Moving from an ad-hoc to client-server network

[news.dsl.pipex.com]

For many years now I have been running a network of win98/XP machines at
home. I now have a spare P3-700 box that I have installed Windows 2003
Server on and I want to use this for two main purposes:-

1) Day to day use is as a file server with 5 storage hard drives (the board
has RAID so 8 channels)

2) To use as a development web server, for testing websites before going
live, and also to learn a little more about server management.

I have a good knowledge of hardware and networking in the manner I have been
using it so far.

I am not too concerned at this point about all the security aspect, as it
will only be used at home for access to the storage drives. I need to knwo I
I get my XP/98 workstations to access the network storage on the win2003
box. Do I have to set it up as a Domain Controller to do this, or can I do
it without having it as domain controller?

I would appreciate anyone having the patience to spell out the basics of how
I can give my clients permission to the drives on the server.

Thanks

Mick

 

[insurrection]

For many years now I have been running a network of win98/XP machines at
home. I now have a spare P3-700 box that I have installed Windows 2003
Server on and I want to use this for two main purposes:-

1) Day to day use is as a file server with 5 storage hard drives (the board
has RAID so 8 channels)

2) To use as a development web server, for testing websites before going
live, and also to learn a little more about server management.

I have a good knowledge of hardware and networking in the manner I have been
using it so far.

I am not too concerned at this point about all the security aspect, as it
will only be used at home for access to the storage drives. I need to knwo I
I get my XP/98 workstations to access the network storage on the win2003
box. Do I have to set it up as a Domain Controller to do this, or can I do
it without having it as domain controller?

I would appreciate anyone having the patience to spell out the basics of how
I can give my clients permission to the drives on the server.

Thanks

Mick

Just start out with a workgroup server and work with it for a while and
then go to AD if you want. With AD you will lock out the 98 machines if
the server goes down once you set a 98 machine to logon to a domain and
the domain goes down you will play hell getting in to the local machine.