how would u do it?

[shane0t]

Hi,
If you were given the following systems: several duron 1100 128 ram, 20g h.drive onboard: graphics sound nic cd-rom drives (some rewriters) and a few 1700xp’s with 80gig h.drives 512 ram build in nic, sound. mercury g-force 2 64m graphics cards cd-roms/rewriters.

Now these were going to be used over a network. How would you configure these systems for max stability? Systems would be used for general office use, multi tasking etc and the faster systems for graphics design. Some of the systems would be going 24/7 on shifts.

What I’m looking for is tips for stability e.g would u set up a few partitions on each system and keep system files on one, user files on another etc. stuff like that which could eliminate certain problems form the outset. This covers a wide range of variables but please feel free to give any tips on specific areas that you feel would have an overall benefit for maximum stability

Cheers

Shane

[Spider]

Hi shane0t, welcome to Cyber Tech Help.

Stability...well that's a mouthful.

Hardware compatibility with operating system type
condition of hardware (previous use, fragmented disks, age, open tower maintenance)
maintenance of operating system
BIOS upgrades, firmware upgrades
temperatures


If it were me and I was assured I was the only administrator for the network then
I'd start by backing up all pertinent data then reformatting all hard drives. Partition
the 40Gb ones in two 20Gb partitions and the 80Gb into 3 partitions.

I'd select the most powerful computer and ensure all it's components are
installed and living happy together (no glitches anywhere) and install
Windows 2000 Pro on it. This computer I would be using as the network
administrator. It would have the administrator password and one other
user name and password with full administrator access and only I know
those names and passwords.

All machines would logon through this machine and I would install Windows 2000
or WindowsXP Home on all the client machines. The graphics people would be
on XP Home and the document people would be on Win2K.

All clients only carry the software and access they need. Every other option
restricted from users. Nobody sees a Control Panel, Device Manager, Installer etc.
The machines that don't need Internet don't get access via no software aboard
like Outlook, Internet Explorer etc. Also blocked on router from any access to
the Web.

Anybody that has Web access is not allowed to download anything nor visit
any but previously allowed sites.

No email allowed on any client

No MS-DOS access on any client

No floppy use on any client

No CD-ROM/CD-RW use on any client

No speakers allowed on any clients

No client sees any other machine on the network unless they absolutely
have to and even then in read-only mode.

The host machine (Win2KPro) is also set up with may scheduled tasks...
blocks access during certain hours
performs maintenance and backups
gathers logs from clients on all keystrokes

If anyone complains about not having "something" then you have to assess
each situation and decide if the request is valid enough to allow the access
and compromise of the network. If a client simply asks to be able to download
a file outside the network then you would download it on the admin machine
and transfer the file to the client machine.

Sounds hard-line but it ensures stability. You can not let users do anything
on a client other than exactly what they need to do for their job, and nothing
more. This is how you maintain the stability you brought the network to when
you initially built it. You would save many hours from not having to correct
client mistakes.

The other option is wing the network together with access open to all. You
would be working on that network frequently, chasing problems created by
users.

[shane0t]

hi spider,
thanx for the detailed response. i will get back with info on how the network is set up at the moment. there is a lot of problems with crashes etc. i'm responsable for sorting any of the hardware problems that may be contributing to the crashes but have no involment with setting up the network.

if i've got my end covered i want ro make sure the network people have theirs.

shane

[shane0t]

Hi,
Here is additional info

I outlined some of the systems in the original post. There are other systems as well; older systems pII 233’s etc. part of the operation is a call centre where the users are dealing with callers. They’ll be using a standard office package as well as a few other standard programs. These systems do need Internet access as well, and there is a server.

They are 2 of the duron systems outlined in the original post running in here. These systems at busy times and some not so busy times tend to slow right down and sometimes crash. They are my systems and I have tested all the hardware inside them, which passed all tests. They are using win98 at this moment. From a hardware point I am upgrading the memory to crucial memory which is a high quality branded memory. Upgrading to heftier psu’s and higher cpu fans as well as putting a extra fan inside the case.

I don’t know much about networking but my gut instincts tells me that the systems could and should be set up better. Up to 3 different OS’s being used on the different systems, and some of these upgraded versions as opposed to being installed fresh etc.

The other part of the operation is catalogue publishing this is where the 3 high-end (1700XP’s) systems are being used. They are also up to 12 other systems being used of various specs. The 1700’s are again using a standard office package as well as photo editing programs like Photoshop, quark xpress etc shared files and Internet access needed.

