Windows 2003 file server print server, email server

[mraslann]

Hai, I have done networking and active directory settings in w2000 but 2003 is new to me. I have installed one system with windows 2003 and others with windows xp. This w2003 system is going to be the server. My network is connected by a 3com wireless gateway which has its own dhcp server. So now the only thing I want to do is to configure this to be a file server, printer server and email server. Each system has it own shared folder, in windows 2003 I heard that there one new things called active folder sharer something which shares the files in other system with security cause I want some of the users not to use my files not even for viewing them. Second thing my printer is a xerox phaser 7300n which has its own dhcp service. So is it possible for me to make the w2003 server use a dhcp instead of making all those things use dhcp. And is it possible to share email in head office through vpn if they don't have a exchange server.But they have their own domain like mohsin@company.com . So anybody can help with this. Please , I know there are lot brainies out there in msfn forum, Please help me with this.

Thanks

Edited November 16, 2005 by mraslann

[InTheWayBoy]

You need to decide what role this server is going to play. Is it going to be the only server in the organization, and if so are you planning on running an Active Directory domain? 2003, and any OS for the most part, can become a file or print server just by sharing the resources...right-click on the folder, then go to "Sharing" and configure appropriately.

Now, if you want to do things like limit access to files and such, then you need to figure out a way to setup security. The easiest way in the long run is to setup an Active Directory domain if you don't already have one. That way you have a central location that dictates security settings for users and computers. Once you have something setup, then it's (Almost) as simple as add or removing a user/group/computer from a share to regulate access. If you have a peer-to-peer network it's still possible, but becomes a headache later on when you have to change names and such. Since you wouldn't have a true server in a peer-to-peer network, then if you change something on one computer you'll most likely have to physically change it on all the others.

I have no idea about the Exchange question though.

You can easily make 2003 into a DHCP...all you would have to do is disable the other DHCP servers just to make sure they don't get in the way. Each router/printer is different, so I can't recommend where to look, but it's most likely in there somewhere.

Edited November 16, 2005 by InTheWayBoy

[nmX.Memnoch]

You can easily make 2003 into a DHCP...

Along those lines I would recommend using the 2003 box as the DHCP server...especially if you're going to do an Active Directory. It'll make things so much easier with Active Directory DNS. Your 3Com gateway may not allow you to customize the DHCP settings other than the range of addresses it's allowed to give out. You'll want your Active Directory Domain Controller IP to be listed as the DNS address on the workstations.

Any way you do your DHCP setup it will still be best to configure the 2003 box with a static IP address (this is required if it's going to be the DHCP server and/or Active Directory Domain Controller).

[Singh]

OK, here are my thoughts

According to my experience with working in MICROSOFT, you have good options

1) Install 2003 as a domain controller

2) Install 2003 as a DNS and DHCP Server

3) If you are having nu. of users and you want a comman area of share you can use DFS(Distributed File System) and then you can assign them permissions

4) About print server, this server can work as a print server too.

5) If you dont want to use DFS, then you can explicitely permissions to your users and security groups

Let me know if you have any questions

Thanks

Singh

[mraslann]

ok now i got some idea, mr singh this question is for you.

So if I disable dhcp server in my 3com server, will the internet sharing still be avaible as it is given by it only. so what is your sugesstion.

and the printer dhcp reciver only that is if any dhcp service is there it will use it. So no problem if the windows 2003 is dhcp . Actually the dhcp option there is lease time. I want something like unlimited. can you also help me to configure a vpn . Thanks. so if I configure a active directory and select distributed sharing system, all the files given in each computer will shared with security, for example i dont want my secratary to check all my files only word documents and she should not have permission with pm. but i should have all access

Thanks again

[InTheWayBoy]

That will depend on how you set it up...you could either have the clients look to the server for local things and the router for external things. Or you could setup 2003 with Routing and Remote Access which would mean your clients would look to the server for everything, and the server would determine if it needs to serve the info or if it needs to pass it through to the router. If you go with the second method, you'll need two NIC's in the 2003 box, one for the LAN and one for the WAN. This method also allows you to use the VPN features of 2003, so you might wannt look into this since you are inquiring about VPN.

[nmX.Memnoch]

If you are only going to be creating shares on the Windows Server 2003 box and it is your only server then you don't need to use DFS.

Assuming we aren't talking about a large company, printing services shouldn't really add that much overhead to the server so that shouldn't be a problem either.

By default your secretary will not have access to files on your workstation as long as they are stored within your profile or you setup a directory with limited NTFS permissions. You could even create a share on the server that no one has access to except for you.

As InTheWayBoy mentioned, you could use the Routing and Remote Access features of Windows Server 2003 and completely eliminate the 3Com gateway all together (replace it with a wireless access point, or just turn off the gateway features of the device). This would allow you to use the domain accounts for VPN access instead of having to maintain another set of user accounts.

[cluberti]

You've gotten quite a few good responses here, but I feel inclined to throw my own suggestions into the mix. Feel free to ignore them if you choose, they're just suggestions :

My network is connected by a 3com wireless gateway which has its own dhcp server.

If possible, you should disable the DHCP service on the gateway device. Due to the nature of Active Directory and all of the DHCP options you will need to add to your DHCP service as your network grows, I'd say stick to the DHCP server on Windows Server 2003. It will likely make no difference right now, but as your network grows you'll find that it is easier to make changes to the 2003 DHCP server and have things "just work" than with certain hardware DHCP devices.

Each system has it own shared folder, in windows 2003 I heard that there one new things called active folder sharer something which shares the files in other system with security cause I want some of the users not to use my files not even for viewing them.

This can be accomplished via DFS (distributed file system). You can add shares on your file server, and on other workstations to the DFS root and have everything appear to be in one network location. I know some people do not recommend using DFS if you've only got one file server, but I disagree - again, think ahead. As you grow and add new file servers into your network (and DFS root), it is easier for your users if they can still access shares on the new file servers in the same old DFS namespace. Yes, it's more work initially to set up, but the end result is ease of use for the end user.

Second thing my printer is a xerox phaser 7300n which has its own dhcp service.

Again, disabling this DHCP service is recommended, as per the previous answer I gave regarding the 3Com Wireless Gateway.

So is it possible for me to make the w2003 server use a dhcp instead of making all those things use dhcp.

Yes, but if you are configuring Active Directory on your network, you will need your Windows Server 2003 machine to run a DNS server, and running a DNS server means that your Server 2003 machine will need a static IP (thus not using DHCP). Since this server will likely be running WINS, DNS, Print Server, etc., it makes sense to add the DHCP server to this machine - the DHCP service takes very little system resources, and it's already going to be your point of reference for most other network actions by your clients.

And is it possible to share email in head office through vpn if they don't have a exchange server.But they have their own domain like mohsin@company.com.

It is possible, if you set up a VPN connection between your head office and the remote location. If there is a VPN connection in place, the users at the remote location will be able to access your Exchange server without issue. You would have to configure the MX records for their domain to point at your Exchange server and configure your Exchange server to accept mail for that domain, but otherwise it's very simple.