Hey Gang! This post might be a bit on the long side but please bear with me. I thank you in advance for your advice and replies, it's greatly appreciated. Here's the deal. A local kennel wants to get their office computerized. Currently they're doing everything on paper and it's just becoming overwhelming for them. They've appointed me the task of handling the job and maintaining their systems, and...well...I have no idea which direction to go with their setup. I've never networked in a business location before and never had to network more than three systems. They have a large U shaped front desk where they will need three computers. The employee in charge of bookeeping/finance will also need a computer - her office is sort've behind the front desk in a cubby hole kind of thing. I plan to custom build all computer systems. All four computers will be running a boarding program called Kennel Connection (Kennel Connection 5.0) - but only the finance office PC will also need Quickbooks. However, all four computers will need access to a central database where the QB and KC files will be stored. They'll also be sharing a printer. I'm not too sure what else they'll be sharing but I imagine maybe a fax at the most. It would be nice to set up remote access so I could offer them support off-site but it's not mandatory. I'd like to avoid using a server; I've just never worked with them before and would hate to get involved in something I'm not sure if I could handle. I'm also not too sure if a server is REALLY needed for only two programs and a relatively small office setup. I'd prefer to just build a workstation in place of a server. I also don't know what would be more beneficial in such a small office space - wired or wireless neworking? With that said, how would you networking gurus plan out this project? What sort of things should I be taking into consideration, what things do I need to find out before taking the first steps? What system specs would you recommend for this project? Really, any advice or suggestions would be helpful. Feel free to ask any questions if I didn't explain things well enough. I've never tackled this sort of project before so want to get as much planning and advice as I can before I get started. Thanks guys!
Hi, welcome to Hardwareforums. Keep in mind, people need this stuff to do their jobs, so design for simplicity and stability. Keep variables low and run a lab on technologies which are new to you before you deploy them in a production environment. A "server" is simply a computer who's primary duty is to "serve" data in some way. Centralized data storage is much easier to manage, maintain and backup than sharing data across several workstations. In the latter case, you're really managing a bunch of servers instead of just one. In other words, if your users will be sharing data, it's a good idea to build a server. If you don't specifically need Windows on the server, check out SME Server which is secure, stable and free. It's also easier to manage than a Windows server, and will save you hundreds in software licenses alone. Wired. It's more secure, more dependable, and more predictible. On the human side, I'd evaluate your budget, any special needs, existing resources, politics, etc. On the technological side of things, it's all just simple logistics. Your network must be centralized, so look into how big your switch needs to be and how much cable you'll need. If the workstations are in extremely close proximity, you could do the whole thing with pre-built patch cables and a small workgroup switch, like one of the blue steel ones from Netgear. If there will be a permanent network installed though, you might just hire a consultant. There is a lot to know about running a network, too much to get into here. Suffice it to say Networking is considered a trade for a reason, and there are codes and standards for permanent wiring which must be taken into account. Depends on how many machines you need, what software they'll be running, and whether or not they will have an Internet connection. If they are Internet connected and they will be running Windows, you have to take into consideration that they will need to run a whole myriad of security software to keep them afloat. Those tools take up precious system resources, so although the software they're running may not need much, keep the bigger picture in mind.
