Windows XP Pro on a server - possible?

[amanoffewwords]

Hiya all,

I have a customer with a rather large house in SW London. Currently being re-developed. Said house is having all the mod-cons installed – sat TV, PABX-style phone system, CIA-style security system, private cinema etc etc.. We’re talking high-tech for a low-tech minded customer. But she’s got the $€£, so…

She’s proposing to have at least two computers initially connected to an internal network.

20 or so CAT 5 wall sockets connect to a patch panel which will feed into a 24-port switch connected to a broadband modem and a server. Due to restrictions of space (!) the latter is to be a 1U type server (probably from Dell as all other kit is from Dell).

Given that the server will set her back around 400-600GBP mark, (say for a P4 with 512M and reasonable disk space/ SATA etc) I don’t particularly wish to “dump” my customer with Windows XP server edition + complicate her life (and mine) by 1000% + 400GBP for it anyway.

Does anyone see any problem with Windows XP Pro being installed on the server if the only real use of it would be to share the broadband connection and the customer’s personal files (so she can access them wherever she is around the house) and manage an anti-virus program?

Cheers
Charles

[Scuzi]

XP Pro should be more than adequate for the tasks you mention. You only need ot upgrade to 2003 Server if you want more control over users, resources etc. For a couple of clients, XP Pro will do the job nicely. File sharing is easy as well.

PS. If she has the £££, would a Wi-Fi setup not be better? Offers more flexibility and I doubt the drop in speed will have any adverse affect on the day to day usage. Not many people can boast about posting on PPRuNe while sitting on the toilet! :E

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Charles,

I agree with Scuzi, WinXP Pro will work fine for what she is looking to do.

If you do end up going WiFi, do get an 802.11g Router. I would look at getting the same brand for both the Router and NICs, since USRobotics and Netgear only give the real boost in throughput when you use their Router/NIC together.

Take Care,

Richard

P.S. SATA and IDE will give you the same speed on the Server, unless you use a 10,000rpm WD Raptor Drive. ;)

[Evo]

I don't suppose it's worth mentioning Linux...? ;)

[FarNorth]

Not many people can boast about posting on PPRuNe while sitting on the toilet!

Funny you should mention it.....

WiFi 802.11(a to g or wherever we are now) would probably be a good option as long as you secure the mac addresses of the connecting devices. Works well for me in the Bathroom as well as the Garden.

If you want to increase your range try here (http://www.cantenna.com)

[DistantRumble]

It should be OK ... just remember there are certain things you cannot do with XP Pro

e.g. RRAS , SQL Server, etc. However, you shouldn't need them

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Scuzi,

I did find a picture of the setup Charles is doing for Bathroom Computing ;)

http://www.baumbach.com/private/images/Toilet_Computer.jpg

Take Care,

Richard

[amanoffewwords]

Sadly, she said no to the toilet option :(

(no, I didn't ask her, but now we know why Richard is so quick in answering posts :) )

- WiFi is not an option in this property due to the thickness of walls - number of floors etc + they've re-wired everything from top to bottom anyway.

- I did consider Linux for a nanosecond, but no, don't want to complicate things - it probably would be my preferred option for reliability though and cost

- There should be an existing NIC in the current machine, and the new one they will order (Dell I'm afraid) will have an on-board socket - not sure what make switch/modem we'll go for, prolly Netgear.

Thanks for alll your comments - was particularly interetsed to hear there are no hidden pitfalls in installing XP Pro on a server and save a few £££.

Cheers
Charles

[Saab Dastard]

Just curious, but what exactly does the server-class hardware running Win XP pro actually DO in this setup?

:confused:

SD

[amanoffewwords]

Good point Saab Dastard - I've been wondering about that myself!

I asked her more about her intentions and it appears she just needs to have her files centrally located so that she can access them from whichever computer suits her.

