This is a test and practice platform for me to learn Small Business Server
on, though I do hope to actually use it as my server once I gain competence.
If you don't get the network name, Stevens was named after the main character
in Remains of the Day, who's entire existence revolved around providing
service. The motherboard was taken from Bigguy, as was the cpu, and the
sound card. Small Business Server is a combination of NT Server, proxy
Server SQL Server, Exchanger Server, Internet Information Server, and some
others, sold as a package. All of the components can be purchased separately,
but at considerably greater cost. This was another deal from Microsoft
through it's oem site, where I got the SBS package, and training for free.
I love this site, and it has helped me to stay current with Microsoft's
newer offerings without having to go into the poorhouse, or having to turn
to software piracy. There is little other software installed. Office Pro
2000 is on this machine, and I may stick a few other things on, but mostly
this will be a learning and then a server platform. The large hard drive
was bought because the price was right, and I can always use the space
for setting up a file server or practicing SQL server, and setting up assorted
data bases. I can also use it to back up other machines across the network.
This will be the last machine of mine to be fully on line, because this
is the operating system that I know the least about. After I finish converting
to a domain network, and have pretty well mastered playing with NT Server,
I will make the Chief my gateway, and network server, and then get to work
on using SBS. Eventually I hope to make stevens my gateway and network
server, firewall and all, in place of the chief. Right now, my main
machine is the recently updated Bigguy, which can now give access to the
internet to all of the machines on my network since it now runs the newer
version of Win98. This is modem sharing only however, and Win98 is not
able to provide a firewall, or the versatility of Proxy Server, which is
a component of SBS. Setting up SBS is no joke, as we have recently gotten
an order for a machine so configured at work, and it took the efforts of
one of our top network guys, and one other tech, over a three day period
to get it up and running. I also note a fair amount of cursing and moaning
from the tech assigned to set up all of the NT, and NT Server machines.
It's good to have something to look forward to.