Server for Small Business

[TheToxicgamer97]

I am setting up a server for my boss, and he has some specific needs that I am not sure how to tackle. He has 5 client PCs throughout his home. He wants to be able to sit at any one of these PCs and be able access any and all applications and files that he needs for work. Here are some of my ideas:

1) Some sort of application server. I have never done something like this, and I'm not exactly sure how to even do this.

2) create a system image of his current main workstation and just make every other PC a copy of it. Then consolidate all of files onto a file server.

3) Make the server a normal PC with all the applications and files he needs and then just remote into that PC from the other 5 around his home.

 

I'm a first year I.T. student, so I've never really faced a real-world problem like this. I would really love to know what the best solution for this problem would be.

Thanks everyone!

[AnonymousGuy]

I have no idea if this is the best method...don't do for a living.

 

Create 5 VMs on the server and then it's trivially easy to have them be based on the same image.  Then each client PC can remote in to their respective VM and have a consistent experience.

[System Error Message]

any desktop PC can be a sever. Application server is a broad term, there are so many things.

So the function you want is to have NFS or active directory, file server (SMB, FTP) and i dont know about vpn though as remote access wasnt mentioned (remote desktop is also a LAN thing and quite useful but every windows has it). look up NFS or active directory ,it does what you want, the question is the OS.

 

If Windows is used throughout than you need windows server which has been absolutely horrible from my experience. I have used windows server 2012 and 2016 and have had absolutely terrible experience. If you arent going to use anything other than what is offered in windows server than it is a choice, otherwise you will need to take the linux route and do some hard work.

 

Any PC can be a server, you only need sufficient network infrastructure (having multiple NICs and bonding them helps), but not much CPU or ram is needed so even low end hardware can be used, just not intel atom architecture.

 

[Mira Yurizaki]

12 minutes ago, TheToxicgamer97 said:

1) Some sort of application server. I have never done something like this, and I'm not exactly sure how to even do this.

As far as my cursory IT knowledge goes, this would require something like Citrix or Sharepoint, which I don't think is feasible for small businesses. Or you could have something like that technically, where the applications are stored and launched from a remote storage on the local computer via network drives, if you don't mind waiting. However, any application that requires a license needs to have a license for each PC. You can't get away with just one.

Quote

2) create a system image of his current main workstation and just make every other PC a copy of it. Then consolidate all of files onto a file server.

This would increase maintenance overhead.

Quote

3) Make the server a normal PC with all the applications and files he needs and then just remote into that PC from the other 5 around his home.

This is probably the best route. Though it depends on the application you want to run and how many simultaneous users you need on the system.

 

[TheToxicgamer97]

7 minutes ago, M.Yurizaki said:

Quote

3) Make the server a normal PC with all the applications and files he needs and then just remote into that PC from the other 5 around his home.

This is probably the best route. Though it depends on the application you want to run and how many simultaneous users you need on the system

There will only be one user (himself) on the network at any given time. So I may just have the other PCs remote into his current workstation, and then use his server simply as a file server.

 

11 minutes ago, System Error Message said:

So the function you want is to have NFS or active directory, file server (SMB, FTP) and i dont know about vpn though as remote access wasnt mentioned (remote desktop is also a LAN thing and quite useful but every windows has it). look up NFS or active directory ,it does what you want, the question is the OS

He is the only user on the network so I don't think I will need active directory. But NFS or some sort of file server may be the way to go. They are only being accessed from within the home so I don't think a vpn will be necessary. Remote Desktop is what I meant by remoting in, I should have been more clear. 

[System Error Message]

28 minutes ago, TheToxicgamer97 said:

There will only be one user (himself) on the network at any given time. So I may just have the other PCs remote into his current workstation, and then use his server simply as a file server.

 

He is the only user on the network so I don't think I will need active directory. But NFS or some sort of file server may be the way to go. They are only being accessed from within the home so I don't think a vpn will be necessary. Remote Desktop is what I meant by remoting in, I should have been more clear. 

active directory is for windows, NFS is for linux. The key thing is that active directory will allow for central access to programs and files regardless of which PC. even if its for just 1 user that is exactly what he wants, a unified login/desktop across the network.

 

Just make sure the server has enough storage for him.

[dalekphalm]

35 minutes ago, System Error Message said:

active directory is for windows, NFS is for linux. The key thing is that active directory will allow for central access to programs and files regardless of which PC. even if its for just 1 user that is exactly what he wants, a unified login/desktop across the network.

 

Just make sure the server has enough storage for him.

AD can easily have a unified desktop experience, but applications will not carry over when logging into a different computer. The requisite applications must be installed on all computers before he can use it.

 

You're essentially talking about Roaming Profiles.

 

If you want applications to be available on any computer, regardless of what was previously installed on that computer, the OP will need a Sharepoint or Citrix application server, which can be damn expensive, and is likely way out of budget.

 

@TheToxicgamer97 I would recommend setting up one Server or Desktop (If Desktop, ensure it was Windows 7/8/10 Pro, so that it can accept Remote Desktop), that has all the applications needed installed. Then, setup Remote Desktop on all the client machines, with the server IP/Hostname + username + password cached, with a handy shortcut, so your boss just needs to double click on that shortcut to sign in.

 

That way, he does all his "work" on the Server/Central Desktop over remote desktop.

 

Make sure that whatever system you choose, the working computer (Server or Desktop) has proper backups of all the important data.

[TheToxicgamer97]

2 hours ago, dalekphalm said:

I would recommend setting up one Server or Desktop (If Desktop, ensure it was Windows 7/8/10 Pro, so that it can accept Remote Desktop), that has all the applications needed installed. Then, setup Remote Desktop on all the client machines, with the server IP/Hostname + username + password cached, with a handy shortcut, so your boss just needs to double click on that shortcut to sign in.

 

That way, he does all his "work" on the Server/Central Desktop over remote desktop.

 

Make sure that whatever system you choose, the working computer (Server or Desktop) has proper backups of all the important data

I came up with this same plan last night! I'm also going to make a file server for backup.