Thanks again Jeff.
> Hi Mike,
> Couple of questions would need to be resolved, but the situation is
> workable.
> With only 5 nodes in the remote office, the first question is are the
> stations used 1:1, or do you have 15 users and 5 stations? I ask because
of
> the configuration process, and the number of logons.
> I assume you intend to keep a file server in that office regardless,
> therefore there would not be the file traffic moving across, only the
logon
> authentication and the email. If you intend to use Proxy, then that
> contributes to the use of bandwidth too. How heavy is the Proxy use
> expected?
> Logon with authentication over the 64Kb line is not really bad, about
60-90
> secs. max if there is no local server running the logon. If you modify
the
> logon scripts to omit the line that call startcli.exe for each logon, you
> will find a significant improvement, perhaps only a 10-15 sec. delay due
to
> the WAN based logon. If you must do a bunch of logon tasks, then you
would
> want to "trap" the logon of these computers and have them execute local
> scripts rather than ones over the WAN, but that need not mean that you
> establish a BDC in the remote office, though you could. You could execute
a
> local script by simply having the SBS logon script use a 'call' statement
to
> a path on the local server.
> Using the SBS as the PDC and no BDC really isn't the problem with a static
> WAN link like this. You will find that authentication is pretty quick
even
> without a BDC, it's strictly a matter of choice about doing the BDC if you
> have a lot of security and logon authentication to do. Using a BDC would
be
> fine, but you will introduce a bit more traffic to the WAN due to the BDC
> maintenance activities for replication and such. Keep in mind that the
BDC
> and the PDC are going to chat every 10-15 minutes all day, all night. If
> this is a DOD line, then you will have the line popup all the time. If
> that's a concern, then I would not make the BDC, just make a member
server.
> With SBS, there are recommendations to create a local copy of the
ClientApps
> folder for client installations. This does not require a BDC, just need
for
> you to run the client install from the local machine manually. There's a
> technote on this.
> Q183234 - Small Business Server Client Applications Cannot Be Installed
over
> a Modem
> Q196094 - How to Manually Install Small Business Server Clients
> As for WAN transfer speeds, you probably already have a feel for the
> performance now. The Proxy traffic is not going to be blazing. You would
> benefit if the WAN is only 64K if you have routers that do compression.
> However, you probably realize that compressed graphics, including faxes
are
> not going to be really quick to move across, therefore you will need to
look
> at this as a speed concern if the email is going to contain a lot of fax
> traffic and you have other operations using the WAN link. For instance,
if
> someone in the remote site gets a 6 page fax, or an email with 10 photos,
> when that email downloads, the WAN link will halt all other activities
till
> the pipe is cleared. This means that any Proxy traffic will cease for the
> other users, so will any logon authentication if that's an issue. These
are
> not really problems, more like issues.
> I would think that you might want to have Offline folders established for
> all these users to improve the speed of the email handling. If the users
> have their access to the WAN 24/7, most of the mail will move pretty
> quietly. If the web access with Proxy is fairly casual, it should be
fine.
> The BDC with only 5 users is a debate. I would likely not do it unless
you
> get to 8-10 computers or 10+ users and frequent logons.
> > Hi all, hope someone can help me.
> > Senario -
> > HeadOffice - running SBS 4.5 with 30 users. SBS server handles Exchange
> and
> > Proxy. A single NT 4 member server is on the network which holds all the
> > admin files (Word documents). The Accounts department runs a NetWare
> server
> > (6 users)as their primary, which has access to the SBS domain and
> > vice-versa. I hope to get rid of this Netware server over the next six
> > months and put the Acc's system onto the NT server.
> > Branch Office - running Novell Netware V3.2 5 user.
> > A leased (kilostream) 64k line links the two sites together so that
anyone
> > (who has the correct client and rights) can access each network. It is
> > primarily used by the accounts department at HQ so that they can run the
> > purchase ledger at the remote site.
> > The MD has told me that he wants the users at the branch (remote) site
to
> be
> > able to e-mail internally to the main office and also to run Proxy
Server
> > for Internet access for the remote site. This will undoubtably also lead
> to
> > external mail as well.
> > My question - should I have a NT member server at the remote site with
> > authenication being performed over the 64k line with the PDC at HQ ? I
> > assume this would also mean all mails being forwarded to the PDC. With
> > mailboxes being constantly checked how fast would this be? At logon time
> do
> > they go away and make a cup of tea due to the time it is going to take
to
> > log in ? Proxy I would try to keep local on the NT member server. I
would
> > normally install a SBS system in the branch office and use some form of
> mail
> > forwarding to transfer mail between the two, but I know that you cannot
> have
> > a trust relationship between two SBS domains, and this would stop me
from
> > being able to use the leased line, right ? Do I need to go to full
> > BackOffice for both sites ?
> > Sorry if I am rambling a bit; any adive would be gratefully received.
> > Regards
> > Mike.
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