The two operations are in separate buildings and I’m not sure if there is two separate networks or one large I suppose you could allow for both variables. Going on the above info after the hardware upgrades I do on my own systems, if you were to set up from scratch for max stability what would you do? Any info at all would be much appreciated.

Shane

[Spider]

Continued from private message conversations we've been having


shane0t wrote on December 8th, 2002 05:08 PM:
There are other systems as well; older systems pII 233’s etc.
part of the operation is a call centre where the users are dealing
with callers. They’ll be using a standard office package as well
as a few other standard programs. These systems do need Internet
access as well, and there is a server.
A PII machine is always going to be a conflict in a networked office.
The business will have to upgrade machines. If the owner(s) do not want
to spend money on better equipment then they will have to realize
they are going to get exactly what they have invested in. In other words,
The network will never run properly because you haven't the proper
hardware and software to achieve what is needed in a business of that
scope.
These systems at busy times and some not so busy times tend
to slow right down and sometimes crash. They are my systems and I have
tested all the hardware inside them, which passed all tests. They are
using win98 at this moment.
What the machine was doing at the time of the crash is what I would want
to know. This is the reason (as I stated before) about formatting hard drives
and installing full, fresh, multi license operating systems.
continued in part 2

shane0t wrote on December 8th, 2002 05:26 PM:
I'm upgrading the memory to crucial a high quality branded memory.
putting in heftier psu’s + higher cpu fans + putting a extra fan inside
the case. I don’t know much about networking but my gut instincts
tells me the systems could be set up better.
This is what I always refer to as "Band-Aids on bullet holes". The intent
is correct but the budget is limited. Upgraded memory, psu(s), and fans
etc. are still plugged into the old motherboard and CPU. All riding on
some operating systems that have been upgraded from older WindowsXX
versions. It sounds like it's a big mass of patch-work in software and
hardware. Very difficult to get machines like that up-2-snuff.

Up to 3 different OS’s being used on the different systems, and some of these
upgraded versions as opposed to being installed fresh etc.
(answered just above)
The other part of the operation is catalogue pub this is where the (1700XP’s) systems
are being used. They're up to 12 other systems being used of various specs.
The 1700’s are using standard office package & photo editing programs
e.g Photoshop, quark xpress etc shared files & Internet access needed.
The 2 operations are in separate buildings & I’m not sure if there is two separate
networks or one large 1. u could allow for both, on the above info after the upgrades
if you were to set up from scratch for max stability what would you do?
As long as Windows 95, WindowsGOLD, or Windows 98(not 98SE) are not involved
in the network then the networking aspect should always be stable.

Other buildings involved means this should all be run out of a true server machines
that carry an operating system such as Windows2000 Server, OS2 Warp, or
something capable of acting as a true server. Both "buildings" would access their
server first and reach the network from there.

It sounds to me like somewhere the 1700XPs were purchased to handle Photoshop
and the other editing software because the older machines could not deal with the
resource hungry software. If the owner(s) could see this same problem in trying
to run the network of multiple machines on inadequate equipment.

This is not a simple home network where 3-6 machines are connected together for
simple network access and sharing. This is different physical locations of separate
networks, both running a variety of different stand-alone machines. A machine such
as an IBM AS 400 should be used to bring focus to each separate network.

I don't know how you got involved in such a larger office project but it really sounds
like you have taken on quite the undertaking.

Just closing my eyes and imagining a budget to get things up-2-speed I can see
a need for at least $15,000.00US that needs to be injected into that network.

Give me a breather and I'll answer the "what would I do" part.

[mlucchesi@mmdhd]

This sounds like an installation that really needs to be done by Pros. It is one thing to manage a small network but completely differant thing to install and configure one. (and make it stable) there are so many things that need to be assessed. From location of the machines to the installation of the wiring backbone. If this is not done correctly you will be chasing your tail around like an angry puppy. Spider is so right about clean installs. You never know what is left over from previous installs. The only way is to do it right from the start. If management does not want to put the money into a stable product to start out with they will must likely not want to fund it enough to keep it running correctly. This is a recipe for a rotating IS department that is constantly burned out and bugging out. Good luck.

[ineedhelpnow]

I would set one as network administrator and run Windows 2000 professional or Windows XP pro on it and have the rest run Windows Xp home on the rest.I would prefer a wired network because it has faster speeds than a wireless network.by the way, those computers sound nice.Have a cable or DSL connection so your buisness is connected.Then I would get a few routers to spread the connection across all of them.