New Server Setup Advice Please

[owainjones]

I have a client at the moment that has the setup described below. The system is generally slow (old client workstations don't help) but am looking to change the system - this is the advice I would like to hear.

Current Setup:

1x SBS2003 (Domain Controller, File Server, Exchange, Backups)

1x Standard Server (Terminal Server)

1 network card in the SBS2003 server which is connected to the switch, 2 network cards in the terminal server, one to the switch and one to a fast internet input (provided by the building). They have been given 1 external static IP which is used on the terminal server for remote access (done using Remote Desktop Connection)

The backups are done on the SBS2003 server to external USB hard disk drives.

Both servers are standard custom built PCs (not servers like HP etc.).

New Setup:

I was thinking that we could replace both boxes with 1 HP server with large HDD in Raid mirror, plenty of RAM running SBS2003. Could we then use Virtual PC to run the Standard Server for the terminal server? - Is this possible?

We also need to offer the ability for users to sync their mobile phones to the exchange e-mail server internal and externaly. Their e-mail is stored via a 3rd party hosting company and we use the POP3 connector.

From what I can gather we need to get a SSL certificate to allow the sync to the mobile phones, but they only provide them for domain names and not IP addresses so not sure how this would work. - Help needed.

Anyway you know the current setup and I look forward to hearing your views on a good new setup.

Best regards!

[Tripredacus]

I recommend that you use a RAID1 for OS files only, and a RAID5 or RAID10 for your file storage.

What does your current server make backups of? Profile data or of itself? If it is of itself, I recommend using a separate computer for the backups. The separate computer could be one of your current servers reborn.

Also, I hope that you have a firewall (physical) between your static IP and your server.

[owainjones]

Yes they have a firewall box between the outside world and the static IP.

At the moment we use the "mirro" function within SBS2003 to mirror the drives.

What are peoples views on using these virtual servers?

Also what are my options for users to sync their mobile phones to exchange ?

Thanks

[fizban2]

if you really went with a beefy box, doing SBS server 2008 or 2008 standard w/Hyper V would be a great route (though it would require some heavy migration work)