask. Never do something if you don't know what is going on,
or what is going to happen if you click OK. Trust me it is worth the time
and effort to ask.

Bill F. (Windows Server Setup MVP)

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