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by edwerg

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I am running a small office computer network part time (12 hrs / wk). The boss has been great, we have gone from 20 clone desktops and two clone underpowered servers to powefull Dell desktops, 4 new and very powerfull servers with multiple backups, a cisco firewall, and failover software. She now wants me to impliment an intranet (in the process of do so), possibly setup SQL server for a new database program, host / create / maintain our company internet website, and bring e-mail in-house via exchange server. I have been told that exchange server and 12 hrs per week will not go together. Would it be better to use MS Small business server? Would I be crazy to bring e-mail in house? Should I leave e-mail as is? We are currentl;y using our internet providers pop3 e-mail and except for some features that my boss wants this situation works fine. Oh and 12 hours / week is all I am willing and able to put in on a regular basis, i have a full time job elsewhere. Thank you all for any insite and assistance you can provide.

6 replies

by bfilmfan

SBS 2003 has Exchange built-in.

And if you are spending 12 hours a week maintaining Exchange for an office of 20 people, there are other issues.

by edwerg

I guess I wasn't very clear in my original post. I am spending 12 hrs / week doing everything else, I am not sure I will have the additional time needed to deploy / mnaintain an e-mail server. Sorry about that.

by charliespencer

I'd put the other tasks ahead of in-house e-mail.

What are you planning on gaining by bring the e-mail in house? You've got a solution that's working acceptably right now. You have to weigh the capabilities that come with an Exchange server against all the additional work the internet provide is already doing for you (malware filtering, backups).

by edwerg

So I take it your of the mind to leave things as they are and not deploy exchange server. I assume the reason is it would take too much of my time to duplicate what we already have?

by charliespencer

I'd deal with the other projects first ("setup SQL server for a new database program, host / create / maintain our company internet website"). You've already got a working e-mail solution. Bite off the other two projects; they're solutions to needs that aren't currently being met. Then see if you've got time left in your twelve-hour week to support Exchange.

by edwerg

Thank you for the advice, that is exactly what we have decided to do. I guess I just needed the reason put down for me to 'see the light'.

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