domain controller?

[Jed Savage]

We run a small network, about 14 machines. We are planning to expand
and will be doubling network machines. I was told that we ought to
look into setting up a domain controller. We're currently doing
everything P2P. I'm not sure I exactly understand how a domain
controller is needed. Will it speed up our network? Is it easy to
setup? What would I need to purchase? can I use an existing XP pro
or w2k pro server as a domain controller or do I have to buy a
software package? Am I going to have to do major configuration
changes to all the client machines?

Could someone please explain what a domain controller does, and how it
works together with the network? Thanks in advance.

 

[David Candy]

Employ someone.
1. No
2. No
3. A server product - No/No
4. Yes

It's about centralised control. More than 5 computers it's worth it. Personally I think more than 2 or one computer with more than 2 users.

Windows is designed to work with a server. It's crippled standalone.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

We run a small network, about 14 machines. We are planning to expand
and will be doubling network machines. I was told that we ought to
look into setting up a domain controller. We're currently doing
everything P2P. I'm not sure I exactly understand how a domain
controller is needed. Will it speed up our network? Is it easy to
setup? What would I need to purchase? can I use an existing XP pro
or w2k pro server as a domain controller or do I have to buy a
software package? Am I going to have to do major configuration
changes to all the client machines?

Could someone please explain what a domain controller does, and how it
works together with the network? Thanks in advance.

Any PC that meets the specs can be a Windows Server DC (Domain Controller).

You have over 10 users/pcs, so I can see the need for a server.. sure - a
file server maybe. And a DC with AD could help you manage your users better
I suppose. You could give each user some Home Drive space on the server and
perhaps a shared area or two.. However, I actually don't see such a small
place (from your description) benefiting from a AD environment too much.

Perhaps just get a new machine with LOTS of hard drive space and a copy of
Windows Server 2003. Create shares and users on the server (none of the
users other than the admin should have logon local rights) and then start
mapping persistent shares on all the users/computers. That's one simple and
less expesive solution for you.

If you go with a AD setup, I cannot say I recommend using the same machine
you have as a DC as a File Server. And I definitely cannot recommend having
only one DC. No redundancy is bad.

A DC must be a server level OS.. (Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2003 Server)

A file server (sharing with over 10 clients at once) must be a server OS -
or you could dive into a Linux file server.