Plan B is to use a file server instead, such as the 250gb from Snap Appliances:

http://www.inmac.co.uk/images/cds_images/i160256.jpg

It cost around £700, same as a server, but has the advantage of not requiring additional OS software, keyboard, mouse and monitor (it's remotely managed via a browser).

Should make the install easier too. [famous last words!]

Cheers
Charles

[Saab Dastard]

AMOFW,

Thanks for that -

I'd go with the latter if I were you. In fact most of these devices run a cut-down file-serving optimised version of W2K3 server anyway!

With the original setup, you would have share-level access only within a workgroup, as there's no DC (or AD more accurately), which is little benefit over just having all her files on one of her PCs and leaving it on all the time (like a server) so that they can be accessed from the other(s).

I suppose noise could be an issue, but I can put up with a lot of background noise for £400 +!

What I do is have a large hard disk in a USB 2 caddy - plug it into any PC (running Win2K and above) and Bob's yer proverbial.

But if you've got the dosh...

Cheers

SD

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Charles,

I am happy to report that I do NOT have that particular room wired for Internet. ;)

Take Care,

Richard

[amanoffewwords]

Change of plan #3 - I've come across LaCie's Ethernet Disks, half the price of the one quoted above, rack mountable and expandable too (though with external drives).

http://www.lacie.com/imgstore/product_medium/ethernet_disk.jpg

With, like you say SB, embedded Windows OS.

That should do it!

Thanks
Charles

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

TCS,

You can still run Gigabit over copper. The difference is noticeable. ;)

I have been using the D-Link DGS-1008D Gigabit Switches:

http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/17-111-021-03.JPG

http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/17-111-021-04.JPG

Take Care,

Richard

[amanoffewwords]

Gigabit not necessary - my customer wouldn't appreciate the subtlety of the benefits + the switch would increase in cost quite drastically - £400-£700 instead of around £110 (for a 24 port) + with just 2-3 PCs possibly on-line at the same time it's a bit OTT in this case.

TCS

Re my half-price claim - it was badly written - I meant that the data-sharing requirement will end up costing the customer half the price of a server+OS+Monitor+keyboard+mouse versus the simple File Server option.

Based on price on www.techomatic.co.uk and www.insight.com/uk the file server options do vary in price considerably (these figures include VAT, Richard and other US based reader should replace GBP with USD!)

Snap 250GB is 681GBP, LaCie is 457GBP

Snap 80GB is 508GBP, Lacie 160GB is 385GBP (snap don't do 160GB model)


How will her files be backed up?

Probably will rent some backup space offsite and have the main PC run a backup job every so often.

Cheers
Charles

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Charles,

You can always update the switch at a later date. ;)

Take Care,

Richard

[amanoffewwords]

errr...no! I'm planning an install 'n forget job - except for the $100xhour monthly routine maintenance plan I'll sell her - absolutely-required-sign-here-ma'am. :cool:

[Saab Dastard]

AMOFW,

If you go for a RAID 1 solution (with an alert emailed out if a disk goes down) the backup really only has to cater for fire, flood and theft.

As you say, Internet-based backup over a BB connection in the wee hours makes a lot of sense.

I'm planning an install 'n forget job

My God, man, think of all the upgrade opportunities you are eschewing!

SD

[amanoffewwords]

SD, that's where my "maintenance plan" comes in :E

No Raid 1, just a standard disk in Ethernet Disk but it can email alerts. Backup schedule will probably be using WS-FTP pro since I have been using for FTP since the Dark Ages and it is supposed to be able to manage backups too..

Cheers

[amanoffewwords]

Spookily I received two promotional emails from insight and microwarehouse, both offering the latest in Storage devices such as the ones I was looking at - very cleverly written as if it was a general mailshot. Ahh the power of cookies...except that I was looking at £400 devices and the ones Insight was offering went up to £14000! Maybe not so powerful...!

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

TCS,

I only use CAT-5e. ;)

Take Care,

Richard