XP Pro as basic file server/will this work?

by Steven Haninger Nov 24, 2003 9:10PM PST

As best I can, I provide hardware (and some OS support) to a local K-8 parocial school where my wife is technology coordinator. As usual, the administration has no clue as to how to budget for computer technology. Currently, the facility has a computer lab with 12 PCs and one in each classroom for student/teacher use. There are also other PCs in the library, etc. All are networked peer to peer. Most are still running Win 98 but my wife has purchased licenses to install XP Pro on all computers, most of which are not hardware capable of running the OS at this point. The project I have been asked to undertake is to set up something of a file server so local machines do not fill with redundant data and users don't keep losing there stuff on the network. The move to XP Pro should also provide considerable security advantages. The file server would basically be a storage device and be used by teachers and higher grade students to store and retrieve their own work and group projects. We would have to create folder space and manage permissions for all users. I would move the "My Documents" folder for each logged in user to the server. My home network has several PCs and I run XP Pro, Home or Win 98 on these. I have been successful in creating the basic concept on my home network with the exception of being able to set disk space quotas. My question has to do with XP Pro's limitation on simultaneous usage. I believe there is a limit of ten users at one time but I doubt this would occur often especially if we can teach people to always log off when finished. Does anybody know if this would work and what pitfalls there migh be. Thanks in advance.

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I'll write no.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Nov 24, 2003 9:26PM PST

The 10 user limit will haunt you as you will find out.

I'll ask why not Linux? You do realise that with XP you have to feed and care for it almost weekly it seems as the pests, worms and what else seem to show up constantly. Just last week you see that patch it again...

By moving to some other solution you get to miss out on that fun without the expense of the OS.

Linux's ability to serve files and printers is there. User accounts and more is there and you can use a Web browser to maintain it. Diskquota on the server is there. In fact the only piece missing might be you.

Bob

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Re:I'll write no.

by Steven Haninger Nov 25, 2003 1:28AM PST

Your prompt reply is much appreciated. You asked "why not Linux". The reason is that I have no familiarity with it. I am not a trained IT professional either but have gained some understanding of Windows networking on my own. I have assisted the school (as a volunteer) to the extent that I can but this one is a bit outside of my knowledge area. To learn Linux might be a project for a later day if I cannot get a simple system to function using XP. I am fully aware (and have explained to my wife) that such a server could become an administrative behemoth and, if the school wants this to happen, a paid network administrator would be the best to handle it. For now, I am simply looking to see how much of a barrier the 10 user limit might be in this situation as the server would not be used to host applications, referrence data, etc. or, obviously, the school would need to spring for dedicated server software. Again, thanks for your prompt reply though it did offer what I wanted.

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A quick summary.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Nov 25, 2003 1:37AM PST

XP Pro:

A. 10-user limit.
This will haunt you. LANs grow from my experience and you are already over 10 clients. All the work will get tossed and you get to start over.

B. Security.
With yet another patch last week and more known and unpublished exploits, can you keep on top of it?

C. The backup?
Common to any server is the BACKUP. The disasater recovery plan needs to be drawn up. Even if simple, how to recover from the server's hard disk going pwoof or stolen to how to reinstall from scratch due to the new super-worm.

Linux:

A. "I don't know Linux."
In the past month I've installed a handful of Linux setups. Suse 9.0, Mandrake 9.2 and NOTHING was ever asked that I would have to "know" Linux.

It's come a long ways.

B. 10-user limit.

There's no user limit. A graphical administration is the norm and it's not much different from any other OS. Even Microsoft never made a consistent interface to the user administration. Close, but not consistent.

C. Try it.

You should be able to find some box to trial the setup. Cost will be minimal.

Bob

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Re:A quick summary./Guess it can't hurt to try

by Steven Haninger Nov 25, 2003 11:09AM PST

Once again, thanks. I do have a college age son who is familiar with Linux and done several installations for others. He works parttime at the university's communications devision with Windows and Unix servers so I will enlist his aid if I get no encouraging replies.
My PC cases are all Antecs which have removable drive cages and I have spare drives and cages to swap around so setting up a box at home is not a problem. As for backup, the server's storage drives would employ a RAID 1 configuration and the OS would be on a separate drive which I would make an image of and store separately. I know this is not an ideal solution but is fairly simple. Also, some sort of remote administration from an existing XP machine would be a plus, if not imperative, as space is at a premium as is my volunteer time. I did most of the hardware installation in the school with the exception of the Cisco router and T1 boxes for internet access. I crawled through the ceilings with cat5 in my teeth, mounted the rack, switches and patch panel, did all the punch down work and got all the PCs talking and network printers printing but this project is over my head. Thanks again and comments from anyone are appreciated as we are still in the planning stages.

XP Pro as basic file server/will this work?

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