Background: We are a small yacht club that have been running SBS 2003 premium for over 5 years on a Dell server. Basically not a single issue, but the server is getting old so We ordered a new one, another Dell. Running might not the correct definition since we have basically not been using anything more then NT Server in SBS 2003. We only have 3 users + machines, and are primarily using the server as File and printer sharing, secure storage, multiuser accounting server app and log on security with a cartridge backup system (RD 1000). No user data on the users machines. Email is through the offsite Website provider, we use Outlook as a client for POP email. So we don't use Exchange, SQL, IIS, Sharepoint etc we are just to small for that...We have a wireless router, and a lot of members come in to the yacht club and access the net with their laptops and phones. We also have a little PC where people can check email etc. That PC is not joined to the domain, just accesses the Internet through the router through DHCP form the router. We have a webcam that is on a fixed IP and uses DynDNS so we can view it from anywhere..
So Why SBS 2003 and now 2011 Standard? Well I used to work at MS and got the first one for free, and the second one (2011) from the Company store for an advantageous price (we are just a small yacht club).
I would like to use remote access and remote management of the server with the new server if possible.
So here come the questions and predicaments:
After reading through the migration doc and realizing that it seemed to be much more work to fix all the short comings in the old SBS 2003 Server OS environment, it seemed much easier to me just to install a blank new fresh copy of SBS 2011 Standard and then add 3 users plus me the Admin and machine accounts and go, and the three shared folders we have(plus backup server accounting app etc. INstallation of it all went fine on the server.
But at the end of the installations I started getting cold feet over two issues:
- SBS 2011 want to take over the routers DHCP functionality, so if I do that then what happens then when people start dropping in to the club and try to access the Internet over wireless? And what about the little lounge PC that is not joined to the domain? and the webcam on a fixed IP?
- So what really happens when I connect a machine to the domain? the help file says it changes things on the user machine, adds a SBS group to the favourites, adds SBS agents, adds an internal email account (that we have no use for), changes the home page to an internal home page (Sharepoint?) (that we also have no use for). Does it blow away the little data and settings that are on the users machines? What happens to the existing email connection settings and PST file? The existing favorites? a few files and shortcuts on the desktops (Windows XP pro BTW)? I obviously backed all machines up completely and made sure no one is working on them until I say so. The old server is still available and can be plugged back in at any time.
Did I choose the wrong product? We only really need basic server functionality. In that case which one?
As for me I obviously am not an expert at this, its a while ago since I installed SBS 2003, But I have a decent basic knowledge and can at least wonder what will happen before I do things and screw it up.
Help and insight would be very much appreciated
Andreas Berglund
(in Beautiful <st1:placename w:st="on">Maple</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype>, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Vancouver Island</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Canada</st1:country-region></st1:place>)