"Many small businesses could benefit greatly by having a Server on the network to actively manage
the client computers, user accounts and profiles, file storage, backups, security, and application programs.
Here's why..."
If your small business is using more than a few PC's... and you do not have a Server to manage the
network... then you are missing out on a great opportunity to strengthen your business' computing
capabilities while reducing the manual administrative headaches of maintaining, updating, and backing
up each client PC individually.
Server platforms have become more affordable than ever with today's lower cost hardware and software.
Microsoft has three Server products one of which is "right-sized" for your business.
The new Windows Foundation 2008, Windows Small Business Server
2008 and Windows Server 2008R2 operating systems are now available.
They contain major advancements in capability, performance, and security to automate the management
of your network computers and resources.
We strongly recommend installing a Server because it provides the following benefits of
"centralized administration and control" to your entire organization:
- Authentication of all network users (local and remote)
- Management of user, group, computer accounts, and many other key resources for the entire network
from a single repository known as Active Directory (AD). Without
a Server (and AD), each client computer must have all user accounts, groups, network policy, security,
and other settings managed individually which consumes a great deal of time
- User profiles are stored on the network Server (i.e. a user's custom desktop layout and program
settings). Users can then securely logon to any computer on the network and their custom environment
will "follow" them to each location
- Network security and Group Policy. Network wide security policy - group, user, and file permissions
are enforced for security reasons from a central location (Active Directory). The administrator
defines policies that dictate who can access what resources (ex: computers, files, websites,
applications, services, etc.). This removes the burden of your users having to constantly create file
shares and change file permissions on their desktop computers (which often results in security and
file access problems).
- Network services (DNS, DHCP, Web Server - Intranet)
- Network wide Anti-Virus, Malware and Intrusion Detection/Prevention
- Data storage for all computers on the network. Redundant disk arrays configured in Raid 1 and Raid 5
provide data loss protection from hardware failure
- Full Disk and Removable Disk (Thumb Drive) data encryption prevents data theft
- System and Data Backup is automatically managed for all computers and all users.
- Application Server. Most programs can be installed on the Server and then run at each client machine
across the network. This eliminates the need to install software on each client machine. Office,
business accounting, secure email, etc.
- Remote Access. Configure secure login accounts for remote users to run applications on the Server or
a network client computer from anywhere they have secure Internet access
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