OK, I need some input from people that know. I have an idea but it’s a little vague.
I am the “also IT Guy” in small business. Yes, the owner is too cheap to actually hire a proper IT guy or a consultant.
I have been charged with creating a SBS 2003 network. If my local office was the only location that needed access to this, things would be simple. But it is not….
The local office with 17 users will be the location of the new SBS 2003 server. We have 4 more offices around the US. One with 10 users and 3 more with 3x people each.
Other than the necessary Exchange, there is a specific application running on the server that needs to be accessed by ALL employees. The way this works is, the actual application and databases are run on the server. The client calls an executable from their computer and use the functionality. That’s it!! It’s just an icon pointing to the executable + specifying Starting Folder.
For local users this is easy. For remote users??? Do I need to setup VPN connections for each remote office which will allow just as seemless access? Does EACH user has to have a VPN connection or the entire office??
Also, I am evaluating Terminal Services/Remote Desktop/Online Web Access for this. Are they all different ways of Terminal Services? Can you actually have like 20 Terminal Services clients with SBS 2003?? Would that require a very powerfull Server or be too much strain on the T1 line?
Access to that application is the core of this business and everything we do is tied up to this. There is not that much data being transferred back and forth but seemless access to this is paramount.
Sharepoint Services is becoming another requirement too. The potential for our organization is huge for collaboration purposes.
Exchange is a requirement too but I am not worried about it as people don’t need in-network access for that.
Would also be nice to have centralized storage for all users residing on the server but that’s a bonus than anything else. (Like how on a Lan you can redirect MyDocuments to a Network folder so that all data across the organization is safe?)
So, I know this is long and thanks for making it through. What is everyone’s opinion on how to accomplish this? VPN? Terminal Services? RDP? Online Web Access? Citrix perhaps? (although cost goes up I guess).
Any help and guidance is much appreciated!
